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| More stun guns for Welsh officers | More stun guns for Welsh officers |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Two Welsh police forces are to take part in a one year study which will make Taser electronic stun guns available to more officers. | Two Welsh police forces are to take part in a one year study which will make Taser electronic stun guns available to more officers. |
| Officers from the Gwent and North Wales forces, who are not firearms specialists, will be able to use the 50,000-volt weapons from Saturday. | Officers from the Gwent and North Wales forces, who are not firearms specialists, will be able to use the 50,000-volt weapons from Saturday. |
| The trial, also involving eight other forces, allows officers to use Tasers when faced with serious violence. | The trial, also involving eight other forces, allows officers to use Tasers when faced with serious violence. |
| Amnesty International opposes the move, claiming the guns can be lethal. | Amnesty International opposes the move, claiming the guns can be lethal. |
| Until now Tasers have only been issued in Britain to members of police firearms units. | Until now Tasers have only been issued in Britain to members of police firearms units. |
| How does a Taser work? | How does a Taser work? |
| Electric shocks | Electric shocks |
| They could only use them when confronted by an armed attacker. | They could only use them when confronted by an armed attacker. |
| Tasers deliver powerful electric shocks and are intended to be a non-lethal alternative to regular police weapons. | Tasers deliver powerful electric shocks and are intended to be a non-lethal alternative to regular police weapons. |
| But now, as part of the trial in 10 forces, officers from other units will be able to use Tasers when faced with serious violence - even if a suspect is not armed. | But now, as part of the trial in 10 forces, officers from other units will be able to use Tasers when faced with serious violence - even if a suspect is not armed. |
| You need trained firearms officers who not only know how to fire a Taser but know when to fire a Taser Mike BlakemoreAmnesty International | You need trained firearms officers who not only know how to fire a Taser but know when to fire a Taser Mike BlakemoreAmnesty International |
| The move has been welcomed by the Police Federation who say Tasers are an increasingly necessary piece of equipment for frontline officers. | The move has been welcomed by the Police Federation who say Tasers are an increasingly necessary piece of equipment for frontline officers. |
| Amnesty International says stun guns are potentially lethal and there have been numerous deaths in the US because they have been misused. | Amnesty International says stun guns are potentially lethal and there have been numerous deaths in the US because they have been misused. |
| Amnesty International's Programme Director for Wales, Cathy Owens said: "I have a real concern that this change, with little public consultation, is the start of a slippery slope towards further arming of the police. | Amnesty International's Programme Director for Wales, Cathy Owens said: "I have a real concern that this change, with little public consultation, is the start of a slippery slope towards further arming of the police. |
| "I think we are lucky not to live in countries like the US, where all police on the beat can be heavily armed. | "I think we are lucky not to live in countries like the US, where all police on the beat can be heavily armed. |
| "Not only have Tasers been widely misused, but it marks a different relationship between the police and the public they serve," Ms Owens added. | "Not only have Tasers been widely misused, but it marks a different relationship between the police and the public they serve," Ms Owens added. |
| "Because these weapons are potentially lethal, police officers must be trained to the same high standard as they are for using a firearm, receiving intensive, ongoing training to ensure that they only use these dangerous weapons in the right situations." | "Because these weapons are potentially lethal, police officers must be trained to the same high standard as they are for using a firearm, receiving intensive, ongoing training to ensure that they only use these dangerous weapons in the right situations." |
| " I know the chief constables see Tasers as an effective weapon, but we have to consider very carefully whether we want to routinely arm the police with a weapon that caused great pain, and can kill in some circumstances. | " I know the chief constables see Tasers as an effective weapon, but we have to consider very carefully whether we want to routinely arm the police with a weapon that caused great pain, and can kill in some circumstances. |
| "Our police forces have prided themselves on policing by consent and not by force. This may change in the future," Ms Owens said. | "Our police forces have prided themselves on policing by consent and not by force. This may change in the future," Ms Owens said. |
| More than 3,000 Tasers have been issued to police since 2003. | More than 3,000 Tasers have been issued to police since 2003. |
| In October last year 47-year-old Brian Loan died several days after being shot by a Taser by police in County Durham. A coroner later recorded a verdict of death by natural causes, attributing his death to heart disease. | In October last year 47-year-old Brian Loan died several days after being shot by a Taser by police in County Durham. A coroner later recorded a verdict of death by natural causes, attributing his death to heart disease. |
| His sister, Barbara Hodgson, refused to accept the Taser was not to blame for his death and told a local paper: "The evidence might not exist at the minute, but I am sure we will be proved right as more cases come to light." | His sister, Barbara Hodgson, refused to accept the Taser was not to blame for his death and told a local paper: "The evidence might not exist at the minute, but I am sure we will be proved right as more cases come to light." |
| Tasers disable a suspect with an electric shock | |
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