THAMES Valley Police officers would rather use a Taser stun gun than a firearm in violent incidents, new research has found.

A nationwide study by the Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, revealed 90 per cent of officers in Thames Valley want to be armed with Tasers.

The stun guns fire needle-tipped barbs which deliver a 50,000-volt shock.

But officers are reluctant to use firearms, with 15 per cent saying they would resign on the spot if they were ordered to do so.

Of these, 50 per cent said they would simply refuse to carry a gun.

The survey also found that overall 70 per cent of Thames Valley Police officers were opposed to routinely carrying arms.

This compared with 77 per cent nationally.

Insp Martin Elliott, chairman of Thames Valley Police Federation, said the study had some positive aspects.

He said: "While 60 per cent of officers nationally said they had been assaulted during an arrest in the last two years, when I looked at the nature of the attacks on Thames Valley Police, it tended to be more with hands and feet, like people kicking out.

"Nationally, 40 per cent were assaulted with a weapon, either a firearm or a knife but the use of knives against officers in Thames Valley was less than five per cent.

"What that says to me is Thames Valley is still a safe place to live and work. That's a big positive."

Insp Elliott added that 90 per cent of officers said the introduction of Police Community Support Officers had not helped to reduce paperwork and red tape.

Figures for this year's survey are similar to one carried out three years ago, he added.

The study was sent to officers across the UK from constable level to chief inspectors with a return rate of 33 per cent nationally, and 50 per cent within Thames Valley.