This will be for the purchase of less lethal Electronic Defense items for less lethal use

The City of Norwich, CT will use the JAG funds to purchase electronic defense weapons.  As an organization it is our ultimate goal to end any crisis or citizen encounter with the least amount of force necessary.  In many cases we have found the use of an electronic defense weapon to assist us when dealing with extremely aggressive individuals would be the best option.

The state of Connecticut defines an electronic defense weapon as one capable of temporarily immobilizing a person through the use of an electronic impulse or current.

All of the Officers employed by the City of Norwich are trained in numerous de-escalation techniques, however when those techniques fail, we are forced to use different levels of force to gain compliance.  The funding from this grant would be used to increase the number of Electronic Defense Weapons to ensure every officer who is certified and would like to carry one has access to one.  

Many of our Officers are currently trained and carry one of these devices, however, some of our current devices are failing, unrepairable and have had to be taken off line, as they could fail during critical deployments. 

With the award of the grant, the funding would be used to purchase and increase the number of electronic defense weapons the Norwich Police Department currently deploys.