LAPD & Yonkers PD Enlist TASER X26P Smart Weapons for Duty

The following is a release from TASER International:

TASER Tuesday announced the receipt of several orders for a total of 3,130 TASER X26P Smart Weapons for the Los Angeles Police Department. The first order is an upgrade of 2,270 older TASER weapons to the new TASER X26P Smart Weapon together with the TASER Assurance Plan, a program which covers all maintenance and service for these devices over a five-year period, including a replacement of the device with a new TASER Smart Weapon after five years.

The previously announced second order includes an additional expansion of 860 TASER X26P Smart Weapons as part of the roll out of 860 body cameras together with the new Officer Safety Plan which includes periodic hardware upgrades of both cameras and TASER systems.

“The Los Angeles Police Department is committed to implementing safety measures to reduce the risk of injuries to both our officers and the members of our community, while improving trust within our communities,” said Los Angeles Police Department Chief of Police Charlie Beck. “In addition to these new TASER deployments, we plan to issue a body-worn camera and a TASER device to every officer. It is our goal to make these important tools available to every front line officer over the next few years.”

LAPD was the first major agency to study the impact of TASER devices, when Sergeant Greg Meyer conducted a study comparing injury rates from various force options, which found the TASER had dramatically lower injuries (0 percent) compared to physical force options (injuries ranged from 45 percent to 78 percent).

A 2009 study by the Police Executive Research Forum sponsored by the National Institute of Justice found that the use of TASER devices reduced the risk of police officer injuries by 70 percent and the risk of injury to suspects by 40 percent. Numerous studies have consistently shown that officers equipped with a TASER device are both safer and less likely to cause injury during response to resistance.

The order for 2,270 units was received and shipped in the fourth quarter of 2014. The previously announced second order, including 860 TASER devices as part of the Officer Safety Plan, has now been received in the fourth quarter and is expected to ship in the first half of 2015.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, the Yonkers police are adding 66 Taser X26P units to their arsenal. 

The following is a release from the Yonkers Police Department:

The Yonkers Police Department Training Division will be purchasing 66 additional Taser X26Ps for use in patrol and training all members of service in their correct use. Currently, the department has 58 Taser X26 models issued to emergency services unit personnel and patrol sergeants. This will expand the Taser program in the Yonkers Police Department so that more officers have access to Tasers. Available research has shown Taser to be a successful and safe tool in taking custody of active/ aggressively resistant subjects.

RELATED: LAPD Adding More Than 3,100 TASER X26P Smart Weapons
The Taser X26P (an Electronic Control Device, or ECD) is a less-than-lethal option that officers may use to incapacitate active/ aggressively resistant subjects, whom police may have to take into custody. Subjects are temporarily disabled, preventing them from resisting, assaulting others, or harming themselves, while receiving the electrical charge. Officers can use this brief period of incapacity to take control of subjects, and bring them into custody safely.

“Providing Tasers to our Yonkers Police Officers is a responsible and proactive measure in our obligation in offering every tool available to better safeguard the public and our officers,” Mayor Mike Spano said in a statement.

Taser CAM, equipped on all issued Tasers, provides the ability to record audio and video of such encounters in which TASERs are activated (whether there is an electrical discharge or not).

“The expanded availability of Tasers for our Officers will give them another less lethal option for use while on patrol,” Police Commissioner Charles Gardner said in statement. “The audio and video capabilities of the device will also assist in any subsequent review of usage.”

Training of all members of service in the use of Taser is scheduled to be completed by Feb. 28, 2015. This training will include instruction on when and how to use the ECD properly, department policy, and hands-on training.