Since 2018 German police in Rheinland-Pfalz is, according to them, „successfully“ using tasers in everyday patrols. From now on (that is, January 2021) these tasers, officially called „Distance Electro Impulse Devices“, this equipment is also to be used for policing three cities in NRW.

By now, the trial phase with 60 devices that are deployed by 400 police men in action is running in Düsseldorf, Dortmund and Gelsenkirchen. This test phase will last until March 2022. The “Special Operations Command” is using this weapon since 2014.
It is well documented, that the application of tasers in general and particularly against people with heart or cardiac issues, medical implants or a drug habit often have a lethal outcome. Nevertheless, the police is attempting to whitewash the influence that 50.000 Volt have on the human body, justifying its application as following:

“According to scientists, four deadly cases were documented in Germany inbetween 2018 and 2019 subsequent to the application of a taser. In all of these cases medical examination showed that they can not directly or solely be attributed to the device.” (our emphasis)

During the test phase in Rheinland-Pfalz from December 2018 until November 2019 139 persons have been shot by the police with tasers.  Consequently, the application of taser guns is much greater then the application of the conventional handgun. To portrait tasers as „non-lethal“ weapons leads to a situation, where officers are using them much more readily and also for lesser reasons.
That the police has this new and deadly weapon, which it is quite willing to use (due to it supposedly being less dangerous) and that this terror already has its effect on the own population is even celebrated as a great success by the police:

„The preventive effect of the Distance Electro Impulse Device is extra-ordinary.“ The carrying of a taser by itself „in its signal color entails a deescalating effect.“ Regularly the device is recognized – and has often lead to a „relaxation of the conflict situation – even before its application is formally threatened.”