Uniformed gardaí could be armed with tasers as early as this week

Ellen O'Donoghue

Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan is expected to bring a memo to Cabinet on Tuesday in relation to tasers for gardaí.

It is understood that 128 frontline gardaí are to be trained up, under a six-month pilot project that could start as early as this week.

If approved, the plan would be introduced in three garda divisions to start, in Dublin, Waterford and Kilkenny.

It would be the first time gardaí are armed with tasers, and would mark a significant step up for An Garda Síochána, whose frontline personnel are not armed.

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly has been considering the proposals in a bid to better tackle serious violent confrontations.

However, informed sources stressed to The Irish Times that there is no consideration being given to arming uniformed gardaí with firearms, like other police forces in Europe.

The stun guns have only been used by the Garda’s specialist units, including the Emergency Response Unit and Armed Support Unit, until now.

Under the new proposal being brought to Cabinet on Tuesday by Mr O'Callaghan, the use of tasers would be extended to a group of uniformed frontline gardaí responding to 999 calls.

The areas involved in trialling the tasers have been chosen for the pilot project, up to six months because they are also the divisions where body-worn cameras are currently being trialled.

The aim by senior gardaí and Department of Justice officials is to determine how the tasers work, especially how they impact the garda relationship with the public, The Irish Times reported.

They believe this can best be done by reviewing the body-worn camera footage of incidents where tasers are drawn or used by gardaí.

The trial would evaluate whether producing a taser, without the need to discharge it, had the effect of calming volatile situations.

The ethical, human rights and community impact of gardaí carrying Tasers would also be under review.

Uniformed gardaí must, at present, rely on their ability to verbally de-escalate violent situations, including where knives or firearms are a factor. They must call for backup from armed colleagues in more dangerous situations.

If approved by Cabinet, the tasers would be rolled out immediately, in a move that would likely be welcomed by garda staff associations, at a time when more than 300 gardaí are assaulted each year.