Tasers drawn 15 times since December as pilot programme to be extended to Limerick

A member of the armed support unit holding a taser at the Garda Headquarters in Phoenix Park (Niall Carson/PA)

Gardaí are to extend testing of tasers for six months and expand the pilot to Limerick.

A pilot programme for the devices was launched in four locations across Dublin in December, which has seen them used 15 times.

Gardaí say they have proven to be successful at de-escalating volatile and violent incidents, with a weapon having been produced in six of the 15 incidents.

Of the 15 uses, three involved actual discharges, five saw the device drawn and armed, and seven saw the device’s pointed at someone by Gardaí without being discharged.

Gardaí said there were no serious injuries incurred in these 15 incidents.

In seven of these cases, the subject was arrested and subsequently charged.

In one case, the subject fled and was not apprehended, and in three cases the person was detained and assessed in accordance of Section 12 of the Mental Health Act 2001, while one further subject was brought to hospital for an issue Gardaí said was not related to the use of force.

All three discharges were referred to the police ombudsman, Fiosrú, as per Garda policy.

Deputy commissioner, security, strategy and governance, Paul Cleary said: “One of the key measures of success during this pilot is to de-escalate and to avoid harm, not the number of times a device is discharged.”

The Tasers are in use where Gardaí are also equipped with bodycams.