'Ello 'ello 'ello - prepare to be Tasered

The Standard tells us that British Transport Police officers armed with electric stun guns have been deployed on the rail network for the first time. BTP has announced that three-month "pilot schemes" have been launched by officers patrolling the rail network in London, Cardiff and Manchester.

This is bad news. Tasers are dangerous weapons. People are hurt by them and some in some cases those that have been hit have died.

For many years, the police have kept order in this country by dint of their authority, not superior firepower.

We must avoid an arms race between the police and criminals in this country. 

With more and more police in Britain carrying guns at airports and elsewhere, this may just be the next step in arming our police by stealth.

Helpfully, courtesy of YouTube, in America officers are only too keen to demonstrate why they shouldn't be entrusted with such things.

By Alex Deane

*UPDATE* This discussion continued over at ConservativeHome:

Comments

[AlexP]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18s4KO0blzk

An example of the British police in possession of a taser

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=703511392]

So they are to be armed with tasers, for no reason other than the state has got lots of them to hand out.

They managed to do their job perfectly well without them until now and I see no reason for innocent citizens to be endangered by this move.

[James Stannard]

We have all watched the above footage and think it is an absolute outrage. Does anyone know what happened to the punchy cop?

[James Stannard]

I say what happened. I mean: What, if anything, happened?

[Alex Deane]

That footage is sickening. As is this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgtWXfd7rcQ&NR=1

It makes one ashamed.

[AlexP]

This is what Sky news wrote about it. I can't find any information on what came of the IPCC investigation mentioned in the article.

http://tinyurl.com/yzqjukg