POLICE officers across the county were authorised to use taser guns almost 900 times in the past 12 months.
Figures from Northamptonshire Police show that between September 2010 and August this year officers were deployed to use the weapon during 876 separate incidents.
On 766 of those occasions the weapon was not required.
However police have confirmed Tasers were drawn 48 times and used on 26 occasions over the course of the year.
These figures show that use of the weapon in the county has increased dramatically in recent years.
Between 2004 and 2008 the guns were only used on eight occasions.