WILTSHIRE’S police commissioner hopes to get a slice of government money to equip more officers with Tasers.

The Home Office has announced a £10m pot of cash for measures to protect officers. And Chief constables have this week been invited to apply for funding for extra Taser devices.

Angus Macpherson, Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner, confirmed he would be working with Chief Constable Kier Pritchard to submit a bid for investment from the scheme.

“I am delighted that the Home Secretary is making this fund available to help protect police officers. Officer and staff safety is paramount and I will always make sure there are enough resources to keep them as safe as possible in their duty to protect us,” he said.

“My office will be working with the chief constable to develop a bid to support this commitment the chief constable and I have made.”

Announcing the Taser funding boost, Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “Our brave police officers put themselves in harm’s way to protect us and I am committed to giving them the tools they need to keep themselves and the public safe."

Last year, Wiltshire police officers drew their Tasers more than 300 times, more than double the number a year before. However, the electrical incapacitation devices were only discharged 24 times, has down from 28 on 2017/18.