Call for more police officers to have Tasers after attack

A police federation representative said all officers should be equipped with the devices if they want one

All officers who want a Taser should be handed the stun guns after two were attacked in Birmingham, a police federation said.

West Midlands Police Federation chair Rich Cooke said every police officer who wanted training should be offered it.

It came after a suspect was charged with attacking two police officers at a property in Birmingham on Sunday.

One officer was slashed in the face and the other was punched. They were later treated in hospital.

“We have got a lot of relatively new in-service officers and they deserve the protection," Mr Cooke said.

He added officers could experience psychological issues if they were attacked.

“It’s a horrible, traumatic experience,” he said.

“It’s really scary, maybe not for you personally but for your family, friends and loved ones. That’s when it hits you, when you realise what you could lose."

Mr Cooke said being attacked as an officer was a traumatic experience

About 1,000 front line officers were currently trained in the use of Tasers, West Midlands Police said.

Asked about the potential for misuse of the device, Mr Cooke said it was rare for officers in the region to be found guilty of it.

Supt Martin Hurcomb, West Midlands Police's Taser chief, said the use of the weapons were regulated by strict standards.

He said officers did have a choice on whether they were trained in the devices with plans for more to be equipped in the near future.

“Taser is an important tactical option for officers but is not the answer to all violent or threatening situations," Mr Hurcomb said.

"The use of Taser in most cases does not include firing - for the vast majority of incidents the threat is mitigated by the sheer presence of the device."

The officers who were attacked on Sunday were discharged from hospital and were being supported, a force spokesperson added.