South Yorkshire Police Federation welcomes new Taser law

Legislation has been changed to allow officers to carry Tasers and other personal protective equipment into court buildings.

South Yorkshire Police Federation said the move will protect officers and members of the public.

Subject to local policy in different areas, officers will no longer have to remove their PPE when attending court on routine business, such as giving evidence or delivering exhibits.

South Yorkshire Police Federation Chairman Steve Kent said the move was ‘common sense’.

He continued: “As far as I’m concerned, officers should have a full range of PPE as and when it’s required. The courtroom should be a safe place, but unfortunately it’s not and there have been cases in the past – including in our region – where people have displayed extreme violence within a court system.

“So it’s no different to anywhere else, as far as I’m concerned. Officers need to have that equipment to protect themselves and protect members of the public – Taser should be available everywhere.”

He said the atmosphere in courtrooms can become ‘emotionally charged’, so officers ‘absolutely need’ to have PPE to protect themselves and others.

“It’s almost a bizarre notion that they’ve not been allowed it until now,” he said.

The Police Federation of England and Wales, which pushed for the change, highlighted the difficulty officers faced when having to remove and store their equipment before being allowed into court.

It said there was a lack of storage facilities and the process was time consuming.

PFEW Firearms and Taser Lead, Steve Hartshorn, said: “This much welcomed and long-overdue decision means officers can better protect themselves, the courts’ staff and the public if faced with violence or threats of violence and we appreciate the Judiciary and senior judges for listening to the concerns raised.”

Tasers are a non-lethal electroshock gun used to temporarily incapacitate targets from a distance.

Their use allows officers to restrain and arrest people, such as those who are being violent, resisting arrest or posing a danger to the public.