To evaluate the impact of TASERs, better data collection on other force, such as batons and irritant spray, used by the police would assist in providing a clearer understanding of the impact on officer safety and injury rates of civilians, say university researchers.
A report, published in the Oxford Journal of Policing / Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, comes soon after the Home Secretary Theresa May called for improved data reporting on use of force by the police. The ‘Policing Science: The Lessons of Taser’ research is funded by the Economic Social Research Council (ESRC), via the South West Doctoral Training Centre (SWDTC).
Lead author and University of Bristol Law School PhD student Abi Dymond, whose PhD in Security Conflict and Justice is at the Universities of Exeter and Bristol, is working alongside the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and various UK police forces on the research.
Ms Dymond said: “TASER clearly has a valuable role to play in policing – and precisely how valuable is a key question. Whilst much information is currently being captured on TASER use itself, limited information was collected on police use of force, officer and civilian injuries prior to its introduction, which makes it difficult to assess the impact TASER has had. Whilst some steps are already being taken in this direction, there is an urgent need for better data collection on police use of other force such as batons and irritant spray in England and Wales to allow us to put the benefits and risks of TASER into context.”
Ten years since the initial introduction of TASER, its use remains sensitive and controversial. According to the report, following the use of a TASER police officers are required to submit a seven page use of force form to the Home Office and their force. Police are under no obligation to submit any use of force forms for batons and irritant spray, limiting the ability to compare and contrast findings. While this system requires officers to record civilian injuries, there is no space for them to record injuries they may have sustained during the incident. This complicates any assessment of the impact of TASER on officer injury rates, say researchers.
Although there has been significant research on the introduction and impact of TASER, former Chief Constable and editor of the Oxford Journal on Policing Peter Neyroud is aware of the need for research. He said: “The deployment of TASER into operational policing was carefully considered and based on the best available research. However, this is such a crucial part of the police use of force that it is essential that the research keeps pace with the day to day practice. The ESRC funded research based at the University of Exeter is a very important programme that is adding to our knowledge and will allow the police to learn from the most up to date evidence.”
The article is appearing in the December Special Issue of the Oxford Journal of Policing, titled Transforming the Police Through Science.
