TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An amendment to the regulation on police use of weapons passed the third reading on Friday (Sept. 30) amid calls for bolstered self-defense for the police following the killings of two officers last month.

Police officers will be allowed to use guns under four circumstances, according to the amendment to the Act Governing the Use of Police Weapons (警械使用條例).

The scenarios include when a suspect uses lethal weapons or objects to attack or take others hostages, or when evidence suggests a suspect is carrying a weapon and has the intent to hurt people.

Police officers can also use firearms when a suspect intends to grab their guns or other equipment, or in emergency situations where people’s lives are deemed in danger, wrote CNA.

The regulatory changes were made with reference to the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, adopted by the United Nations in 1990.

Currently, law enforcement officials often find themselves restrained by strict protocols when the need to use a gun arises. Some have complained about having to write numerous reports and even face lawsuits over gun use, which makes them reluctant to fire.

In a high-profile example, a Taipei police officer, Chang Ching-yi (張景義), fought a six-year legal battle between 2013-2019 for firing on a suspect that attempted to avoid an arrest and who was killed as a result. Chang was acquitted by the Supreme Court in 2019.