Police are being investigated after a Taser gun was used – on three pupils at school, it emerged yesterday.
The stun weapon was deployed on three pupils at the special needs Chelfham Senior School in Bere Alston, Devon.
They were tasered by officers from Devon and Cornwall Constabulary who were responding to reports of a violent incident on December 1.
Police referred details of the incident to the IPCC on 7 December.
An IPCC spokesman said: “The Independent Police Complaints Commission is supervising an investigation into the use of a Taser on pupils with learning difficulties.
“Following an assessment of the information in the referral, Devon and Cornwall has been asked to carry out an investigation that will be supervised by the IPCC.
“According to the information provided by the force, Taser was used on three boys aged between 14 and 15-years-old following a 999 call about a violent incident at the school.
“The investigation will be carried out by Devon and Cornwall Constabulary. The IPCC will agree its terms of reference and an investigation plan.
“Use of Taser on children is an area of concern identified by the IPCC in a review of Taser complaints that is due to be published after March 2014.”
IPCC Associate Commissioner Tom Milsom added: “From the review we have carried out of Taser complaints we have specific concerns about some of the ways and circumstances in which it is used.
“We have asked Devon and Cornwall Constabulary to carry out a supervised investigation into the incident at Chelfham Senior School so that the public can be reassured that the examination of this incident receives independent oversight.”
The IPCC is also independently investigating Devon and Cornwall Constabulary’s use of Taser on Andrew Pimlott.
He died after suffering from serious burns after being subjected to Taser in Honicknowle, Plymouth, on the evening of April 18.
Fortunately most of the folks I know, would have anyone that used a taser on a child, at a physician’s having it removed from their posterior….