Metropolitan police to roll out Tasers in response cars across London
Source: Guardian
Metropolitan police to roll out Tasers in response cars across London
Plan to cover all boroughs will cost over £800,000 and increase number of stun guns from 800 to more than 6,500
Sandra Laville, crime correspondent
The Guardian, Thursday 17 January 2013 15.34 EST
The Metropolitan police is spending more than £800,000 a year on equipping response vehicles across London with Tasers.
Scotland Yard is rolling out Tasers across all 32 boroughs in London, despite growing concern among human rights campaigners and some politicians over their use.
A question to the Mayor's office for policing and crime by Jenny Jones, assembly member for the Greens, reveals the budget for the weapons will be £817,864 per year during the first stage of the rollout, which will eventually equip response vehicles with tasers in each of the capital's 32 boroughs.
Met commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe has said he wants to see the stun guns in everyday use by response cars – a change in policy from their previous use, which was restricted to specialist firearms officers and TSG officers.
Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jan/17/metropolitan-police-tasers-london
