Tasers and spit hoods 289/2022

FOI Reference: 289/2022

Request:

Question 1: Do you allow the use of tasers on children under 18 year old?

Question 2: If you do, what are the circumstances?

Question 3: How often have you used tasers in the last five years?

Question 4: If you have, what were the ages of the children that were tasered?

Question 5: Could you please outline the times a taser was aimed or drawn?

Question 6: Can you please provide a breakdown of the Ethnicity of the individual tasers

were used on?

Question 7: Do you allow the use of spit hoods on children under 18 years old?

Question 8: If you do, what are the circumstances?

Question 9: How often have you used spit hoods in the last five years?

Question 10: If you have, what ages were the children that you used spit hoods on?

Question 11: Could you please provide a breakdown of the Ethnicity of the individual spit hoods were used on?

Clarification:

Clarification was sought from the applicant in relation to the time period requested and it was stated that information was required for the last 5 years.  Additionally, it was also confirmed that questions 3, 5, 6, 9 & 11 were relating to children and not all individuals.

Response 1:

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested, the details of which are as follows:

• Yes (This is consistent with the national training package)

Response 2:

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested, the details of which are as follows:

• The circumstances are the same for child and adult. For more information, please see the college of policing app as hyperlinked below:

https://www.college.police.uk/app

Response 3:

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested, the details of which are as follows:

• 6 (six)

Response 4:

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested, the details of which are as follows:

• Of the 6 outlined in question 3:

Age	Grand Total
15 years old	1
17 years old	5

Response 5:

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested, the details of which are as follows:

• Drawn x 28
• Aimed x 11

Response 6:

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested, the details of which are as follows:

• 6 x White – North European

Response 7:

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested, the details of which are as follows:

• Yes

Response 8:

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested, the details of which are as follows:

• The circumstances are the same for child and adult

Response 9:

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested, the details of which are as follows:

• 21

Response 10:

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested, the details of which are as follows:

• Of the 21 outlined in question 9:

Age	Grand Total
13 years old	2
14 years old	9
16 years old	7
17 years old	3

Response 11:

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested, the details of which are as follows:

• 21 x White – North European

                                                                                                           

It should be noted that owing to the systems adopted by Dyfed-Powys Police in relation to the recording of such matters the information provided may or may not be accurate.       

Police Forces in the United Kingdom are routinely required to provide statistics to government bodies and the recoding criteria is set nationally.  However, the systems used for recording these figures are not generic, nor are the procedures used locally in capturing the data.  It should be noted that for these reasons this Force’s response to your questions should not be used for comparison purposes with any other response you may receive.     

(This is a response under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and disclosed on 10/05/22)