Following the recent media coverage, I have sent this letter to the Police and Crime Commissioner in Devizes: “I wish to express my disgust at the conduct of two of your officers both highly publicised in recent media coverage.
Some months ago a sergeant was clearly seen on CCTV to throw a woman into a cell, causing her a nasty facial injury.
This week we have seen an officer in Melksham Taser a naked man with two other officers present and the naked man posing no threat to any, individual or collectively.
Furthermore, the Taser was fired from a distance of a foot or so and was pre-positioned with clear intent to be used.
How can it be that three fit, strong officers felt threatened by a pair of underpants and a lone defenceless naked man?
Even though a due judicial process has been followed in both cases, these cases do bring your force into disrepute and it may even be said that some of your officers are ill-disciplined, presenting your force as out of control. This might be why your Chief Constable did not want to release into the public domain the video of the Tasering.
The conduct of these officers can only be considered as disgraceful and do not add greatly to the public perception of a lack of confidence in the police force generally (as has been highlighted in recent surveys nationally).
Mr Holland, Holbury Crescent, Whitminster, Gloucester.
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