New plastic bullet wins approval in principle

Northern Ireland’s Policing Board tonight agreed in principle to the use of a new less lethal plastic bullet by the police.

Board members at a special meeting backed a recommendation by Chief Constable Hugh Orde that the Attenuating Energy Projectile should be used.

But they said their approval was subject to him fully demonstrating at a meeting next month that he had consulted all relevant bodies, including the province’s Children’s Commissioner Nigel Williams.

SDLP members on the board voted against the new version of the plastic bullet, which is designed to reduce the peak force of other baton rounds with a soft nose.

Policing Board chairman Professor Desmond Rea said: “The use of plastic baton rounds is of real importance to many people across Northern Ireland, not least those who have in the past suffered loss or harm to their family members and friends and the board acknowledges this.

“The Chief Constable understands the importance of this issue too and it is right that he has brought this issue to us for consideration ahead of introducing the new baton round later in the year.

“The rules for the issue and use of these weapons are very restrictive.

“The current guidelines also already require, as an additional safeguard, that every specially trained officer issued with AEPs is accompanied by another officer, who is responsible for keeping a record of the circumstances in which they are fired.

“Each firing of a baton round must be proved to be both measured and proportionate and every single firing is individually investigated and reported on by the Police Ombudsman.

“Plastic baton rounds are not to be used as an indiscriminate means of crowd control or dispersal.

"They are intended to be used against specific individuals to stop them causing serious physical harm to themselves or others.”