Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why do we need Taser® in the United Kingdom?
2. How does the Taser® affect the person on whom it is used?
3. How is the Taser® taser actually carried and used
   and what happens when the trigger is pulled?
4. Once activated, how long does the Taser® deliver the electricity to the subject for?
5. What form of audit trail is there to prevent abuse of this weapon?
6. What provides the power to enable the use of the Taser®?
7. What training do officers undertake in the use of the Taser®?
8. What effect does the Taser® have on the heart and how does it effect pacemakers
9. Where do the probes have to make contact for the Taser® to be effective?
10. Can the Taser® be used in every instance as an alternative to lethal force such as the police use of firearms?

Answer: Violent crime in the United Kingdom is on the increase. Sources including official police statistics and the British Crime Survey clearly show an increase in personal violence towards all sectors of the public and against those providing a service to the public. In order to allow police officers to effect arrests and achieve control in violent encounters they are provided with different options.

It is therefore necessary to continue to research and develop other options for officers to use in countering this serious level of threat and to allow them to establish control as safely as possible. The Taser® provides another option at such situations, with a range of 21 feet and a high (operationally proven over 95%) effectiveness in incapacitating violent subjects without long term injury. 

Answer: The human body functions as a result of electrical impulses between the central nervous system and the rest of the body. The Taser® works because it interferes with this process. When the electrical current is introduced through the skin, the sensory nerves are affected and we feel pain. In addition the signals sent by the brain to the muscles is also affected . overridden in fact causing the skeletal muscles to contract causing incapacitation to the subject. Once the current is switched off there is rapid recovery and return to normal.

Answer: The Taser® looks just like a normal sidearm, it is carried in a variety of ways in a holster. It can be carried on the duty belt, on a protective vest or on a special rig attached to the thigh. 

It is operated like a standard handgun. The unit is equipped with a laser sight that is automatically activated when the safety catch is switched off, arming the weapon. 

The Taser® can be used with an air cartridge fitted to the muzzle end of the weapon. This cartridge contains two probes that are expelled to a range of up to 21 feet. Trailing wires maintain contact with the Taser® and the charge of electricity is delivered along these fine wires to the probes, thus affecting the subject.

The weapon can also be used without the cartridge attached and acts as a stunning device. There are electrodes are at the muzzle end of the weapon. These can be utilised by pushing the muzzle end of the weapon directly against the subject to achieve a stunning effect, usually causing the subject to withdraw from the user.

Answer: When the trigger is pulled and the probes are expended, the M26 has an automatic 5 second timing cycle. After 5 seconds has elapsed it automatically switches off the current delivery. In the event that the subject remains a threat, the officer can pull the trigger again to deliver another cycle of current. Even though there is a 5 second cycle, the user can disable this at any time by activating the safety catch. The reason for a 5 second cycle is to allow officers time to cover the distance between themselves and an offender and establish some form of control either with physical restraint skills or with handcuffs.

Answer: The Taser® is unique in that it has a microchip built into the weapon which records each activation of the trigger. This is recorded whether or not an air cartridge is attached. The time, day and date of each such activation is stored on the microchip. Details of 585 such activations are stored and when this number is reached the first use is discarded in favour of the latest use. This information can be downloaded and printed off.

Additionally, each air cartridge is serial numbered. This unique serial number is also duplicated on up to 40 AFID (Anti felon identification) tabs which are similar to pieces of confetti. These are also stored inside the air cartridge and are expelled along with the two probes and so are deposited at the scene of the use of the Taser®.

Answer: The Taser® is powered by 8 AA size batteries. Either Duracell ultra batteries can be used or rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride Batteries. These batteries are located in a specially designed battery tray that is contained within the butt of the Taser®. When the safety catch is switched so that the weapon is armed ready for use a red indicator light glows at the rear of the weapon. In the case of Duracell Ultra batteries this light pulses to indicate that there is sufficient charge in the batteries to fully activate the Taser® and cause incapacitation.

Answer: There is a structured validated training programme in relation to the use of this weapon. The minimum basic user course is 4 hours. This includes:

• how to handle the weapon
• how to arm and disarm it (using the safety catch)
• how to load and unload air cartridges
• how to replace the battery pack
• use of the laser sight and fin sights, target acquisition
• live firing on targets using fin sights 
• live fire and reload drills to simulate failure or missing the target
• United Kingdom: further two cartridges used on moving target with an instructor in a protective suit
• operational requirements
• use of force law
• medical issues and subject care following deployment
• removal of probes
• reporting use of the Taser® and evidence gathering

Answer: The current delivered by the Taser® is a different wavelength to the impulses that the body uses for the heart to function. As a consequence the Taser® has no effect on cardiac rhythm or pumping.  Modern pacemakers are designed to withstand the effects of electrical defibrillators, which are several hundreds of times more powerful than taser pulses. The Taser® therefore has no effect on implantable pacemakers. In relation to external pacemakers, if a probe were to directly strike the pacemaker unit itself, it may cause a momentary effect on the unit, but it will not cause it to malfunction and will not put the subject at risk of health endangerment.

For more information in a report by Dr. Robert Stratbucker click here (Adobe PDF - 19k)

Effective Target Zones

Sprays               Advanced     Firearms                                 Taser

Answer: Unlike other weapons it is not critical for the probes to contact any specific part of the body to be effective. Indeed it is sufficient for the probes to lodge in the clothing. This will still be effective across up to 2 cumulative inches of clothing.

Unlike chemical agents contact anywhere On the body will be effective.

Answer: The Taser® (and any other less lethal option) is not an alternative to use of lethal force. It should be viewed a one of a number of tools or options that officers can use in the event that the circumstances allow for its reasonable use.