Taser crowd risk

While there is undoubtedly a place for a non-lethal weapon in the arsenal of police officers, I'm not sure an electric stun gun is the best option (your report, 18 May).

Perhaps pocket-sized CS gas sprays would be as useful at close range. A Taser may come into its own when an armed assailant is clearly identifiable by a trained firearms officer and separate from a group; using these guns in a crowd is far from appropriate.

It is too easy for the uninformed to assume any crowd facing a group of police officers has malicious intent, but what about peaceful, lawful protests? They are often infiltrated by troublemakers and, if a police officer with inadequate training was to fire Taser darts at a target in the crowd and unintentionally hit an epileptic demonstrator, the "non-lethal" weapon could be seen in a new light.

CS gas sprays cause mucus membrane irritation that will wear off in less than an hour. The same can't be said about an epileptic seizure.

BARRY LEES

Denholm Street

Greenock