1) For each year since Tasers were introduced by the force, how many times:
** Has their use been authorised -
** Have they been deployed -
** Have they been actually fired

Please include every instance - including accidental discharges and times when the gun was discharged but missed.
2) In each instance please state the age and gender of the person targeted or tasered (or state if an animal / other).

3) Please also provide where and when the incident happened and reasons for the authorisation/deployment/usage for each instance.

4) How many officers in the force are trained to use the Taser?

5) How many of the guns does the force currently own?

6) What plans exist to extend the use of the Taser within the force? When will these come into effect? Specifically, how many officers will be trained to use them?

1) For each year since Tasers were introduced by the force, how many times:
** Has their use been authorised -
** Have they been deployed -
** Have they been actually fired

Avon and Somerset Constabulary are routinely required to provide statistics relating to Taser use to the Home Office, as are many other forces. The categories that are recorded by the Constabulary for this purpose are; “discharges”; “Drive-Stuns”; “Arced”; “Red Dot”; “Aimed”; “Drawn”; “Not Stated”. Therefore, I have provided statistics below relating to these specific categories:

Category Total
Drawn = 101
Aimed = 26
Red Dot = 53
Arced = 14
Drive Stun = 8
Fired = 22

Further information on these categories can be found in the ACPO Guidance on the Operational use of Taser, I have provided a link below for your information:

http://www.westmercia.police.uk/images/mog/36'2005%20-%20Revised%20Taser%20Operational%20Guidance%20-%20attachment.pdf

For your information the Home Office routinely publishes these statistics, I have provided a link below to the most recent data:

http://scienceandresearch.homeoffice.gov.uk/hosdb/publications/police-weaponry/85-08_Taser_Trial_Evaluatio1.pdf?view=Binary


Please include every instance - including accidental discharges and times when the gun was discharged but missed.
2) In each instance please state the age and gender of the person targeted or tasered (or state if an animal / other).

As of the 28th April 2009, Avon and Somerset Constabulary had the following statistics relating to the individuals targeted or Tasered.

MALE - 93 DEPLOYMENTS

Ages (Year of Birth)

1956 - 1
1958 - 1
1962 - 1
1963 - 5
1964 - 1
1966 - 5
1968 - 4
1969 - 3
1970 - 2
1971 - 2
1972 - 1
1973 - 3
1974 - 2
1975 - 1
1976 - 2
1977 - 1
1978 - 4
1979 - 3
1980 - 1
1981 - 4
1983 - 3
1984 - 4
1987 - 3
1988 - 4
1989 - 5
1990 - 5
1992 - 3
1994 - 1

FEMALE - 8 DEPLOYMENTS

Ages - Year of birth

1961 - 2
1970 - 1
1973 - 1
1980 - 1
1984 - 1
1987 - 1
1990 - 1


3) Please also provide where and when the incident happened and reasons for the authorisation/deployment/usage for each instance.

When exemptions are relied upon, Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires Avon and Somerset Constabulary, when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you the applicant with a notice which: (a) states that fact, (b) specifies the exemption in question and (c) states (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption applies.

In order to provide you with a response to your request, we would have to manually view all 101 deployments to ascertain the details you require. The cost of providing you with the information is above the amount to which we are legally required to respond i.e. the cost of locating and retrieving the information exceeds the “appropriate level” as stated in the Freedom of Information (Fees and Appropriate Limit) Regulations 2004. It is estimated that it would cost at least £450 to comply with your request.

In accordance with the Act, this letter represents a Refusal Notice for this part of your request.


4) How many officers in the force are trained to use the Taser?

As of the 28th April 2009, Avon and Somerset Constabulary had approximately 158 officers trained to use a Taser.

For your information, the Home Office routines publishes the number of authorise firearms officers by force, I have provided a link to this publication as it may be of assistance to you:

http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/operational-policing/police-firearms-use-2007-2008?view=Binary


5) How many of the guns does the force currently own?

Avon and Somerset Constabulary currently own 70 Tasers.

6) What plans exist to extend the use of the Taser within the force? When will these come into effect? Specifically, how many officers will be trained to use them?

Avon and Somerset Constabulary currently plan to train an additional 150 non authorised firearm officers. This will take place as soon as possible.

Please find below two press releases issued by the Home Office concerning Taser use in England and Wales, which may be of interest to you:


http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk/press-releases/6,000-new-tasers-for-police
http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/6,000_new_taser.pdf?view=Binary