'Police Looking At Various Non-lethal Weapons'

The Police Commissioner Chris Tang on Monday declined to say whether the force was planning to equip officers with stun guns, after multiple media reports cited sources as saying a small number of the weapons had been purchased for testing.

Speaking to reporters after inspecting Cheung Chau police station, Tang would only say that the force was studying various non-lethal weapons, such as pistol-sized pepper ball launchers, so as to provide officers with an alternative to firearms.

But Andrew Sham from the Civil Rights Observer said officers were already equipped with various non-lethal weapons for day to day operations or protests.

He said, if the police were to go ahead with the plan, the force would need to explain why it was necessary, noting that there had been stun gun-related deaths overseas.