Abstract Taser (conducted energy weapon) use has expanded in England and Wales, making police workforce perceptions relevant to training and implementation. However, little is known about how officers view Taser, or how attitudes and experiences differ between Taser-authorized and non-authorized officers. Using the National Officer and Staff Safety Survey (2019)—the largest survey of the police workforce conducted in England and Wales—this study compares Taser-authorized and non-authorized police officers across demographics, roles, experiences, and attitudes. Taser authorization is concentrated among officers in frontline roles—roles that typically involve greater exposure to confrontational incidents. Authorized officers report a higher prevalence of self-reported assault—a pattern consistent with concentration in higher-risk work. Notably, authorized officers express lower confidence that Taser reduces assaults and show more polarized views about their effectiveness. Frontline policing is the strongest correlate of authorization, and both frontline status and authorization are associated with reported assaults (net of each other). Findings frame Taser as a marker of risk allocation rather than a uniform protective equalizer. Policy should target rollout, refresher training, supervision, and routine monitoring in high-exposure roles, incorporating user feedback.
Jasmine Oware (Thu,) studied this question.
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