German government approves expanded use of tasers by federal police
The German government has officially approved a bill permitting the federal police to broaden the use of stun guns (tasers) during citizen detentions.
This legislative move marks a significant shift in law enforcement protocols, aiming to enhance officer safety and reduce physical confrontations, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Under the new policy, tasers will be authorised as a remote means of subduing individuals, particularly in scenarios involving cold weapons or blunt force instruments. Alexander Dobrindt, Federal Minister of the Interior, highlighted the advantages of such devices, noting they enable officers to “hold a person without physical contact,” thereby potentially reducing direct physical altercations.
The Interior Ministry has announced plans to acquire 10,000 tasers, backed by an allocation of five million euros annually in the 2025 and subsequent budgets. These devices induce brief, painful muscle contractions that incapacitate the targeted individual temporarily, allowing law enforcement to control situations more safely and effectively.
Testing of tasers has been underway since 2020, with reports indicating usage in only 16 out of 40,000 arrests, and no documented health complications linked to their deployment. Presently, taser usage across Germany remains inconsistent due to the absence of unified regulations, with 1,170 recorded instances in 2023 alone.
However, the bill has attracted criticism from various quarters concerned about public health risks. Opponents caution that tasers could pose serious threats to individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions or other medical vulnerabilities, underscoring the need for stringent safeguards and medical oversight.
By Vafa Guliyeva