A REVIEW into how Dorset Police officers use force has been launched.

Martyn Underhill, Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset, has commissioned a review into the “use of force” by Dorset Police, which will look at how police officers use tasers and how they record uses of force, after it was revealed only 50 per cent of incidents are recorded.

The review comes after the Echo revealed one or more people with mental health issues had been tasered in custody suites in Dorset during 2013.

As part of the review, an independent consultant was appointed in at the end of January to examine date collection, operational policy and the current scrutiny available across all areas where police officers use force in Dorset.

The review will also include how Dorset Police use tasers inside custody suites.

The terms of reference in the review have been written and agreed with Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary for England and Wales.

Mr Underhill said: “Since widespread publicity last December concerning taser use in custody suites and the ongoing national public debate concerning the use of force, I decided it was time to review the governance and scrutiny available when force is used by the police in Dorset.

“This is really important.

“In this country we police by consent and the public require reassurance that any force used by the police is appropriate and available to be scrutinised.”

Mr Underhill is also the PCC lead for Mental Health and Policing, and is also currently working with a number of forces in relation to how police officers use force, and tasers, against vulnerable people.

He also met with Home Secretary Theresa May in February to discuss how police officers recorded incidents of force being used against people, and he said one of the main focuses of the review would be to focus on the recording of such incidents.

Mr Underhill added: “We will wait to see what the review tells us.

“I am particularly keen to establish how the use of force is recorded in Dorset, I discussed this last week with the Home Secretary. I am told that only 50 per cent of forces appear to record this properly in all areas.

“I know the Home Secretary is working at a national level to establish clear guidelines in this area and I think a preliminary review here in Dorset may inform that work.”

The results of the review will be released at the end of the month.