A number of police officers and members of the public came face to face at an open meeting to discuss the use of 50,000 volt Taser guns by Islington Met Police.
“It’s designed to incapacitate – not to kill,” said Sgt Andy Harding.
From Thursday 40 police officers in Islington have been armed with the much talked about Taser guns, which has caused concerns among some Islington residents.
Sgt Andy Harding, who chaired the meeting, explained that the use of Tasers is no new thing “it’s been safely and effectively used since 2003 in the UK.
Officers, who are authorised to carry and deploy the £1000-Taser gun, have been through training and have taken tests before being armed.
“A lot of people don’t often realise what exactly the police are met with…We don’t just hand them out like sweets to people. They are a very, very important piece of kit and we need to make sure that the people that have got them are adequately trained and suitable to deploy in an operational environment,” said Sgt Andy Harding.
He assured that it has been supported by the IPCC, the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
A top concern with the public is the consequences of using Tasers on people suffering from either mental or physical health issues.
Vicki Nash, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Mind, has raised concerns about the safety for people with mental health issues.
“Tasers are extreme and controversial weapons that we believe should only be used as a last resort by police. Tasers can cause extreme distress, so to use them on people who are experiencing a mental health crisis, and already displaying signs of distress, can make things even more traumatic,” said Vicki Nash in a statement.
Sgt Harding responds to critics about safety saying that the majority of the people the police deal with are vulnerable – not people suffering from mental health issues.
“Vulnerable can be somebody who is in crisis. For a moment you are vulnerable and you can do something irrational. But you’re not designated as a sufferer of mental health,” said Sgt Harding.
He stated that it is not about the individual: the police have to look at the situation and he assures that there have been no deaths recorded in connection with the use of Taser guns.
Islington Cllr Greg Foxsmith attended the meeting and called for more transparency between the police and the public if the use of the Taser gun was filmed.
“I would like to put the challenge out to the borough to consider deploying cameras. I think that would better inform the group and it will also protect the police,” said Greg Foxsmith.
So far there are no plans to arm more officers with Taser guns, but “you can never say never,” ended Harding.
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