"A total of 128 uniform gardaí across four designated garda stations have been authorised to carry tasers. The move comes as part of a response to violent incidents, with an average of 300 gardaí assaulted each year for the past decade. Trained gardaí in Store Street, Kevin Street and Pearse Street stations in Dublin, and in Waterford station have been issued the devices."
""Every day, frontline gardaí respond to fast-moving, unpredictable incidents," Acting Deputy Garda Commissioner Paul Cleary said. "Almost all are resolved calmly. But some can turn volatile very quickly. Situations where somebody is armed, distressed, intoxicated, or experiencing a severe mental-health crisis. "In some of these scenarios, gardaí have to make instant decisions to protect the public, protect the person in crisis, and to protect themselves.""
"He said the pilot is not about changing the culture of policing in Ireland, but rather, "about preventing harm". "I want to be very clear: human rights, proportionality, and community safety are at the heart of how we police. "Tasers will only be used where there is a clear, immediate threat that cannot be managed in any safer way. And we will record every use for strict oversight." The Acting Deputy Commissioner said the ultimate goal of the pilot is keeping people safe."
One hundred twenty-eight uniform gardaí at four designated stations have been authorized to carry tasers as part of a pilot. The pilot responds to violent incidents and an average of 300 gardaí assaulted annually over the past decade. Tasers have been issued to trained officers in Store Street, Kevin Street, Pearse Street and Waterford stations. The pilot has been discussed with the Department of Justice and the Policing Community Safety Authority, and each use will be notified to Fiosrú, the Office of the Police Ombudsman. Human rights, proportionality and community safety are stated as central, with every use recorded for oversight.
Read at Irish Independent
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