Tasers used 163 times in 4 months

The 50,000 volt charge from the gun temporarily disables the target

Police firearms officers have used Taser stun guns 163 times in four months - an average of more than once a day - the Home Office has said.

It also said specially trained units who were not firearms officers used the stun guns 16 times in the first stage of the trial involving 10 forces.

Minister Tony McNulty said the figures were published as part of the "rigorous and measured approach" to Taser use.

The 12-month trial of Taser use by unarmed officers began in September.

How does a Taser work?

The 10 forces in England and Wales who were down to take part in the trial included: Avon and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, Gwent, Lincolnshire, Merseyside, Metropolitan Police Service, Northamptonshire, Northumbria, North Wales and West Yorkshire.

Incapacitate

However, not all forces participated during the whole of the first quarter, between 1 September and 30 November, 2007.

The Metropolitan Police Authority refused to accept the proposals after they discovered the stun guns were meant to be "in addition" to firearms.

The force currently use 280 Taser guns, which uses a 50,000-volt charge to incapacitate those it is used on.

Officers used the electric stun guns in 47 incidents between January and August last year.

Mr McNulty said: "The figures show that Taser has been used by authorised firearms officers 163 times outside of a firearms authority since 20 July 2007 to end November, 2007, and by specially trained units 16 times in the first quarter of the trial.

"It should be noted that only six of the 10 forces carrying out the trial actually started on 1 September and that this excluded West Yorkshire Police Service and Metropolitan Police Service.

"Therefore, we expect the next quarter figures for the trial to be higher."

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