Bavaria's Police Increasingly Uses Stun Guns

Bavaria's Police Increasingly Uses Stun Guns - Bavaria's Police Increasingly Uses Stun Guns

Bavarian police are using Tasers far more often than in previous years. By early December 2025, officers had already deployed the devices over 160 times—up from around 100 in the same period last year. The rise comes as authorities aim to reduce lethal force incidents by temporarily incapacitating suspects instead.

The increase in Taser use has been steady. In 2021, officers deployed them 51 times, rising to 79 in 2022 and 102 in 2023. By June 2025, Bavarian police possessed around 230 Tasers, but only teams of four officers were permitted to carry them.

Data from 2025 shows Tasers were threatened 131 times, fired from a distance in 32 cases, and used at close range three times. Despite this, officers had already opened fire on suspects nine times by mid-2025—matching the total number of shootings in 2022 (two fatal, four injured) and exceeding 2023’s five shootings (one fatal, three injured). In 2024, police shootings rose again, with nine incidents resulting in four deaths and five injuries. The Bavarian Interior Ministry, under then-Minister Joachim Herrmann, described Tasers as having a 'high preventive effect.' The German Police Union has pushed for wider deployment, including for standard two-officer patrols.

The shift toward Tasers reflects an effort to limit fatal encounters while maintaining control in high-risk situations. With usage climbing each year, authorities continue to monitor whether the devices reduce overall shootings. The debate over expanding access to patrol units remains ongoing.