HC Deb 12 February 1998 vol 306 cc339-40W
Dan Norris

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to review the use by the police of retractable metal batons; [28166]

(2) what assessments of injuries sustained by the public his Department has evaluated since the introduction of new-style retractable metal batons. [28165]

Mr. Michael

Decisions about what types of baton to issue are the responsibility of individual chief police officers, except that, in the Metropolitan Police district, the Commissioner requires the consent of the Home Secretary as Police Authority before introducing a new piece of defensive equipment.

The Home Office has not carried out any evaluation and has no plans at present to review the police use of metal retractable batons. The use of batons and other equipment is kept under review by the Self-Defence and Restraint Committee of the Association of Chief Police Officers. In reaching decisions, chief officers also have available expert technical advice from the Home Office Police Scientific Development Branch. This suggests that friction lock batons have an impact force slightly or moderately higher than the traditional wooden truncheon. Training provided to officers carrying metal retractable batons emphasises that, when striking a suspect, areas such as the head and neck should be avoided except as a last resort because of the high probability of causing serious harm or death, and that officers must be prepared to justify striking such areas.