The use of Taser stun guns by Sussex Police has quadrupled, figures from the Home Office reveal.

Officers drew the guns, which deliver a 50,000 volt electric shock to disable suspects, 18 times between July 2007 and February 2008 - an average of 2.57 times a month.

This compares with an average of 0.56 times a month for the previous 39 months when officers used the weapon 22 times between April 2004 and June 2007.

The increase in the weapon's use coincides with a relaxation of Home Office rules on its use.

Between April 2004 and June 2007, Tasers were fired ten times, used to stun once with a jabbing motion, aimed with its red dot laser 24 times, aimed without once and was only drawn four times.

After the rules were relaxed in July 2007, so that firearms officers could use them on non-firearm incidents, officers fired the weapon on four occasions, aimed with the red dot ten times, aimed without it once and drew it three times.

A Sussex Police spokeswoman confirmed the rule change was the main reason why its use had increased by the force.

She said: "Tasers provide officers with an additional tool to defuse high-risk situations involving extreme violence or the threat of such violence, protecting the public and officers from serious harm.

"In certain circumstances, their use can be more appropriate than conventional firearms in resolving dangerous situations safely and without injury to any person.

"In 14 of the 18 cases in Sussex involving Tasers over a seven-month period, the mere threat of their use has been enough to deter assailants and ensure a peaceful resolution of the incident."

Home Office minister Tony McNulty said Tasers enabled officers to arrest suspects without the use of lethal force.

He said: "Tasers have contributed to resolving incidents without injury where otherwise there would have been a real possibility of someone being seriously injured or killed.

"In most cases, they have not needed to be fired, drawing or aiming the Taser has been enough of a deterrent.

"Protection of officers and members of the public is clearly our highest priority.

"The Government will be closely monitoring the trial to evaluate Taser's benefits against any risks."

Tasers were introduced in April 2004 as a non-lethal means to disable dangerous suspects designed not to kill.

Their introduction has not been without controversy. Human rights organisations such as Amnesty International claim they can cause death if misused.

The use of Tasers could increase if a trial by ten police forces to allow non-firearms officers to use them is successful.

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