Home Office money welcome for more Tasers...

The special Home Office grant of £275,000 to Lincolnshire Police to buy 300 Taser stun guns is great news for the county.

As a member of the local Police Authority, I gave evidence to the Home Office when Lincolnshire Police was one of five police forces to pilot Tasers five years ago.

I'm a big supporter of Tasers, despite the controvery that surrounds them.

Our police officers put themselves in the front line every day – often miles from back-up or support. It is vital that we give them the best tools available to protect themselves as they do their job of protecting the rest of us.

Only officers who pass a dedicated training course and assessment will be issued with Tasers. There are strict rules governing their use – and the Taser itself provides a record of when it has been fired and for how long.

Lincolnshire Officers always try to resolve violent situations without force, but it’s not always possible. For example, getting in close enough to effectively use CS spray may expose an officer to attack, where merely drawing a Taser could calm things down.

If that doesn’t work, a Taser dart may be the best way to end a violent situation quickly and without injury. In some cases, it may be the only alternative to a lethal bullet.

Of the two, I'd always prefer to be zapped by a Taser than a bullet.