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Police Taser Kids: Commissioner Demands Halt
9 Sep
Summary
- Tasers used 43 times on children in custody settings.
- 16 Taser incidents involved children with mental health issues.
- Children also strip-searched and subjected to restraint.
Scotland's Children and Young People's Commissioner has called for an immediate end to the use of Tasers and incapacitating Pava spray on children in custody.
During the 2023-24 period, Police Scotland reported using Tasers 43 times against children. Notably, 16 of these incidents involved children with existing mental health challenges, 12 affected care-experienced children, and 10 involved those with learning disabilities or autism.
Commissioner Nicola Killean stressed that children must be treated as children, advocating for a rights-based approach to force. The report also revealed 262 instances of children being strip-searched and 148 uses of spit hoods and bite guards in custody settings.
Further data indicated "empty hand" force techniques were employed 1,313 times, including restraint and takedowns. The report noted data gaps regarding disabilities and ages, complicating a full understanding of the incidents.
