Volunteer police officers to be given Tasers
Tasers will be given to volunteer officers to create a more equal position to their paid colleagues
Volunteer police officers will be given Tasers to put them in a more equal position to their paid colleges when fighting crime.
An announcement will be made today (Tuesday 17th) by The Home Secretary at the Police Federation Conference.
Allowing special constables to carry Tasers, if authorised by their chief officers, will ensure they are not "at a disadvantage when facing an attacker wielding a knife or a marauding terrorist", the Home Office said.
Amnesty International UK's policing expert opposes this stance and argues that arming volunteer officers could lead to "more instances of misuse, serious harm and death from Tasers".
Taser use could be dangerous according to Amnesty International
Oliver Feeley-Sprague, Amnesty International UK's policing expert and a member of the independent advisory group to the National Police Chiefs' Council lead on Tasers, said: "Arming volunteer officers is a dangerous expansion of Taser use and will inevitably lead to the increased firing of Tasers and more instances of misuse, serious harm and death from Tasers.
"It's our understanding that specials will be subject to a rigours assessment prior to being selected to undergo Taser training, but arming volunteers who receive less training overall and do less hours on the job is a worrying erosion of safeguards over Taser misuse.
"Tasers are potentially lethal weapons, linked to hundreds of deaths in the USA and a growing number in Britain, and we've always said that UK police forces needed to restrict their use to highly-trained specialist officers, trained on a par with officers carrying firearms.
"We also have specific concerns about Tasers being used against vulnerable groups such as those with mental illness, children and their massive overuse on black people."
Taser training for volunteers
The volunteers will receive the same Taser training as police officers, with deployment of the weapons being decided by police chiefs.
The Home Office said there are currently 8,901 special constables in forces in England and Wales, who are fully trained and undertake the same duties as regular police officers.
It comes as ministers are set to update Boris Johnson on progress being made to tackle crime and restore confidence in the justice system.
At a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the Prime Minister will reinforce that the critical role of any government is to protect the public, No 10 said.
Public needs urgent reassurance after Sarah Everard's case
Ms Patel is also set to use her conference speech to acknowledge that the public are in "urgent need of reassurance" following the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer.
Former Pc Wayne Couzens was handed a whole-life term last year for the rape and murder of the 33-year-old, after he abducted her in south London on March 3 2021.
The Home Secretary is set to make clear that unacceptable behaviour must be "rooted out and called out", lessons learned and every necessary change made "without fear or favour".
She is expected to say: "Giving officers every possible support includes giving them the confidence to blow the whistle when things go wrong, so that we can root out misconduct and corruption."
"I am unequivocal that unacceptable behaviour must be rooted out and called out. Lessons must be learned, and every necessary change must be made, without fear or favour."
Boris Johnson's speech
Speaking ahead of Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, Mr Johnson said: "While neighbourhood crime and serious violence is falling, the sad reality is that too many people are still growing up in communities blighted by criminals.
"That is why this Government is determined to crack down on violence and restore confidence in our justice system, in order to truly level up the country."
"Through our Beating Crime Plan, we are putting thousands more police on our streets, getting tougher on violent criminals and cracking down on county lines drugs gangs - so that everyone can have the security and stability that comes from having safer streets."