Latest Independent Medical Advice Following UK Trial
A Statement on a review of the first year of operational use of M26 and X26 Tasers by Specially Trained Units and Authorised Firearms Officers at incidents where firearms authority has not been granted has today been published on the UK Home Office website.
The report is largely a summary of statistics though it does go further.
The Taser current was applied to twenty-four subjects under eighteen years old.
In a minority of incidents, individuals were subjected to Taser discharge both via the propelled probes and by drive-stun (not necessarily simultaneously).
There were no recorded incidents of serious adverse medical events attributable to Taser current application. Secondary injuries were principally the expected barb wounds or probe contact marks and minor injuries to the head and body from falls.
the risk of death or serious injury from use of the M26 and X26 Tasers within ACPO Guidance and Policy is very low. The risk, however, is not zero, as evidenced by two reported incidents in the United States
The report recommends continuing quarterly reviews of TASER usage by non-firearms officers.
The committee writing the report has, on reviewing records of TASER use during the trial found it necessary to recommend amendments to the ACPO Guidance on the Operational Use of Taser to:
- Reinforce the need for prompt medical review and, if necessary, hospital referral, of individuals who have suffered head injury either as a result of Taser-induced falls or from other uses of force,
- Re-emphasise the requirement for in-custody FME evaluation of all persons who have been subjected to Taser discharge, with particular attention given to detained persons who are known to have, or are suspected to be suffering from, diabetes, asthma, heart disease, epilepsy or any other condition (including alcohol and/or illicit drug intoxication) which may influence the individual
