Several hundred officers who police France’s trains and the Paris metro are to be armed with stun guns on an experimental basis in a bid to increase security, Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said on Thursday, February 19th.
Speaking to broadcaster TF1, Tabarot said use of the electroshock weapon could be an “appropriate” and “proportionate” response to acts of violence on public transport. He said 10% of railway police, or around 300 to 400 of officers, would be authorised to carry the weapons “in the coming weeks.”
“Our fellow citizens are asking us for security in transport,” Tabarot said, adding that law enforcement officers must “be able to protect themselves and protect passengers.”
“In order to increase control over high‑risk situations, reduce the use of firearms, or limit the risk of bodily harm to third parties and to internal security agents of rail transport operator SNCF and the Paris public transport authority, the latter may be authorised to carry an electroshock pistol,” says a decree from the ministries of interior and transport published on Thursday, February 19th, in the official journal of new legislation.
In France, the measure will come into effect after the publication of an order specifying the detailed procedures, and after prior training for the officers concerned, the ministry told AFP. “At the end of the process, an assessment of the system will be carried out,” the ministry added.
