Police Department Taser Purchase

The Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program, administered by the Office of Justice Programs' (OJP's) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), furthers the Department's mission by assisting state and local jurisdictions in improving the criminal justice system and assisting communities in preventing drug abuse and crime. In fiscal year 2007, the Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program will focus on funding local, regional, and national efforts within six major categories: 1) targeting violent crime; 2) preventing crime and drug abuse; 3) enhancing local law enforcement; 4) enhancing local courts; 5) enhancing local corrections and offender reentry; and 6) facilitating justice information sharing. All categories combat, address, or otherwise respond to precipitous or extraordinary increases in crime, or in a type or types of crime.

The City of Suffolk will use the grant funds to support the Suffolk Police Taser Program. The goal of the program is to increase officer safety and reduce suspect injuries during arrests. To accomplish this task, the department will purchase 140 Electronic Control Devices (ECD) and will send two officers to Phoenix, Arizona to become taser trainers. The department will equip and train every officer on the force with ECD (taser) weapons within five months, and as a result, the department anticipates that there will be a measurable reduction in officer injury costs and liabilities to the department.

CA/NCF