Overview
- Two independent, government-commissioned reports from the Police University NRW and the Berlin School of Economics and Law are being presented to the Landtag’s interior committee this week.
- Of 12,556 patrol officers invited to online surveys, about 4,000 responded, reporting high acceptance of the device and frequent de-escalation when its use is merely threatened.
- Operational data show the first discharge hits in roughly two-thirds of cases and the second in about one in seven, with combined shots hitting in around four out of five incidents and subjects usually calming afterward.
- Researchers flag premature drawing, noting roughly one in six threats occurred without a prior threat or self-endangerment, and describe this as a misuse risk that can shortcut de-escalation efforts.
- The studies recommend stricter protocols and automatic bodycam activation, while the GdP urges immediate statewide rollout and SPD and CDU voices signal openness to broader use.