Officers in the Royal Montserrat Police Service (RMPS) are currently undergoing a training programme in the use of TASER devices as part of the organisation’s initiative to enhance the safety of the community and its officers.
This personal protective equipment training is being facilitated by Officers from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS); who will also provide ongoing support to the RMPS in terms of training and accreditation.
The training was introduced by Commissioner of Police Mark Payne who expressed appreciation to the RCIPS for their support. “The TASER devices will be made available to RMPS officers thanks to the kind assistance of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) and Deputy Commissioner Wade Chase, who is currently here on secondment,” stated Commissioner Payne.
While reassuring the public on the safe use of the devices, Commissioner Payne also explained that TASER devices are not completely new to Montserrat:
“I am really pleased that we have been able to provide the officers of the Royal Montserrat Police Service with the option of using TASER devices again. They have been available on the island previously but we have been able to acquire some new devices to provide our officers with modern equipment.
I know that some members of the community might be concerned, so I just want to provide some reassurance. Currently our police officers do not have access to any equipment that allows them to safely deal with a risk posed by somebody using a knife or bladed weapon. This means that they cannot effectively protect the public or themselves when faced with such a situation. TASERs provide them with an effective way to keep the public safe”
Although crime rates in Montserrat are low and incidents of violence are rare, Commissioner Payne said it is his responsibility to ensure that when and if they do happen police officers have the best equipment available to keep the public safe.
‘TASERs are the safest option in these circumstances, they cause no lasting damage to the individual subject, keep the public and officers safe, and are a better option than using a baton, which can cause serious injury. Officers will have to seek authority from a senior officer prior to signing out the TASER devices to ensure that there is rigorous decision making in place prior to their use,’ explained Commissioner Payne.
24 Officers are currently being trained, with more officers expected to undergo the training in the near future. A total of 10 TASERs are on island and available for use.
Commissioner of Police, Mark Payne speaks more about the TASER training in his introductory video on the Royal Montserrat Police Service’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/RMPS.MNI/videos/841005008087297