SCOTLAND'S TOP police representative has called for a change in the law to allow all officers to receive Taser gun training in an attempt to further extend the use of the controversial high-voltage weapon.

Norrie Flowers, chairman of the Scottish Police Federation, said the current policy of having only firearms-trained officers using the stun gun should be scrapped and replaced with Taser training for all 16,000 officers.

Only about 5% (750) of Scottish police officers are firearms trained, which means they are always "scarce on the ground", according to Flowers.

He said: "If something takes place they're going to have to send just the firearms-trained officers to use these things. The training can be done."

He said the law should be changed to allow all officers to carry a Taser gun just as it was to give all police CS spray.

"The legislation was changed so that all officers can carry CS spray without needing firearms training," he added. "We're saying that maybe something should happen here to allow officers to use Tasers which then means they become widespread.

"A police officer is accountable for their actions whether that's with the use of a baton, CS spray, Taser or firearm. I don't see the difficulty with widening this out."

He said the move would give more protection to the public and police.

Tasers were first introduced to Strathclyde Police in September 2005, then rolled out to all eight forces. The weapon has only ever been used by Strathclyde Police officers, who have deployed the gun five times.

The most recent incident was last November when a 28-year-old man in the east end of Glasgow was hit with the 50,000-volt charge after he was believed to be carrying a firearm.

Kenny MacAskill, SNP shadow justice minister, said the rise in gun crime in Scotland merited the roll out of Tasers for all officers.

He said: "We need to protect officers in a dangerous job from suffering injury, and, given the increase in firearms offences, Tasers offer opportunities to address matters without the real risk to life that come with a live bullet."

But campaigners greeted Flowers' call with caution. John Watson, of Amnesty International Scotland, said: "We don't advocate Tasers being rolled out any further. We feel they should be treated in the same way guns are.

"We've taken this position by looking at the evidence which has been collected from the US. If you look at the evidence, which is widely available, you can see there have been a number of people who have died from having Taser guns used on them. Tasers should be kept under lock and key, and certainly not given to every officer in Scotland."

Amnesty claims more than 150 Taser-related deaths have occurred in the US and Canada since 2001.

Ken Scott, director of Scottish Police Studies at Bell College, said increasing the weapons carried by officers could seriously affect the relationship between the public and the police.

"There's a very strong tradition in Scottish policing that they should be approachable to the public," he said. "There's a dilemma here. Police officers should be approachable and helpful, but giving them more weaponry - which may be given for good easons - runs the risk of distancing them from the public."

When asked if a national roll-out of Tasers could lead to an armed force, Scott said: "They've got the long-handled batons, the stab-proof vests and CS spray now. I don't think there is an immediate problem of that turning to guns, but there may be in time."

The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpos) was unable to comment on the proposals.

But a Scottish Executive spokesman said: "We understand Acpos has put a proposal to Home Office ministers for an extension to the use of Tasers so that they could be used to resolve violent incidents that do not otherwise meet the criteria for firearms deployment. No decisions have yet been taken.

"Acpos has made no approach to the Scottish Executive on this subject, but any proposal would be given due consideration."