Investigation Reveals Safety Concerns Regarding Equipment

A holster for tasers used by police in Scotland is being withdrawn after a report was issued into an incident in which an officer was injured when the weapon discharged by accident.

The Scotsman reports that the officer at Cornwall Mount police station in Dumfries was hurt when electrodes from a taser struck his finger in May.

A report issued by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner revealed the officer believed the weapon may have been discharged as a result of the holster catching the trigger or when his finger was forced back by the cover of the holster.

Further investigations into the issue revealed that taking the taser out of the holster could lead to the device’s safety catch being disabled.

Following the incident, police commissioner Kate Frame called on the holster to be removed from service.

Police Scotland confirmed that the process of rolling out replacement holsters was already underway.

Expert Opinion

The health and safety of workers should be the priority for any employer, regardless of the sector or field in which they work <br/> <br/>"Part of this is ensuring that employees are given the right equipment in order to carry out their duties safely, so reports regarding safety concerns related to this holster are of course a concern. <br/> <br/>"It is welcome to see Police Scotland taking steps to address the matter and ensure that the holsters which could cause issues are removed from use, as this is an important step towards preventing the same problems emerging again and ensuring lessons can be learned from these problems."