§ Sir Ivan LawrenceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of 159W alternatives to the traditional truncheon for use by the police.
§ Mr. HowardHome Office research published today, into assaults on police officers and police trials of the expandable side-handled baton, confirms that there is a need for better ways of restraining violent suspects, that the expandable side-handled baton is very good for this purpose, and that a three-piece expandable baton is acceptable to many officers. I have already given my support to police forces that are using the expandable side-handled baton. In the light of these reports and of further scientific research, I am content for chief officers, if they wish, to introduce the rigid version of that baton. I am ensuring that chief officers have available good, scientifically based information about the different characteristics of different batons as a basis for their choice.
I have also, as police authority for the Metropolitan police, agreed that they may have 24 inch and 26 inch batons in addition to the 22 inch ones already being issued. This follows satisfactory scientific evaluation of the new batons.