Irish Police Press for Taser Guns

Taser guns, whose use has been opposed by a number of human rights organizations including Amnesty International, are to be given to a limited number of officers in the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) this week.

The deployment of the weapons, which can deliver a 50,000-volt shock, coincides with moves across the border by the Garda to start using them too. A PSNI spokesperson confirmed that it had received authorization from the Secretary of State to purchase 12 Taser units 'for operational use'.

The spokesperson said that during a pilot program the Tasers will only be available to 'highly trained firearms officers' from the PSNI's Special Operations Branch.

The spokesperson claimed the pilot scheme had been confirmed by the Human Rights Adviser to Northern Ireland's Policing Board as in compliance with the Human Rights Act. 'The adviser also confirmed that tests for the use of Taser, as set out by the PSNI, meet the requirements as set out in their advice to the Police Board of 23 May 2003,' the spokesperson added.

However, last night the Policing Board insisted the Taser gun should not be deployed until the completion of an Equality Impact Assessment.

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) meanwhile has claimed Tasers could potentially violate Articles 2 and 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights concerning inhumane treatment and the right to life.

Professor Monica McWilliams, NIHRC's chief commissioner, stressed the commission was not opposed to police officers having access to less lethal alternatives than firearms, but said: 'There remains genuine concern about the safety of Tasers.'