Police chiefs call for Taser safety review

I will be asking the Surgeon General - along with the Home Office - to refer the detailed medical evidence in this case to an independent body in order that they can determine if it is necessary to amend their advice of the safety of this weapon. Their conclusions will be published."

Officers who take the decision to fire the weapon do so in the knowledge that their often split second decision to use force will be judged in detail with the benefit of hindsight over potentially many years and through multiple investigations.

“Officers will not necessarily know the background or health of the person they are confronting, but they must deal with the immediate threat first.

What is important is that if Taser has to be fired to deal with the threat, that officers provide appropriate after care to the subject and are trained to deal with any medical emergency that may follow.