TASERS will be rolled out to more police across the Thames Valley as it is revealed that there were 900 assaults on officers in the past year.

Currently there are 260 frontline officers trained to use a Taser - a device used to incapacitate offenders by sending electrical charges through their bodies.

It is hoped that a further 130 will be trained to use the device over the next two years.

Thames Valley Police Federation’s chairman Craig O’Leary said Tasers serve as a vital defence for officers on an increasingly violent frontline.

He said: “It’s imperative that police officers are afforded the best possible training and equipment in order to keep themselves and the public safe.

“An assault on a police officer is an assault on society and should never be viewed as just part of the job. I am delighted that the chief constable has taken this decision and the response from our members is very positive...

“This is a really positive step not only for our police officers but also the public, so that we will have properly equipped officers to keep them safe out there on the streets.”

Mr O’Leary said there may be an even greater increase in Taser-use in future.

The gun shaped devices are used to fire a pair of probes at a human target. Once attached, the probes deliver an incapacitating electrical discharge.

They can also cause convulsions, spasms and disorientation - as well as intense pain.