Plans to increase Taser deployment by West Mercia Police welcomed after rise in attacks on officers

The West Mercia Police Federation has welcomed plans to increase the deployment of Tasers across the force area.

Branch secretary Pete Nightingale said the growing number of assaults on officers across the region was completely unacceptable and called on the courts to hand down the maximum sentences available to offenders.

Mr Nightingale said: “We are delighted to see this additional investment in terms of devices and training in order to increase our Taser capability across the force.

“West Mercia Police faces some significant challenges in terms of geographical size and the large rural areas we cover and officers often find back-up and support is some distance away.

“We know that the mere presence of Tasers being carried by officers can be really impactful and reduce the violence our officers face.”

Mr Nightingale called on the Force to ensure officers were given sufficient time and training to become confident with a taser.

He added: “While we welcome the increase in taser capability we also need officers to be confident in its deployment when it is used in line with training.

“Taser can be a highly effective tool to protect officers and the public especially when weapons are being used or brandished.”

Only this weekend we had a young female officer head-butted while carrying out her job.

And he added: “It is vital that if we want to recruit and retain the best individuals, they feel safe and supported.”

“It isn’t just about pay and conditions. We all know that policing is a dangerous profession but we cannot fall into the trap of thinking this is acceptable or should be expected.”