PSNI used force 1.48k times in Derry district

The most common type of force used by police was unarmed physical tactics (828 instances), accounting for 56% of all uses of force in the local policing district.

This was followed by the use of handcuffs or limb restraints (505 instances), accounting for 34%.

Batons were drawn on 36 occasions (2.4%), irritant spray was drawn on 29 occasions (1.95%), irritant spray was used on 27 occasions (1.8%), spit and bite guards were deployed 20 times (1.34%) and batons were both drawn and used in 17 instances (1.14%).

Guns were rarely used though firearms were drawn or pointed on 16 occasions (1.07%) and discharged in one instance (0.06%).

Baton guns for firing plastic bullets or Attenuating Energy Projectiles (AEP) as they are referred to by the police were pointed twice (0.13%) but never used.

And tasers or Conducted Energy Devices (CEDs) were drawn four times (0.3%) but once again never deployed.

Across the north as a whole there were 16,101 uses of force reported by PSNI officers.

Belfast District accounted for around one-third of the use of force (34%), followed by Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon (13%), then the Derry and Strabane policing area (9%).

Use of handcuffs or limb restraints (505 instances), accounted for 34% of all uses of force over the period.