On Sunday 16th August it emerged that the UK police forces disproportionately use stun guns on children from non-white backgrounds. Children from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds are almost three times more likely to have a Taser electronic weapon used on them by police than their white counterparts.
According to The Guardian, the proportion of BAME 11- to 17-year-olds having electronic stun guns used on them in comparison to white children has been rising as growing numbers of officers are equipped with the weapons.
Figures obtained from the Freedom of Information requests highlight that stun gun use by officers against 11- to 17-year-olds of all ethnicities is rising, with 61% more children facing them last year than in 2018 – while data from 2020 shows it is continuing to increase steeply. In 2020 the data, mostly up until the end of May, shows BAME children have had Taser weapons used against them more times than white children – 295 occasions against 271. The true figure accounting for all police forces is certain to be significantly higher.
From 2017 to 2019 BAME children had stun guns used against them on at least 87, 184 and 236 occasions, in each year respectively in comparison to 144, 330 and 523 times against the white children. The figures suggest the weapons are being used for compliance when campaigners maintain they should only be drawn in the event of an imminent threat.
According to the NPCC Tasers provide officers greater ability to resolve situations involving the threat of serious violence, including from people with or believed to be in the possession of weapons.
