Ten officers of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force have received training to use the new stun guns police plan to add to their arsenal later this year.
The RVIPF, now equipped with 25 Tasers, awaits the passage of an amendment to the Police Act before using the non-lethal weapons, according to the Police Information Office.
Tasers are handheld weapons that deliver a jolt of electricity from up to 35 feet away through a pair of wires propelled by compressed air.
According to Inspector Ernest Gumbs, head of the police armoury, the addition of the new weapons places the territory in compliance with the Basic Principles on Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement, as laid out by the United Nations Congress.
“Tasers give our officers an alternative for subduing violent offenders,” Mr. Gumbs said “Presently, the only choices available are a metal extendable baton, pepper spray or a lethal firearm. In a community where officers are generally unarmed, this is a welcomed addition to their list of equipment.”
See the Oct. 10, 2013 edition for full coverage.
{fcomment}