'˜Taser weapons do work as a deterrent'

Police in Lancashire drew their Tasers 151 times last year but did not use them on the majority of occasions.
Police in Lancashire drew their Tasers 151 times last year.Police in Lancashire drew their Tasers 151 times last year.
Police in Lancashire drew their Tasers 151 times last year.

Officers in the county only 
actually fired their Taser on 36 occasions.

The total use figure rose slightly between 2015 and 2016 but the weapon was 
only used on one more occasion.

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There has been a fall in the number of times 
Taser was discharged, which 
demonstrates that each use of Taser is proportionate to the manner and threats faced by officers

The Police Federation, which represents serving officers, says the statistics are proof Taser weapons work as a deterrent.

The union has called for more officers to be equipped with the guns.

A spokesman said:“There has been a fall in the number of times Taser was discharged, which 
demonstrates that each use of Taser is proportionate to the manner and threats faced by officers.

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“More than 80 per cent of uses were non-discharges – with the number of red-dot uses making up more than half of all Taser usage.

“This shows that by 
virtue of possession of a Taser, police officers are gaining compliance of members of the public.

“This is further evidence that greater 
roll-out of Taser would be beneficial.”

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