Police launch rollout of new Tasers across Hampshire and the Thames Valley

  • ITV News Meridian's Juliette Fletcher attended a demonstration of the new Taser 7

Police officers in Hampshire and the Thames Valley who carry a taser are to be kitted out with new devices.

The Taser 7 will be rolled out over the course of the next year, replacing the existing X2 model.

Officers, who have to be specially trained to use them, say it will be safer for both the target and the community.

Taser guns are now routinely used by officers in potentially violent situations.

The Taser 7 has two cartridge types for use depending on how close a person is to an officer Credit: ITV News Meridian

From April 2021 to March 2022, there were 666 incidents involving a Taser across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

The device was fired on 85 of those occasions.

During the same time frame, there were 964 incidents in the Thames Valley Police area.

The device was fired in 160 of these cases.

  • Assistant Chief Constable Rob France

Also known as conductive energy devices, Tasers are designed to temporarily incapacitate a suspect through the use of an electrical current up to 50,000 volts.

Assistant Chief Constable Rob France, responsible for Thames Valley Police and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary's Joint Operations Unit, said: "Since the Home Office approved the T7 device following rigorous testing, we have been looking into introducing this to replace the current X2 devices our people use.

"Ensuring the safety of all in our communities, in particular the most vulnerable, is a key priority, and Taser has an important part to play in this.

"All Taser trained officers go through a comprehensive training programme, and continual refresher training, to ensure it is being used lawfully and appropriately.

"Of course, we will always do all we can to resolve a situation without needing to use force; however, there are occasions when we must do so for the safety of the public, to ensure the safety of ourselves, or for the safety of the person involved in the incident.

"The use of police tactics, including any use of Taser, whether it is discharged or only used as a visual deterrent, is closely scrutinised.

"The trust and confidence of those we serve is extremely important to us."