Special police constables could be allowed to use Tasers under new anti-crime measures

Special constables will be given powers to use Tasers if appropriately trained and authorised by chief officers under a new package of anti-crime measures set to be announced by the government.

Boris Johnson and his cabinet ministers are due to meet on Tuesday to discuss crime and policing, with a set of additional policies to be announced this week.

These will include allowing some special constables to use Tasers, empowering the police to take more knives off the streets and more investment to get young drug offenders back on track and reduce reoffending.

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It comes after Home Secretary Priti Patel lifted restrictions on the police using stop and search in areas where they expect serious violence to happen.

The government say these restrictions, which have been in place since 2014, have hindered officers’ ability to rid the streets of dangerous weapons.

Ministers believe that by making it easier for the police to seize more weapons, knife crime will be driven down and lives will be saved.

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Speaking ahead of the cabinet meeting, Mr Johnson said the new measures will ensure that “everyone can have the security and stability that comes from having safer streets”.

“While neighbourhood crime and serious violence is falling, the sad reality is that too many people are still growing up in communities blighted by criminals,” the PM said.

“That is why this government is determined to crack down on violence and restore confidence in our justice system, in order to truly level up the country.

“Through our Beating Crime Plan, we are putting thousands more police on our streets, getting tougher on violent criminals and cracking down on county lines drugs gangs – so that everyone can have the security and stability that comes from having safer streets.”

Under the plan, the government says it has recruited 13,500 more police officers to date and is enlisting more rape specialists to the CPS.

Ms Patel is expected to make the announcement regarding tasers in a speech to the Police Federation on Tuesday.

On Thursday, Policing Minister Kit Malthouse will host a National Drug Summit to tackle drug use and the crimes it fuels.

And on Friday, Justice Secretary Dominic Raab will outline new investment to get young offenders back on track, and reduce reoffending.

The announcements coincide with this year’s Operation Sceptre – a week of intensive action from every police force in England and Wales to combat knife crime up and down the country.

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