A grieving Moray mother has claimed that police chiefs are prioritising taser training ahead of teaching officers how to use life-saving defibrillators.
Sandra McKandie has raised thousands of pounds to provide the force with the devices since her 16-year-old son, Keiran, was killed in 2016 and an ambulance took almost 30 minutes to reach him.
But she has been left frustrated by delays in rolling out a programme to ensure that officers are equipped with the machines, worth £1,000 each, and know how to use them in life or death situations.
She says she was dismayed to learn that a scheme to instruct 500 officers in the use of tasers had taken precedence over defibrillator training, during a recent meeting with officials.
Mrs McKandie said: “The police keep telling me about ‘competing priorities’, such as this taser training, which are slowing things down.
“I understand that to a degree, but what is at the top of our agenda is saving people’s lives and I don’t know what could be a higher priority than that.
“But when we make this point, we are told that taser training is the priority.”
Police chiefs last night insisted that they “remain committed” to making the family’s ambitions a reality.
Mrs McKandie will today meet force senior officers again, where she hopes that a timescale for running defibrillator trials in the Highlands will be set out.
Three months ago, the Highlands and Islands division confirmed it would kit out eight vehicles with the equipment.
Mrs McKandie has since learned that they are to be placed in Dingwall and Fort William-based fast response cars after officers are trained, but maintains she has been given “no idea” when that might be.
She ultimately hopes that the project can be run across Scotland, with Dumfries and Galloway next in her sights for a trial with the equipment.
Road policing superintendent, Louise Blakelock, said: “A further meeting is scheduled with the McKandie family this week to update them on extending the defibrillator project to road policing crews serving the Highlands and Islands.
“We continue to work with the charity and our partners to take forward the ambitions of Keiran’s Legacy.”
Police say the taser training will “improve the safety of the public and police officers”, following an increase in the number of incidents in which officers have been confronted by people with knives.
Once trained, the 500 personnel will be equipped with the taser X2 and deployed across urban and rural areas.
