A spokesman for the Police Federation has called for the immediate withdrawal of the recently introduced Clockwork Taser.
‘Although this was clearly a well intentioned move,’ explained Alan Renwick on behalf of the Met’s 31,000 officers ‘in practice the officers have found these unsuitable for their day to day law enforcement and over-reaction duties.’
The taser – originally designed by inventor Trevor Bayliss for the South African police – requires officers to wind the side-handled ‘key’ 1,200 times before a charge of 30 volts is then dispensed. It was originally commissioned by former Mayor Ken Livingstone, though Boris Johnson picked up the eco-baton following his election – keen to display his green credentials and his commitment to firm policing at the same time.
This follows a number of ‘unworkable’ initiatives withdrawn by the Met; these include the ill-fated ‘inflatable riot shield’ and ‘sustainably farmed alpaca stab vests.’
Although shunned by officers, the wind-up taser has been a huge hit with the Met’s 13,000 office-based staff, where it is used to temporarily stun stray flies and wasps.
Bismarck
