Police used force tactics on children hundreds of times

Home Office statistics show the force used force tactics on under-18s on 775 occasions in 2020-21 – with four involving children under 11.

This was down from 901 the year before, but up from 703 in 2018-19 – the first year such figures were recorded at police force level.

Last year, Gwent officers handcuffed children 440 times, physically restrained them on the ground on 76 occasions and used one limb or body restraints.

Officers also recorded two instances of firearms being aimed and two occasions when dogs were used.

Superintendent Mike Richards, the head of the Gwent Police’s road policing and specialist operations, said:

“Our officers have hundreds of interactions with the public every day.

“Force will only be used where it is necessary, such as in challenging situations where someone poses an immediate danger to themselves or someone else.

“Officers are making careful assessments, in these dangerous situations, to ensure everyone’s safety.

“These statistics include a wide range of methods that are available to our officers and the most common use of force is handcuffing.

“Use of force is robustly scrutinised, both internally and externally with community members, and body worn video assists with our recording and monitoring.

“We will continue to examine its use to ensure it is proportionate and justified."

Across England and Wales, 77,000 use of force tactics on children were recorded in 2020-21 – including 551 on under-11s.

The number of tactics used on under-18s was up 8 per cent from 72,000 a year before, and the most since national comparable records began in 2017-18.

The Howard League said police forces across England and Wales should reduce the "worrying" rise in use of force incidents involving children.

Andrew Neilson, director of campaigns at the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “A steep rise in the police use of force against children is a worrying trend, particularly when the levels of children arrested remain thankfully low.

“Police forces across England and Wales should review what might be behind this rise and work to reduce the number of incidents involving children."

Officers across the two nations drew or fired TASER devices 2,600 times on children in 2020-21 – with 22 uses logged by Gwent Police.

However, none of these saw the device discharged.

TASER weapons are designed to temporarily incapacitate someone with an electric shock – either fired at someone from a distance or held against their body to stun them.

The National Police Chiefs' Council said a TASER weapon is only discharged in 10 per cent of uses, and each one must be fully recorded, proportionate and justified.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist, NPCC lead for self-defence and restraint, said officers must protect people of all ages from harming themselves or others, often in fast-moving violent scenarios.

He added: “Officers have thousands of interactions with the public every day and force is not used in the vast majority of those.

"Officers receive guidance and training with the starting point being that they should attempt to resolve confrontations with the public without the need to use force."

A Home Office spokeswoman said a change in the number of incidents is likely a consequence of improved recording methods and should not be seen as a worrying increase in the use of force.