Page 8 - WMPF Federation FEB-MAR 2022_Neat

OFFICER SAFETY

Taser training for sergeants:

Force decision ‘incomprehensible’

West Midlands Police sergeant is many people carrying weapons, especially I can honestly say I have only ever seen
backing calls for the Force to rethink its young people. positive outcomes in my personal experience.
A policy on Taser training amid surging “And what is more concerning is the “I am proactive, always out on jobs,
levels of violent crime and assaults against apparent willingness to use violence against supporting and backing up colleagues, and
officers. police officers - it is certainly the highest I have Taser has prevented serious harm to myself
Saj Ahmed said he found it ever known it. and my colleagues on countless occasions.”
incomprehensible that the Force had decided “And to think that rank - being a sergeant Saj said officers who carried Taser often
not to fund one-day refresher training courses - should be an obstacle to carrying a piece of found its appearance on their belt or vest was
for sergeants, effectively stripping them of the kit that has saved me from so many violent enough to prevent tense situations from
authority to carry Taser. situations over the years is beyond me. escalating.
Saj, who has been based at Bournville Lane “I am not saying Taser is the answer to He said: “Just the mere presence of it is a
since his promotion in 2017, was initially everything. I have been in many situations massive deterrent. To put it in perspective, in
trained to use the equipment in 2010 when where it has been effective and, if I was not in 11 years of carrying Taser I have only fired it
they were brought in for non-firearms officers possession of it. I would have been injured if 10 times, but have drawn or red dotted
and has carried it ever since. not worse and if officers did not have Taser as countless times, which demonstrates the
He said he fully supported the Police an option the assaults on police would be even level of deterrent it is, without having to fully
Federation campaign for all frontline officers to higher.” fire it.”
be fully trained and equipped with Taser if Saj said the Force’s decision on Taser Saj said there had been at least three
they requested it and said such a move had training for sergeants was all the more occasions in the last four years where, as a
become vital for the safety and security of frustrating because the benefits of carrying sergeant equipped with Taser, he had been
colleagues. outweighed the downsides to its routine able to prevent serious injury to himself and
Saj said: “In 18 years of policing I have deployment. fellow officers who had come under attack
never known so much violent crime and so He said: “In over 11 years of carrying Taser, during violent incidents, by deploying Taser.

He said: “This notion that training for
“ IF YOU ARE A FRONTLINE OFFICER - IRRESPECTIVE OF RANK - AND sergeants has become a cost thing is just
beyond me. Taser should not be a rank-
specific thing, and safety of officers should
YOU ARE HAPPY TO CARRY AND TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY TO
CARRY TASER, THEN YOU SHOULD BE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY not be compromised due to cost.

“If you are a frontline officer - irrespective
of rank - and you are happy to carry and take
TO DO SO. on the responsibility to carry Taser, then you
should be afforded the opportunity to do so.”

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