Police in Northern Ireland may be about to resort to 'shock tactics' with news that Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde has now received legal advice that says he has indeed the 'power' to deploy high voltage non-fatal stun guns.

The tasers – which are 50,000 volt stun guns – could therefore be in the hands of special operations cops in a matter of days.

Sir Hugh had already signalled his intention to have 12 tasers - which police see as a less lethal alternative to firearms - in his officers' hands by the end of this month.

After two days' training, the weapons will be authorised for use in pre-planned firearms operations and in response to "spontaneous firearms scenarios".

The deployment is scheduled to take place despite continued objections from sections of the Policing Board - including both the SDLP and Sinn Fein - and some human rights groups.

But the Chief Constable's legal advice is understood to conclude that the deployment of tasers is an operational matter, which puts decisions on their deployment in his hands.

That may mean the board is powerless to stop him, and the only course for opponents would be to challenge police in court.

Sir Hugh told the board last month that it is "untenable" for the PSNI to avoid using the stun guns, when the Gardaí and all British forces use them.

He cited a number of instances where his officers could have killed armed suspects with their guns, but would have been able to disarm them with tasers.

The weapons disable the target with 50,000 volts of electricity, either through close contact with the gun or jagged barbs fired from several feet away.

For example, a local inquest was told last year that a policeman killed a 30 year-old unemployed man while defending himself from an attack.

The man died of a single bullet wound to the chest at his Carnmoney Road home in 2000.

The inquest heard that that the constable said that in the dim light he saw the man brandishing what appeared to be a hatchet, and he drew his gun and warned him to get back, but he ignored the warning and moved forward, at which point the constable fired a single shot from which he died a short time later.

In this case, a non-lethal taser could have both protected the officer and saved the man's life.

See: Fatal Shot Fired In Self Defence, Inquest Told

(BMcC)