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| Updated: 11/16/2011 7:57 am |
Published: 11/15/2011 11:04 pm |
LITTLE ROCK, AR – The Little Rock Police Department plans to spend nearly $144,000 of a Justice Assistance Grant to buy 73 tasers for their patrol officers. Each taser comes equipped with a digital camera.
“It’s a less than lethal weapon, and it’s not used to take the place of deadly force. It’s to minimize that threat of the physical injury to our officers,” says Sgt. Cassandra Davis.
The tasers have been on the department’s wish list since 2005. Right now LRPD has 25 tasers and only supervisors carry them.
“Anything we can do to help these officers to have them safer is so much better, I am for these tasers,” says Regina Green.
Green is a two time graduate of Little Rock’s Citizen’s Police Academy. She says she has seen the need for more tasers first hand.
“I’ve experienced officer safety problems in the past, they need any advantage over these criminals that they can get.
“I would feel better knowing I had another tool to use that was available to perform my job,” says Sgt. Davis.
Since the money to buy the equipment is coming from a federal grant, there is no effect on the city’s budget.
