Met begins Taser stun gun trial

Amnesty International has linked the weapon to 70 deaths in the US

More Metropolitan Police officers are now armed with Taser stun guns as part of a government trial.

From Monday non-firearms officers will be able to use the weapons which use a 50,000-volt charge to incapacitate those it is used on.

Up to 18 Tasers will be available for use in addition to the 280 currently used by the force.

Police watchdog the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) said while it still had concerns, it did support the scheme.

See how a Taser works

The MPA has expressed concerns about the "disproportionality of those the Taser is used against, the vulnerability of certain groups who may experience the threat of Taser use and the extent of officer training".

Cindy Butts of the MPA said: "While the concerns... have not gone away, MPA members came to the conclusion that we needed to move forward."

Cdr Bob Broadhurst, who is leading the London pilot, said Tasers has been "safely and effectively" used in the Met since 2003.

He said: "Since then the landscape has changed and police are now dealing with more incidents of violence that fall below the threshold of an armed response."

Mr Broadhurst said the pilot sought to look at how best Taser guns could be used in traditional firearms scenarios, yet still deal with violent situations.

Skin pierced

The Met is the tenth force in England and Wales to take part in trials extending their use.

As part of the pilot specially trained officers from the Met's Territorial Support Group can now use a Taser in non-firearms situations.

In London officers used the electric stun guns in 47 incidents between January and August this year.

When Tasers are fired, two metal barbs connected to the weapon by a thin wire pierce the skin before the charge is delivered.

Amnesty International said the weapons, which temporarily disable a suspect, have been linked to more than 70 deaths in America.

But according to UK police, there have been "no severe or adverse reactions" since Taser was introduced in 2003.

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