Funds For Taser Equipment Approved For Guilford Police Department

GUILFORD, CT — The Guilford Board of Selectman unanimously approved the purchase of taser equipment for $8,815 from Axon Enterprise during a meeting held earlier this month.

“The program that we had previously when we purchased these was a five-year program when the cost was spread out over those five years,” said Deputy Police Chief Chris Massey. “We have since passed the five-year program, and many of the items used for maintaining the program, including cartridges and batteries, must be purchased ala cart.”

Part of the request was for both duty and training cartridges.

“We have to train annually, and the certification requires multiple shots with the taser to demonstrate proficiency,” he said.

Massey said that when officers train with the taser, many elect to experience what a taser feels like.

“That’s part of your initial training, so you understand how it affects a subject who will have the taser utilized on them,” he said. “On an annual basis, we have a couple of different options. First, we have a fixed target to fire the taser cartridge to demonstrate proficiency.”

Massey said the other way they train is that an instructor will put on a suit to serve as a moving target for real-world training with the taser.

“The darts don’t go into a live person when we are training,” he said.

Batteries were another item in the taser equipment.

“We have to test the tasers daily to make sure they are properly functioning and have an adequate battery to make sure they are in proper working order if and when they need to be utilized,” Massey said.