Following a recent change in national legislation, two Special Constables and a Special Inspector will be the first volunteer officers in South Wales Police history to be deployed with Tasers.
Despite the fact that the Special Constabulary has long had the same powers as regular officers, responding to the same incidents and working as one team to prevent and detect crime, volunteer officers were not authorised to carry a Taser until last year.
Following the legislative change, Special Constables Jason Francis and Ben Johns were among the most recent cohorts to complete the three-day Taser training course.
They can now carry the device to better protect the public, themselves, and their colleagues after successfully completing the comprehensive course.
They are now Taser-trained and authorised, joining Special Inspector Jonathan Edwards.
SI Edwards, a Special Forces veteran of 26 years, has been trained to use the device for five years in order to provide personal safety training to new recruits. Despite this, legislation prevented him from carrying one until now.
According to Special Inspector Edwards:
“As volunteer officers, we deploy alongside’regular’ officers and perform the same functions. We face the same dangers, hostility, and levels of violence, so it’s heartening to see the law finally change to reflect that.
“No officer is made to carry a Taser, it’s a personal choice, and operationally it’s just another piece of kit which helps us to keep ourselves and the communities we serve as safe as possible.
The most effective tactical option we have as officers – whether volunteer or regular – will always be our ability to talk to people and work with them. And, more often than not, that is sufficient. But, on those occasions when force is required, it is reassuring that we volunteer officers now have that option as well.”
Before being eligible for Taser training, both special and regular officers must meet certain criteria, including having at least two years of service and having achieved independent patrol status.
Jeremy Vaughan, Chief Constable, stated:
Our Special Constabulary is an invaluable part of South Wales Police; our volunteers serve the communities of south Wales with the same courage and professionalism as our regular officers.
“They give up their own time to do so – some dedicating more than 1,000 hours each year – and it is vital that they are given access to the same training, tools and support as the rest of #TeamSWP.
“We currently have 114 Special officers, all of whom will have the option to undergo training to carry Taser if they meet the eligibility criteria.
“The reality is that a Taser is discharged very infrequently; often its presence alone is enough to diffuse a situation and ensure the safety of everyone concerned.
“I’ve long advocated for operational officers to be as safe as possible at work; Taser is an operational tool that promotes safety from both an officer’s and the public’s standpoint.”
