Shotgun Taser under consideration

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A shell containing a Taser barb and fired from a shotgun is one of the alternative weapons police are considering using in their fight against crime.

Superintendent John Rivers of police national head quarters confirmed the XREP is one of a number of medium range weapons that are "non-lethal" and under consideration.

The focus on the alternative weapon follows criticism of the regulation stun gun in the past week. On Sunday police tried to use it in Auckland and it failed. Last week another Taser stun gun failed and two policemen were shot and wounded in Christchurch.

The Taser's ineffectiveness in both instances has led to calls for more police to be armed.

The Taser-like XREP could be used by police from longer distances, instead of only at close-quarters.

The XREP is fired from a 12 gauge pump action shotgun and has a range of 30 metres. The projectile has four barbs which lodge into the clothing or skin of the person who is then subjected to pulses of electrical energy which causes muscle contraction and pain.

Mr Rivers said police have not seen a demonstration of the XREP.

"We have an awareness of their emerging use in different places around the world," Mr Rivers said.

"We will give them consideration but it is early days," he said.

He said the weapon could be popular "in some quarters".

"But a lot of conversations have to take place," Mr Rivers said.

The hand held Taser has already been issued to frontline New Zealand police officers.

Mr Rivers defended the weapon yesterday.

"Taser is proving to be highly successful and we are starting to get the safety benefits we have anticipated and which came to the fore during the trial."

He said during the Taser trial there were 16 discharges of a Taser and two were unsuccessful.

Mr Rivers said since the national rollout began in March, the Taser has been fired 30 times, and in all but four of the events it was used successfully.

"It is normal to expect that, on occasion, the Taser will not be successful and there are a range of factors which might make contribute to this, such as both probes not making contact, or getting tangled in clothes."

Radio New Zealand reported that Taser said the New Zealand police had shown interest in the XREP.

Taser International have so far not returned phone calls to nzherald.co.nz.