The abandonment of the throttle key method to subdue a suspect during an arrest, decided by the Minister of the Interior Christophe Castaner, aroused strong reactions among the unions of the police, who recalled its effectiveness to calm suspects agitated or under the influence of narcotic substances. To overcome this ban, the generalization of the use of the electric pulse pistol (often called taser, from the name of its first manufacturer, and renamed Axon) is envisaged by the government which could announce it Thursday.
Usage up last year
While most union organizations are in favor, the use of an electric pulse gun will not happen overnight. At the Ministry of the Interior, there are today 15,000 pistols with electric impulse for about 240,000 police and gendarmes.
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The generalization of this intermediate weapon, which blocks the nervous system a few meters away, is therefore not for immediately, despite an increasing use: in 2019, the police used it 2,350 times, or six times per average day. An increase of 30% compared to the previous year.
A deterrent, which can be deadly
According to the recent IGPN report, the simple act of pointing the laser beam "proves sufficiently dissuasive in certain situations to avoid the use of force". It is also, says the IGPN, an "effective substitute" for the service weapon or the Defense Ball Launcher (LBD). On condition, specifies a police officer, not to be too close to its target or not to shoot an overexcited individual bundled up in a thick down jacket.
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In addition, even if the controversies are less lively than at their beginnings 15 years ago, the electric pulse pistol remains a weapon which can prove to be fatal. Last year, one person died in France. Certain trade unionists do not exclude that the generalization of this weapon is more dangerous in the long term than the technique of strangulation.