New police commander says Tasers will help keep people safe (From Haringey Independent)

Tasers will help keep people safe says new Haringey Borough Commander Victor Olisa

5:38pm Tuesday 5th March 2013 in News By Bruce Thain

Haringey's new police commander has defended Tasers as "an effective tool for officers dealing with violent people in a violent situation".

Police in Haringey will be issued the electric stun guns later this year as part of new measures introduced across London.

Last night Sergeant Andy Harding of the Metropolitan Police's Territorial Support Group talked to community leaders about issuing Tasers.

At the meeting, Haringey’s new borough commander Chief Superintendent Victor Olisa also sought to reassure people.

He said: “They will be used to keep the public safe, the suspect safe and our officers safe.

“They will be an effective tool for officers dealing with violent people in a violent situation.”

The Chief Superintendent also reassured people at the meeting that if a Taser was deployed incorrectly he would fully investigate.

In plans, 40 officers in Haringeywill be issued with a Taser, with four in operation per shift in response cars.

Sergeant Harding explained Tasers are the tool which has the lowest risk of causing harm to officers and suspects and have been in use in London since 2003.

The device incapacitates the target by sending a 50,000-volt charge down a pair of copper wires, freezing their muscles.

Every Taser contains a small computer which registers each time it has been fired. The information is then downloaded at the station, where the officer has to also file a report.

All officers issued with a Taser have to pass a rigorous training programme - which has been approved by Amnesty International - with the Territorial Support Group.

Currently police in the borough are being offered the chance to volunteer to take the training and Tasers will be issued once 40 officers have passed the programme.