Appeal re missing MPS Taser

Spotted this press release from the Met

Appeal re missing MPS Taser

Police are appealing for the assistance of the public in finding a Taser which has fallen from a police vehicle in Lambeth.

An officer from the MPS CO19 Firearms Unit had attended a briefing at a firearms base in Norfolk Row, Lambeth on Tuesday, 7 December, between 0700hrs and 0830hrs.

During the course of preparing the vehicle for operation after the briefing, the officer placed a Taser on the roof of a marked police vehicle. He then drove away from the base with the Taser still on the roof.

At around 1000hrs it was noticed that the Taser was missing. Despite extensive searches, we have been unable to recover the Taser and four cartridges which were with it.

Officers believe the Taser would have fallen from the vehicle in the Norfolk Row area of Lambeth, and almost certainly before reaching Vauxhall Cross where the vehicle stopped for fuel.

We are appealing for anyone with information as to the Taser's whereabouts to call the Metropolitan Police on 0300 123 1212.

The Taser broadly resembles a handgun in shape, but is constructed of bright yellow plastic.

We would ask anyone in possession of the Taser not to handle it, but to call police immediately.

An internal investigation is underway. The Directorate of Professional Standards has been informed. The officer has been removed from operational firearms duty.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

No image available overnight.

Tasers

The recent death of Raoul Moat has highlighted the use of Tasers and in particular the new version which was used on Raul immediately prior to his death which is currently being tested by British Police.  I found this promotional film on the new Taser which was deployed against Moat.  Expect these to be used regularly in our local communities.

Update: 12.30

I have recently been accused of only publishing "bad" news.  So he is some good news - Taser International who make these weapons has just yesterday posted second quarter losses of $1.4 million.  The company has tried to reassure investors that it will turn the situation around by increasing sales by targeting private security companies and individuals - so maybe not all good news!

Tasers & Typos

Tasers are both becoming widely issued to British police and widely used.  Often the use is inappropriate as a Daily Mail article last year when it highlighted police had used their new toys on

• Stray Dogs
• Runaway Sheep
• An 89 year old man suffering from dementia
• Children
• (and accidentally) on police officers themselves

There is evidence that they are being used routinely with little regard for the safety of the public.  Today the Mail published another story highlighting how the police had "accidentally" shot a man working on a friends garden. Having read the story I "accidentally" forgot to bookmark it before I got distracted in reading another story in the mail (see my next blog!!)

So I did a quick search only to find that in the earlier today the story had been published with the authors unedited comments.  Fortunately the keen eyed reader who spotted it had taken a screen shot.

The Mail have now removed Mr Cox's "meat and two"  and instead given him genitals.

Hat tip JoJo_Wood