If you ever get into a spot of bother and find a local police officer pointing one of these at you then avoid the temptation to laugh. Whilst this may look like a futuristic water pistol it is a deadly weapon! We take a look at concerns in the USA over the deployment of the Tazer M26.

Recent headline news in the local press has informed us that the police are to get stun guns that are capable of firing a 50,000 volt shock into their targets. The Taser M26 fires two probes with a trailing wire which deliver an electrical charge, incapacitating the subject. All firearms officers in the West Midlands Police force will be issued with the Taser, subject to its satisfactory 12 month trial.

This weapon is not intended to replace armed officers using standard firearms against the hardened criminal. This is an additional weapon to their armament rather than a replacement.

The Taser has already been adopted by several UK police forces. In Thames Valley a 12 month trial has ended with the weapon being described as a success and an excellent deterrent. Civil Liberties groups are said to be concerned about the type of incidents where Tasers will be used and the affects of their usage on anyone with a heart condition.

In Birmingham Alabama stun guns have come under criticism. Claims have been made that up to 80 people may have died after being shot with a stun gun. Tasers are very popular in the USA where sales were $191 million in 2004. This weapon is not cheap either. The Taser costs $800 (around £420) with each cartridge costing around $18 dollars to replace.

Concerns over the Taser have not stopped Home Secretary David Blunkett from authorising their use across England and Wales and stating that ‘Scientific Evaluation has shown the Taser gun has a very low risk of fatality’

The Taser website can be found at: Additional Source: http://www.nbc13.com/news/4205986/detail.html