The number of electric stun gun deployments by Berlin police fell by over 20 percent last year. At the same time, the number of people who sustained bodily injuries as a result of taser use increased. The data comes from the response of Berlin's Senator of the Interior to a parliamentary inquiry. In 2025, a total of 95 such cases were recorded, compared to 75 the year before. This increase may be due to a more restrictive classification of incidents by the police.

Decrease in stun gun deployments

Berlin police used tasers a total of 449 times in 2024. In 2025, this number fell to 352 interventions, representing a decrease of 21.6 percent. This indicates a change in operational practices or more selective use of this weapon.

Increase in the number of injuries

Despite fewer deployments, the number of people injured as a result of stun gun use increased from 75 in 2024 to 95 in 2025. This represents an increase of 26.7 percent. Most injuries were minor, primarily involving burns and cuts at the application site.

Change in incident classification

The increase in recorded injuries may result from new, more restrictive internal guidelines of the Berlin police. Since 2025, every case of electrode contact with the body that results in even minimal skin damage is recorded as an injury.

Response to parliamentary inquiry

The data was revealed by Berlin's Senator of the Interior, Iris Spranger (SPD), in response to a parliamentary inquiry. This information sheds light on the effectiveness and risks associated with the use of electric stun guns by law enforcement in the German capital.

Berlin police recorded a decrease in the number of electric stun gun, so-called taser, deployments last year, alongside an increase in the number of people injured as a result of these interventions. Data for 2025, provided by Berlin's Senator of the Interior, Iris Spranger, indicates that the weapon was used 352 times. This is 97 interventions, or 21.6 percent, fewer than the previous year, when 449 uses were recorded. Despite this reduction, the number of injured persons rose from 75 to 95, representing an increase of 26.7 percent. Most of these injuries were classified as minor. They primarily include burns and cuts at the site of electrode contact. Senator Spranger indicated in her response to the parliamentary inquiry that this increase may result from a change in internal reporting procedures. Since the beginning of 2025, Berlin police have been recording as an injury every case in which contact of the taser's electrodes with the body leads to even minimal tissue damage, such as redness or a minor wound. Previous guidelines may have been less stringent. Electric stun guns, commonly called tasers after the name of the most popular American brand, have been used by police forces worldwide for years as an intermediate measure between a baton and a firearm. Their operation involves temporarily paralyzing the nervous system with an electrical impulse, intended to incapacitate an aggressive perpetrator without the need to use lethal force. The debate over their safety has been ongoing for a long time, and cases of serious injuries or deaths following their use regularly spark controversy.Berlin police statistics did not record any cases of death directly linked to taser use during the analyzed period. The Senator also emphasized that the increase in reported injuries does not necessarily mean an actual increase in risk, but rather more precise record-keeping. „„Der Anstieg der Verletzungen ergibt sich aus neuen, restriktiveren Vorgaben des Dienstes.”” — Berlin's Senator of the Interior Iris Spranger This data was revealed in the context of a broader discussion in Germany about police equipment and tactics, especially in large urban agglomerations like Berlin.

Mentioned People

  • Iris Spranger — Berlin's Senator of the Interior from the SPD party, who provided the response to the parliamentary inquiry containing data on taser use.