London—Frontline prison officers across England will be better protected from violence thanks to a new £15 million investment in body armour and Tasers, the government has announced.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy confirmed the funding, which will increase the number of protective vests available from 750 to 10,000. This will ensure that every officer working in high-security and long-term prisons is equipped with stab-proof vests.
The investment will also see a major expansion of a Taser pilot programme. Up to 500 prison officers will be trained to use the devices, a significant increase from the initial trial involving just 20 specialist staff. The devices can incapacitate an attacker at a distance with 1,500 volts of electricity, helping to protect staff and other prisoners from harm.
The announcement comes as part of the government’s “Plan for Change” and follows a serious attack on three officers at HMP Frankland in April. The government stated the move is a decisive action to address the “prisons crisis it inherited.”
The new equipment is already being distributed, with some prisons receiving their kits this week. The Deputy Prime Minister made the announcement during a visit to HMP Belmarsh, a high-security prison in south London, where he met with staff to discuss their work.