A few reactions seem to be in regards whether every pc can be trusted with a taser, personally I think they should. In regards to the female pc having her baton taken of her: everyone that carries a weapon should also be trained in weapon retention. It's no good learning to use a weapon if you can't defend your weapon or can't get to it because your practise didn't include those integral parts in the training of using a weapon (which ever weapon it is).
As far as the use of the taser goes: reasonable use of force in threatening situations will justify a quick to hand version of the x26 for every officer on the beat. If you only look at the amount and variety of weapons found on one London bus last week, compare the damage those can do against the longterm impact of a taser, that would be enough to justify the use by PCs. (I have personally been tasered during training. I had a muscular injury at the tasered part at the time and it didn't affect it at all. Wanted to put taht note in as some people seem to want to claim injuries getting worse due to being tasered).
Further more I'm for (more) armed officers, like in most European countries.
Not long ago I was in a central European country where the police carried overt and acted pro-active. In the time that I was there I'd not seen a broken car window, litter on the street, lager louts loitering, women without shoes staggering by, gangs of youths hanging about, beggars asking for change, etc. Makes you wonder...
why carry 1 when you can tool up with more, the future is already here
, not every constable is competent with there baton!
