A police officer who used a Taser to arrest a man armed with a knife was “justified” in his actions.
An independent investigation report has found that discharging the device was necessary to bring the man under control.
The incident was reported to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) following a large scale disturbance in a Dumfries street on May 29 this year.
At around 10.12pm that night, a number of telephone calls were received by the police reporting several men fighting with knives and that a number of people had been injured.
At the time of the incident, coronavirus regulations were in force.
Cops, including a Specially Trained Officer (STO), were sent to the scene and, on arrival, were confronted by a 19-year-old man with a knife, who shortly before had been involved in the disturbance.
Before cops could instruct the man to drop the knife, he moved towards the STO who, believing that he was in imminent danger, discharged his Taser at him.
The initial attempt missed the man who then threw the knife at the officer, striking him on the shoulder. The officer discharged his Taser again which had an immediate effect.
The teenager was arrested and later reported to the procurator fiscal.
Three days later, Police Scotland referred the incident to the PIRC. Investigators found that the use of the Taser “was necessary, proportionate and justified”.
