Page 8 - WMPF Federation Aug-Sept 2018flip_Neat

More officers want

Taser access

ore than 80 per cent of West double the number of officers armed with a member of the public while on duty. This
Midlands Police Federation Taser following a security review. At the compared to 54 per cent of respondents
Mmembers who responded to a time – August 2017 - around 650 officers nationwide.
nationwide survey on routine arming have were Taser trained and the Force announced “This goes to show the level of threat
indicated they would like to carry Tasers at it wanted this to increase to 1,400 within 18 being faced by our officers on a daily basis,”
all times while on duty. months so that 50 per cent of all response says Rich, “They need to have access to Taser
A total of 82 per cent of the Force’s officers would be trained and equipped with so they can protect both themselves and
Federation members said they wanted to them by the end of 2018. the public. Taser has proven to be a very
carry the device routinely when they took Rich believes the Force will approve a effective tool for the modern-day police
part in the survey conducted by the Police further uplift but the Federation is awaiting officer who is increasingly expected to deal
Federation of England and Wales (PFEW). further details. with threats of violence from the public.”
But only 15 per cent of them - for whom The routine arming survey carried out The survey also asked officers whether
it is applicable to their role - actually had nationally by the Federation also revealed they were satisfied with the current levels
access to Taser at all times – compared with that more than half (58 per cent) of West of armed support available to them,
22 per cent nationally. Midlands officers responding had felt their with the results being split almost 50:50
West Midlands Police Federation chair
Rich Cooke wants to see all front-line life was in serious danger at least once in between officers saying they were either
city centre neighbourhood teams including “
the last two years as the result of a threat by
very satisfied or fairly satisfied that armed
officers being trained and equipped with
They need to have access to Taser so they can
Taser.
“We want response, support/ops

protect both themselves and the public. Taser
and neighbourhood to be given access
to these devices if they wish,” says Rich,
has proven to be a very effective tool for the
“Several of the worst assaults and near
miss incidents have involved officers on
one in which a female officer was throttled modern-day police officer who is increasingly
and had her wrist broken and her male expected to deal with threats of violence from
colleague suffered a broken nose.”
Last year, the Force agreed to more than the public. “

08 federation August/September 2018 www.polfed.org/westmids