The Estonian police received their first tasers in 2018, acquiring 35 of them through the initial tender. After that, more have been acquired and the PPA now has enough tasers to equip all patrols.

The taser is loaded with two cartridges, containing two darts and a wire, allowing the user to fire two shots. Both cartridges must be electrically charged, but there is also the danger of missing.

"The shot must be from suitable distance, no longer than seven meters, for example. The shot only works if two wire electrodes are touching the body. It is impossible to hit someone if their clothing is too thick or the person moves too fast. This is an expensive piece of equipment and each shot costs some €60. After training, where you have to make at least to shots, additional trainings follow. So acquiring this and maintaining it is quite an expensive task," explained PPA chief law enforcement officer Jaak Kiviste.

"Taser training lasts 16 academic hours, six of which are theoretical and 10 are practical. The person using the taser must know it very well: how does it work, on what conditions it can be used, what happens after it has been used. They need to give first aid and take a broader look at the picture as a whole," explained West prefecture operative center chief Sander Peremees.

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