Police federation issues fresh call for more Tasers after officers who first ... trends now

The Police Federation has today issued fresh calls for more officers to be armed with Tasers, after first responders to the terrifying sword attack in London were reportedly not equipped with the devices.

The official body, representing all police ranks, says every officer who wants a Taser should be given one in the wake of the the Hainault sword attack which left a 14-year-old boy dead.

Around 7,500 of the Met's 34,000 police officers are trained to use the electronic devices.

But the incident yesterday, in which two police officers were wounded in the samurai-sword attack, has led to fresh calls for an increase in taser numbers.

According to The Telegraph, it is thought the first local officers on the scene were 'not equipped with the devices' when they tried to tackle the suspect.

The Police Federation claims a Taser is not fired in 85 per cent of cases but acts as an 'effective' deterrent which helps protect communities as well as officers from assaults.

The suspect, clad in a yellow hoodie, was seen prowling the streets and climbing onto rooftops yesterday after dumping a van 100 metres away in a cul-de-sac at around 7am.

Police swarmed the area of Laing Close after receiving reports that a van had driven into a property. Residents were to remain in their homes until the suspect was caught.

A 14-year-old schoolboy, named locally as Joshua, was allegedly leaving his home to go to school when he was caught in the mayhem. 

Witnesses claimed the boy 'died on the spot' after being hit in the head with a sword nearly 2ft in length.  

Graphic footage shared online shows the suspect pulling the boy into the road after fatally injuring him as horrified neighbours watched on.