Exclusive: Taser "a dangerous weapon", says Blears:
"The Taser stun gun is a 'dangerous weapon' which the service should be very wary about issuing to all front line officers, the police minister said. Hazel Blears told Police Review she feels a 'personal responsibility' for the protection and safety of officers but that issuing them all with Taser would drive a wedge between the service and the public. An overwhelming 95 per cent of delegates at the Police Federation of England and Wales' annual conference in Blackpool last month said they were in favour of Taser being issued to all operational officers to increase officer safety. But Ms Blears said that was not currently on the Government's agenda.
'Taser is quite a dangerous weapon,' she said this week. 'It is a less lethal option other than firearms, but it is not an everyday weapon used in everyday circumstances.' "
