South Yorkshire Police have stated that the use of Tasers against a group of teenage girls in Rawmarsh, Rotherham, was 'proportionate, necessary and justified'. The incident, which occurred over the weekend, was captured on video and widely shared online, sparking public concern.
Incident Details
The footage shows several young girls in party dresses surrounding at least six police officers. One officer appears to shove a teenager before drawing his baton. The situation quickly escalates, with some girls ending up on the floor and two officers pointing their Tasers. Another officer appears to strike a girl as she lunges at him.
Police Response and Review
South Yorkshire Police reviewed the footage, including bodyworn video, and concluded that the use of force was appropriate. The force acknowledged 'an opportunity for learning around de-escalation' but emphasized that the social media clip shows only a few seconds of a longer police response to a 999 call reporting a fight involving many young people.
In a statement, the force said: 'Having viewed the clip in isolation, it is understandable that local and wider communities have some concerns.' They added: 'The public’s trust and confidence in policing is dependent on openness and accountability. As such, while this incident did not meet the national criteria for independent assessment, we took the unprecedented step of requesting peer review from another police force. The review upheld the determination.'
Community Reaction
The incident has drawn criticism from community members and activists who question the proportionality of using Tasers on minors. However, police maintain that their actions were necessary given the circumstances of the initial 999 call.
