Using a baton – which includes raising the weapon with the intention to strike or gain compliance, or actually striking a person – recorded the highest percentage increase, spiking 48.8 per cent, from 41 to 61 incidents from the previous year.

The use of OC, or capsicum, spray (up 20.4 per cent), stun guns (up 14.3 per cent) and handcuffs (up 27.4 per cent) also increased in the same period.

However, the use of a firearms by police dropped by 25.5 per cent (from 106 down to 79) between 2015-16 and 2016-17.

In total, there were 1774 reports of use-of-force submitted by ACT Policing in 2016-17, a 22.9 per cent jump on the 1443 recorded in 2015-16.

The figures were detailed in the latest ACT Policing annual report, published this week.

The report said a use-of-force report must be submitted by officers when they use a firearm; a baton against another person; a chemical agent (OC spray) against another person; a conducted energy weapon, such as stun guns, against another person; any compliance or restraint hold, strike, kick or other operational safety application against another person; handcuffs or similar restraint against the person; a police dog in the application of force; forces entry to a building, vehicle, vessel, or other secured area to search, seize or arrest; and a stun gun firearm, chemical agent or baton on any animal.

Use-of-force reports are not required when a verbal command is the only force used.

The annual report also revealed ACT Policing recorded the fewest conduct breaches in three years.

Police received 251 complaints in the past financial year, with 31 established. The figure is a drop on the 296 allegations recorded in 2015-16 and 321 reported in 2014-15.

The established breaches included failure to comply with procedure, discourtesy, neglect of duty, information misuse, criminal misconduct, unauthorised discharge of firearm, false information/statement, and conflict of interest.

Members of the public reported 187 breaches, while 59 were were reported by AFP members and four were self-reported.

The report also found that ACT Policing exceeded national averages for public perception of the police.

The annual report said 85.7 per cent of Canberrans had been satisfied with their contact with ACT Policing members in the past year, higher than the national average 83.6 per cent.

The percentage of Canberra who agree that police perform their job professionally was 90.4 per cent, above the national average of 86.6 per cent.

According to the report, 80.5 per cent of survey respondents in Canberra also reported police treat people fairly and equally.

The national average for the reporting period was 76.2 per cent.

The force only obtained two surveillance device warrants, which police used to install listening devices, in 2016-17.

ACT Policing did not use warrants for data surveillance, optical surveillance, and tracking devices during the reporting period.

ACT Policing conducted five controlled operations targeting drug supply in the territory in the financial year.