Police officers fire Taser FIVE times every day: Increase in officers relying on weapons after use more than doubles since 2009 Number of confrontations involving Tasers doubled between 2009 and 2011 There has been huge investment in the weapons in past decade Experts say an officer will only draw weapon once every two years Critics say British police officers being 'armed by stealth' By Chris Greenwood and Jack Doyle Tasers are being fired up to five times a day in the UK as police officers rely increasingly on the potentially deadly stun guns. There has been a huge investment in the 50,000-volt weapons in the decade since they were introduced, and police chiefs estimate they are now fired as often as 1,800 times a year. Senior officers are bracing for criticism as use of the stun guns soars. Figures published today show the number of confrontations involving Tasers more than doubled between 2009 and 2011, from 3,500 to 7,250. Tasers are being fired up to five times a day in the UK after their availability was expanded to specialist units But the statistics do not reflect how much they have been used over the last two years. There are 14,700 officers trained to use Tasers, after their availability was expanded from highly trained marksmen to specialist units and beat officers. Experts estimate that each officer will draw his weapon once every two years and fire it once in eight years. The latest figures will reignite the debate over the increasing reliance on stun guns. Police argue the weapons offer a less lethal alternative to live ammunition (file picture) Police argue that the weapons offer a less lethal alternative to live ammunition and can help resolve some of the most challenging stand-offs. But critics question whether training and monitoring have kept pace with the higher use amid fears that British police are being "armed by stealth." Some claim Tasers are increasingly being used as a threat to force people to obey police. Kate Allen, of Amnesty International, said the rising use of Tasers across Britain was a "grave concern," adding: "We are worried about every bobby on the beat having a Taser on their belt. It's not a modern truncheon. "A Taser doesn't just give a little tingle - it's a potentially lethal 50,000-volt weapon and should not be spoken of as some sort of "natural progression" of the standard policing kit. Tasers should only be kept in the hands of a small number of specially trained officers and used only in a limited set of circumstances. More than one in ten police have passed the three-day course that lets them wield a Taser. But several incidents have tarnished the weapon's reputation. Last week, prosecutors decided not to charge an officer who shot blind man Colin Farmer, 63, in Lancashire after mistaking his white stick for a samurai sword. In April, Andrew Pimlott, 32 - who doused himself in fuel and was threatening to kill himself - died in a fireball as he was a Tasered at his Plymouth home. And investigators are examining the death of Jordan Begley, 23, who collapsed and died in Manchester after being Tasered. Colin Farmer, 63, (left) who is blind, was Tasered by officers who mistook his white stick for a samurai sword and Jordan Begley (right) collapsed and died after being Tasered A critical report by the Independent Police Complaints Commission into the use of Tasers may be delayed until April. It addresses concerns about the use of "drive-stun" mode, in which the gun is pressed to a suspect's body and discharged. Officials also raised fears over the Tasering of children, the old and the mentally ill, and the use of Tasers in custody. Lawyer Sophie Khan, who represents Taser victims, said training and monitoring had "not kept pace with the appetite of chief officers for these weapons." Deputy Chief Constable Simon Chesterman, the national lead on Tasers, said the rise in use matched a greater number of weapons, adding: "We're not getting more trigger happy, we've got more Tasers out there. "