Are Tasers legal in the UK? Manchester police officer sacked for ‘excessive force’
The force ruled that some of the Taser shots were fired by the officer in aggression, amounting to “gross misconduct”
A taser was discharged several times during the incident
/ PA Wirepolice officer has been sacked after he Tasered a vulnerable man six times in Manchester, an act judged to be an excessive use of force.
PC Phillip Smith was among a Greater Manchester police squad who responded to reports of a suicidal man in June 2018, attending his home in Dukinfield.
The officer fired twice at the man in his bedroom before he was then handcuffed. He fired twice more at the handcuffed man in his hall and porch. Finally, he fired two more times at the man in the front garden.
Smith had already pleaded guilty to common assault before Preston crown court in September 2021. He was given an 18-month conditional charge and ordered to pay his victim £250.
This week, he appeared before the police’s headquarters for an internal hearing. The force ruled the first two shots of the Taser were in proportion but the rest were fired in aggression and this amounted to “gross misconduct”.
Charles Apthorp, of Greater Manchester Police, said: “The officer failed to act with self-control and tolerance towards a vulnerable member of the public and failed to use his powers and authority lawfully.
“Police officers need to show self-control and act in a respectful manner towards colleagues and members of the public.”
“It is an offence punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment to possess, purchase, acquire, sell or transfer the weapon without the authority of the Secretary of State,” the Home Office states. “Police officers are exempt from this prohibition.”
Being struck by a Taser can be painful or distressing but the police do have powers to use the gun type in some circumstances.
What is a Taser?
A Taser is a branded stun gun that was invented in the US and first introduced to the UK in 2003 by the then-home secretary David Blunkett, who authorised them for police use.
The gun can incapacitate people by firing a barbed dart at them from a distance of between four and 10 metres, which can stun an area of the body with an electric current. The person hit by the Taser will then temporarily lose control of muscle groups in that area.
They can be fatal but do not usually or often result in death.
How are Tasers used by the police in the UK?
Authorisation was granted in 2008 for all officers who have completed the National Less Lethal Weapons training in the use of the device.
The Home Office states: “Any use of the Taser must be proportionate, lawful, accountable and absolutely necessary.”
In 2015, there were 10,329 uses of the Taser by police representing a 2 per cent (234) increase from the previous year.
Northamptonshire Police said a Taser can be used when there is an “imminent use or threat of violence” and that officers must adhere to guidelines.
A statement added: “Officers must account for each time they remove a Taser from the holster. This justification is checked by a number of levels of supervision.
“All Taser deployments are recorded and submitted to the Home Office and are subject to a variety of levels of scrutiny from within Northamptonshire Police.”