New Taser stun guns have power to take down crooks from incredible distance

Police are using virtual reality headsets to train on more powerful Taser stun gunsthat can take down crooks from 45ft away.

The new T10 model, available to all forces from Thursday, activates a strobe light and projects a laser on the target, while sounding a warning before it is fired. They shoot quicker and with more accuracy than current Tasers and can release ten separate barbed rounds without reloading.

The TaserT7 model that is currently widely deployed fires only two rounds, giving officers just one back-up shot, and has a range of 25ft. It releases two barbs at the same time, making it less accurate.

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Taser works by producing neuromuscular incapacitation - disrupting signals from the brain to the muscles causing temporary paralysis. The target then falls over. It fires two probes on wires into the subject which send a current into them. The initial disabling effect lasts a few seconds, but if the person continues to resist, another burst of electricity can be delivered.

Firearms officers demonstrated the virtual reality training kit and the real thing at a press briefing in London on Thursday with Policing Minister, Sarah Jones, and national policing lead for less lethal weapons, Chief Constable Lucy D'Orsi.

Policing bodies have spent two-and-a-half years testing the new devices, which are made by US company Axon and cost £5,000 each over five years. A joint implementation plan between National Police Chiefs' Council and College of Policing has also been developed to ensure forces are supported with training, guidance, and operational readiness.

Introduced in the UK in 2003, Tasers have been opposed by campaigners who point out that they are more likely to be used on the non-white population.

In relation to children, statistics for 2018 show that 74% of Taser deployments in London were of people from non-white backgrounds, and 50% of the 839 children tasered were black. Ms Jones said: “Police officers up and down the country are at their best when diffusing stressful, and often dangerous, situations, but their safety, and the safety of the communities they serve is paramount.

"The new T10 offers a safer option for officers who find themselves in those dangerous situations. This new device, backed by robust testing, will help our police forces and properly trained officers tackle crime more effectively while maintaining public trust and accountability, which is crucial to our Plan for Change."

Ms D’Orsi told reporters: “We are proud to operate a predominantly unarmed police service built on public consent, where officers resolve most incidents safely without force, and we continue to see a consistent decline in Taser discharges. Taser provides vital support in high-risk, fast-moving situations. Officers who volunteer to carry Tasers are highly trained, and in 92% of cases, its presence alone defuses danger swiftly and safely.

“Accountability is paramount, and the new Taser 10 model enhances oversight and prioritises de-escalation, reinforcing our focus on public safety and trust.”

Twenty forces are understood to be in the process of introducing the new stun guns. It will be for individual forces to train officers and authorise deployments with the T10.

Nannette Youssef, policy manager at the Runnymede Trust, said: “Around the country we know that people of colour are more likely - and children of colour almost three times more likely - to be tasered than white people due to structural and institutional racism within the police.

“How can we trust the police with such enhanced weaponry when we know it is likely to be used in a way that disproportionately harms communities of colour?"

Kojo Kyerewaa, National Organiser at Black Lives Matter UK, said: "The new "Taser 10" model have longer barbs which can cause children serious injury. But instead of banning its use on children and pregnant women, we see wider Taser rollouts without restrictions or safeguards. Giving institutionally racist and misogynistic forces more weapons won't make us safer, we need to use these funds to build real safety by investing in communities not police violence."

Chief Constable Sir Andy Marsh, CEO of the College of Policing, said: “Taser 10 is an invaluable tool, and it is policing's responsibility to make sure it is used wisely and effectively.

“The effective use of Taser 10 is about improving the safety of our police officers and fulfilling our duty to protect the public from harm, whilst using the minimum amount of force. It’s also about trust, as the public rightly expects police powers are used with care and accountability.

Alex Lowe, UK and Ireland Regional Director of Axon who make the T10, said: “We welcome the Government’s approval of Taser10 and its ongoing commitment to giving officers the tools they need to protect themselves and the public."