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Reasoned argument for Tasers
SIR Norman Bettison's argument for every police patrol car to carry a Taser gun is well reasoned and compelling.
Its pitch, outlined in an exclusive interview with the Courier, will not only appeal to those who say the police are a soft touch but even perhaps to those who fear officers having too much power. Then this is a man with a degree in philosophy and psychology so perhaps we should not be surprised.
Tasers are, without doubt, more acceptable to the masses than firearms. A 50,000 volt shock might on rare occasions prove fatal, perhaps inducing a heart attack or the like, but in the vast majority of cases will merely incapacitate its intended victim.
There can be few people who would wish to follow the lead of America and fully arm police officers. This would without doubt lead to an escalation of illegal weapons on our streets.
So the more levels of choice available to officers, the better. Batons, sprays, Tasers and guns all the have their uses at the right times.
The recent incident at Whinney Hill Park in Brighouse, where a man was allegedly Tasered and also shot at four times with bullets, suggests that the stun gun may not always stop its target. But that is not a reason to exclude it from the range of protection available to officers.
Significantly, Sir Norman rejects the idea of every police officer carrying a Taser, an idea fraught with the same dangers as giving the entire force firearms.
The Government Taser pilots run in two West Yorkshire divisions have clearly helped fashion his thoughts: "I want people to understand the benefits of police having Tasers, not Tasers to put fear in people," he says, in a language everyone understands.
It is two years since Sir Norman took the reins of West Yorkshire Police. Time during which he has put hundreds of bobbies and community support officers on the beat. A move that supports public opinion and the commonly held theory that a visible force is a more effective one.
Now the Chief Constable is looking to reduce response times to incidents in what is described as a public charter. Another sensible policy which will be widely applauded.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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