Student police officers in North Wales will be allowed to carry tasers under new rule changes

Student police officers in North Wales will be allowed to carry tasers in order to protect themselves, it’s been confirmed.

The decision has been made after a probationary officer raised the issue with North Wales Police’s Chief Constable Carl Foulkes during a visit to Wrexham.

Following discussions with senior managers and chief officers, an agreement has been reached for student officers to be given training to carry tasers based on certain criteria.

The move has been welcomed by the North Wales Police Federation, a staff association which represents all ranks of officers across the region’s force.

Secretary Mark Jones told the federation’s Your Voice publication: “The Police Federation is very supportive of the decision to allow student officers to carry taser and campaigned within the force and nationally to make this happen.

“For far too long there has been an inequity in the offer of taser for front-line officers.

“Student officers still face the same risks, still face being attacked and still have to protect the public, just as other colleagues bravely do.”

The UK Government’s former Minister of State for Policing and the Fire Service Nick Hurd first announced student officers across the nation would be able to carry tasers in a written statement issued early last year.

The College of Policing created a training scheme for student officers as part of the changes, with chief constables given the final say on whether they should have such equipment.

The federation said the government did not announce any extra funding to support the policy change, which meant North Wales Police decided not to open up taser training to new recruits.

John Apter, chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said last year: “The current make-up of the police service means that in some areas student officers form large percentages of the front-line emergency response and neighbourhood teams so it is only right that they should be given the opportunity to access this equipment which is proven to protect them and the public.”