11203-Taser

I write in connection with your request received in this office on 13^th August 2019 and received by this office on that date.  Below are the questions raised in your request, and our response.

Please note having made enquiries within the Force we must advise you that in 2017 the Home Office introduced a new system to record use of force data, prior to this we did not record impact factors or highest use therefore the data provided is only from 2017.

Can you please state how many times officers used a Taser in the past five years?

Can you please break this down for each calendar year? So for clarity, I am looking for separate figures for 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2014.

In 2017 there were 196 uses of a taser, this is made up of 169 uses and an additional 27 when the Officer had to use the taser more than once.

In 2018 it was 258 made up of 228 and 30 additional.

 

For each calendar year, or financial year if that is how the force records its data, please state how many times the Taser was:

Drawn

Aimed

Red dotted

Arced

Fired

Drive stun

Angled drive stun

1. a) We have provided the figures of the highest use of taser:

2017                                    2018

Drawn                 32                                         50          

Aimed                  106                                      10

Arced                   0                                           1

Fired                    20                                         30

Red dot                11                                         137

 

For each of these categories in each calendar year, please state how many times the "IMPACT FACTOR" was "POSSESSION OF A WEAPON". If you are able to provide breakdowns, including weapon type, please do so.

1. a) Below is the breakdown of the highest use of a Taser where an impact factor was selected.

                             2017                                    2018

Aimed                  72                                         4

Drawn                 19                                         30          

Fired                    15                                         16

Red dot               8                                           83

 

If applicable, please state how many officers within the force are trained to use a Taser.

1. a) 165

 

Please note any statistical data supplied in relation to Freedom of Information requests is a snapshot of data held at the time the request was received by the Freedom of Information office and is subject to constant change/updates.

 

The Cleveland Police response to your request is unique and it should be noted that Police Forces do not use generic systems or identical procedures to capture and record data therefore responses from Cleveland Police should not be used as a comparison with any other force response you receive.

 

If you are not satisfied with this response or any actions taken in dealing with your request you have the right to request an independent internal review of your case under our review procedure. The APP College of Policing guidance states that a request for internal review should be made within 20 working days of the date on this response or 40 working days if extenuating circumstances to account for the delay can be evidenced.