Issuing tasers to all police officers foolhardy

4.44.35pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 12th May 2008

Commenting on government statistics showing that electric stun weapons were used by police officers 164 times between December last year and the end of February, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:

"Whilst everybody understands that police officers need to protect themselves when they feel under direct threat, it would be foolhardy to issue tasers to all officers on the basis of the evidence collected so far.

"No one wants to see us move down the slippery slope to fully-armed, US-style policing."