NSW police to be equipped with Tasers

Frontline New South Wales police will be given Taser guns in a move the force says will help reduce avoidable deaths in high-risk situations.

More than 220 Tasers are being purchased, at a cost of just over $1 million.

Currently Tasers are only used by special police teams such as the Riot Squad.

New South Wales Police Minister David Campbell says an extra 2,000 officers will now be trained to use them.

"I believe that this will lead to a reduction in the number of injuries to police from assault as they're seeking to arrest someone, or it will see a reduction in injuries from assault against other people in our community," he said.

Tasers are used in other states, however they have been met with controversy in the past because of their links to deaths overseas.

A civil rights advocacy group says the move will threaten public safety.

Justice Action spokesman Brett Collins says police will be tempted to use the Taser as a first response.

"These should not be held and carried by every policeman, they should be held at least by a specialist organisation only brought in in emergencies," he said.

"We what we need is unarmed police with the social skills to deal with the community to actually reduce violence, rather than to increase bullying and aggression."