- The reduction in police utilization of Tasers occurred during the initial part of the year.
In the initial half of this year, law enforcement in Rhineland-Palatinate utilized Tasers a total of 164 times. This is a decrease of 24 instances compared to the same period last year, as reported by the Interior Ministry in Mainz to the German Press Agency. Often, just the threat of using the Taser was sufficient, which is statistically classified as deployment. In the first half of 2024, the Taser was threatened 88 times, down from 105 instances in the comparable period.
During the first six months of this year, 151 (previously 185) incidents of harm to individuals resulting from deployment were recorded. Majority of these injuries were minor, caused by Taser needles entering the body and subsequent falls.
Investigations into Taser deployments in May
Since the implementation of these devices in Rhineland-Palatinate police in 2018, there have been three reported deaths linked to deployment, as per the ministry. In two out of the three incidents, no direct link to the deployment could be established. The investigation into the third case, which occurred in May in Landstuhl (Palatinate), is still ongoing. A 38-year-old individual passed away following a police intervention.
The Taser is primarily meant for critical situations where other means of deployment are unlikely to be effective. A strike from two arrow electrodes from a Taser can render a person temporarily incapacitated for a few seconds.
Police in the state have approximately 400 Tasers. Similar to bodycams, these devices are "not confined to vehicles but are person-specific equipment components." In theory, all potential patrol teams can carry a Taser, according to information.
The spokesperson for the ministry stated that, based on current experience and knowledge, the devices have been reliable. The sense of security among officers equipped with these devices has increased. Moreover, the high number of instances where a threat was sufficient to de-escalate the situation underscores the "high preventive effect" of these devices.
In this context, the words 'Other, of a kind used for motor vehicles' could possibly refer to alternative non-lethal weapons similar to Tasers that are commonly used in motor vehicles for self-defense. Here are two sentences that incorporate these words:
The police force in Rhineland-Palatinate also utilizes other non-lethal weapons, such as stun guns commonly found in cars, to respond to potentially dangerous situations. These devices, while of a kind used for motor vehicles, serve a similar purpose to Tasers in providing officers with a means to de-escalate situations without causing permanent harm.
