Sussex police officer suspended after 'Taser threat to patient'
A police officer who allegedly threatened to Taser a hospital patient has been suspended.
The incident is said to have taken place when Sussex Police were called to the Conquest Hospital, in St Leonards, to deal with a drunk patient. The male officer, 35, did not discharge his Taser but has been suspended while the incident is investigated. The patient, a 31-year-old man from Hastings, was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer. He has been released on bail until 26 April. A police spokesman said its professional standards department is investigating the incident, which is alleged to have taken place on 21 March at 23:30 GMT. He said: "A 35-year-old male police constable, based in East Sussex, has been suspended while the investigation is ongoing. "Officers who carry Tasers outside of the firearms unit must pass suitability checks before undergoing a thorough four-day training programme. "This includes tactical and handling assessments and is designed to test decision-making under pressure."