Amnesty International - Grave Concern at UK Police TASER Expansion
Tasers: Increased deployment marks the start of a slippery slope is the headline of Amnesty International’s press release.
Amnesty International believes that Tasers can only be used if:
- Tasers are only used as an alternative to lethal force where situation presents an immediate threat of death or serious injury to officers or others
- Officers carrying Tasers are trained to firearms standards on an ongoing basis
- Roll-out is highly restricted and then only to specially trained officers
- The Home Office has demonstrated how the use of Taser will be consistent with its obligations under international human rights guidelines and what policies and procedures are in place to prevent misuse of electro-shock weapons.
As far as Amnesty International is aware, none of these things has been spelt out and therefore Amnesty continues to oppose widespread deployment beyond the current policy of Specialist Firearms Officers.
Amnesty International’s Arms Programme Director, Oliver Sprague said:
‘We’re worried that this could be the start of a slippery slope - towards further arming of the police, or towards a situation like that in the US where Tasers have been widely misused and people have died.
