Taser purchasing
Date of request: 17 May 2024
Reference: 707-24
Request
1a) For the financial year 2023 2024, please provide the total number of taser guns purchased by the force, and separately, the total number of taser cartridges purchased.
1b) How much money in GBP did the force spend on purchasing tasers, Conducted Energy Devices or equivalent, and taser cartridges in the financial year 2023 2024? Please separate this data in to the total spent on taser guns, and the total spent on cartridges, if possible please.
2a) For the financial year 2022 2023, please provide the total number of taser guns purchased by the force, and separately, the total number of taser cartridges purchased.
2b) How much money in GBP did the force spend on purchasing tasers, Conducted Energy Devices or equivalent, and taser cartridges in the financial year 2022 2023?
Please separate this data in to the total spent on taser guns, and the total spent on cartridges, if possible please.
3a) For the financial year 2021 2022, please provide the total number of taser guns purchased by the force, and separately, the total number of taser cartridges purchased.
3b) How much money in GBP did the force spend on purchasing tasers, Conducted Energy Devices or equivalent, and taser cartridges in the financial year 2021 2022?
Please separate this data in to the total spent on taser guns, and the total spent on cartridges, if possible please. For clarity, I would like to know how many tasers you bought in the relevant FY, how many cartridges you bought, and the total cost of these for each FY specified.
Response
The requested information is not held in relation to Avon and Somerset Police as a single police force. The information provided below relates to the tri-force area of Avon and Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Police.
Please find the number of TASERs and the number of cartridges purchased in 2021/22 t0 2023/24 in the table below:
| TASER | Cartridges | |||
| Units | Spend | Units | Spend | |
| 2021/22 | 12 | EXEMPT S43 | 24 | EXEMPT S43 |
| 2022/23 | 0 | EXEMPT S43 | 1250 | EXEMPT S43 |
| 2023/24 | 0 | EXEMPT S43 | 2000 | EXEMPT S43 |
The spend for each is exempt from disclosure under Section 43(2) of the Act relating to commercial interests. Section 43 is a prejudice based, qualified exemption, therefore there is a requirement to articulate the harm in disclosure and to consider the public interest in disclosure. Please find this outlined below:
Harm in Disclosure
The request asks for the total spend per year along with the number of units purchased. This also discloses the cost per unit. Thie unit price for TASERS and cartridges is commercially sensitive. Disclosure of this information would please Avon and Somerset Police at a commercial disadvantage, hindering our ability to obtain fair prices.
Public Interest Test
Factors favouring disclosure
The request relates to spending and disclosure of the information would allow an understanding of how public funds are spent on operational policing equipment. As public spending comes under increased scrutiny, it is important that public authorities are held accountable for the financial decisions made. This would contribute to the accuracy of public debate.
Factors favouring non-disclosure
Revealing this information would put Avon and Somerset Police at a commercial disadvantage. It could damage the relationship between us and the supplier as well as offer a commercial advantage to competing companies by revealing unit prices that are not available in the public domain. This would have a detrimental impact on the future tendering process. As public funds would be expended, it is in the public’s interest that the most competitive negotiations are achieved to protect purchasing power in relation to essential operational equipment.
Balance Test
In considering the points above, there are merits in both disclosing and exempting the information. Whilst there is importance in openness, transparency, and aiding accurate public debate, there is also a responsibility to protect our ability to procure the equipment required to keep the public safe at a fair price. It is for this reason that it is decided that the public interest weighs in favour of non-disclosure.