Police in Essex recorded using Tasers on children on dozens of occasions last year.

Home Office figures show Essex Police drew Tasers on children aged under 18 on 36 occasions in 2019-20, up from 21 the previous year.

An officer fired a Taser once on someone aged between 11 and 17. In 11 cases, officers did not record whether the device was fired.

The figure counts the number of times each officer involved in an incident used the device rather than the number of separate incidents or how many children were involved. The age recorded is that perceived by the officer.

When fired, Tasers are designed to temporarily incapacitate someone by giving them an electric shock. A device can be fired at someone from a distance or held against their body to stun them.

Across the 43 police forces in England and Wales, Tasers were used on children on 2,818 occasions in 2019-20, up from 1,700 the previous year.

They were fired in 134 cases, none of which involved children under 11.

The Children’s Rights Alliance for England says “being threatened” with a Taser can be extremely frightening for a child even if the weapon is not fired, and has called for a ban on their use on young people.

Louise King, director of the Children’s Rights Alliance for England, said: “The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child that monitors the UK's child rights obligations has been very clear that Tasers should be prohibited on children, and yet their use continues to increase at an alarming rate year on year.

“Even if a Taser is not actually fired, being threatened with one is still extremely frightening for children.”

The figures also show Essex Police reported using a spit and bite guard on children on 38 occasions last year, one of which was on a child under 11 years old.­­

In 2018-19, the police force recorded nine uses of the fabric hoods, which are used to protect an officer or someone else from spitting or biting.

They were used on children 548 times across England and Wales last year, up from 312 a year earlier.

This included seven cases involving under-11s.

Ms King said there has been no rigorous assessment of the safety of using spit hoods and Tasers on children, despite evidence they can cause “serious harm and trauma”.

“We want the use of Tasers and spit hoods on children to be banned,” she added.

“At the very least, the Government must urgently publish clear guidance and training for the police to ensure the use of these devices on under-18s is avoided unless absolutely necessary.”

Overall, officers at Essex Police recorded using some form of force on children on 2,464 occasions last year – 66 per cent of those were for restraint, which can include handcuffing, restraining someone on the ground, or using specialist equipment to reduce the movement of someone’s arms and legs.

Other use of force can include using firearms, equipment such as batons, shields and irritant spray, and dogs.

A spokesperson for Essex Police said: "Arresting a child or young person is never something we do lightly.

"Criminalising a child is a last resort where other interventions have been tried and failed or the crime is so serious that other options are inappropriate.

"Where there is evidence of serious offences, officers will always use their powers as part of a partnership solution that has everyone’s best interests at heart.

"Unfortunately, we know that certain crimes are more likely to involve children and young people. Our focus on violent crime and county lines can sometimes mean that young people are detained or arrested, including those who are known to, or suspected to be, carrying weapons.

"At the point of detaining or arresting a child or young person, it may be necessary to use proportionate force or protective equipment to keep our officers, the young person, and the people around them safe from harm.
We thoroughly train and entrust our officers to carry items of protective equipment and to use these proportionately and professionally. 

"We have a Use of Force governance board which reviews all use of physical force or of specialist equipment, and we work closely with our dedicated Children and Young Persons Officers to ensure that ensure that our work with younger people is in line with national best practice.

"Our Children and Young Persons Officers, and our partners in youth justice, receive training in trauma-informed practices this year. More than 100 people are now able to take a more informed approach as to engaging with children who may be suffering from trauma."

A Home Office spokesman said: “Our brave police put themselves in harm’s way to protect the public – it is vital they have the equipment and tactics they need to reduce crime and stay safe on the job.”