Page 4 - WMPF Federation FEB-MAR 2022_Neat

CHAIR’S INTRODUCTION

‘Force has to change

decision on Taser

training for sergeants’

in the past and used it sensibly and confidently the answer to all society’s ills but he can tell
and feel its presence as a deterrent has you about the situations he has been in where
removed the tension from innumerable without it, he and his colleagues could have
situations that could otherwise have ended in been seriously injured.
violence and potentially serious injury. Another experienced sergeant, Rob Horton
Not one of those officers can understand in Coventry, was one of the first West
the thinking behind this bizarre decision which Midlands Police officers to get Taser training
removes layers of protection, security and and carried it for more than 10 years. His place
confidence in one fell swoop. on a refresher course was unceremoniously
And, of course, it is not just our members axed just before Christmas and his ticket has
whose safety is being jeopardised by the now expired.
Force’s position but also the members of the Hannah Graham carried Taser for eight
public whose safety might depend on a police years and said she misses the security it
sergeant who is ready, willing and able to provided and, although confident that she can
deploy Taser. handle herself, admits there are times she feels
Saj Ahmed has been in the Force for 18 a bit vulnerable without it.
years and he said he has never known such These officers police the frontline every
high levels of violent crime in Birmingham or day and often put their own safety at risk to
By Rich Cooke, chair of West Midlands Police such a rise in the number of weapons on the do so. They operate in the real world and they
Federation street. know what it’s like to be confronted by a
Saj is an experienced officer and he’s not violent criminal or threatened by an angry
e are well and truly into the swing of naive enough to think that carrying a Taser is crowd.
the New Year now and as a Police
WFederation we are facing a number
of challenges in 2022, not least our campaign AS FAR AS I’M CONCERNED, THERE IS NO REASON WHY EVERY
to get the Force to change its mind over Taser “
training for sergeants. WEST MIDLANDS POLICE OFFICER WHO WANTS TO CARRY A TASER
Our colleagues - long-serving officers who
are trained and experienced in the use of Taser SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN THE TRAINING AND AUTHORITY TO DO SO,
- are being stripped of the authority to use it REGARDLESS OF THEIR RANK. SO WE WILL KEEP PRESSING THE
because of a nonsensical decision to stop
funding one-day refresher training courses. FORCE ON THIS ISSUE UNTIL COMMON SENSE PREVAILS.
We have heard from a number of
experienced sergeants who have carried Taser

4 federation February/March 2022 www.polfed.org/westmids