*News
Release* Date: October 31, 2011
Middlesex
County Prosecutor’s Office
Electronic control devices to be purchased for police
Middlesex
County Prosecutor Bruce J. Kaplan announced today that as much as $72,500 will
be made available for the purchase of as many as 29 conducted energy devices,
commonly known as Tasers, one for each municipal police department and law
enforcement agency in
The announcement came after Attorney General
Paula T. Dow approved use of the devices by police officers who successfully
complete training offered by Taser International, the manufacturer of the X2
and X26 models, which have been shown to meet the criteria established in the
Attorney General’s Revised Policy on Conduced Energy Devices.
In
addition to training by the manufacturer, police officers will be required to
undergo approved training through the New Jersey Police Training Commission.
Use of the devices must be in accordance with the Attorney General’s
guidelines.
Following
the Attorney General’s announcement, Prosecutor Kaplan offered to provide one device
to any police department in
‘’Properly
trained police officers will now have another tool to protect the citizens of
Prosecutor
Kaplan said he hoped that by offering money for an initial purchase by each
police department, authorities will realize the potential benefits of the
devices, and will train additional officers and purchase additional devices.
Officers
who have undergone instructor training would then be certified to train other
officers in their departments on the proper use of the devices.
‘’New equipment and training
are two very important ways that we can help our local police departments
enhance their efforts,’’ said Middlesex County Freeholder Deputy Director Ronald
G. Rios. ‘’As the chair of the county’s Law and Public Safety Committee, I
would like to thank Prosecutor Kaplan and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s
Office for making this opportunity available to all of our municipalities.’’
The
devices cost as much as $2,500 each and will be purchased with funds that were
seized by court order from criminal activities, such as illicit drug sales.
‘’On behalf of my freeholder
colleagues, I wish to thank the prosecutor’s office for finding fiscally
responsible ways to provide our law enforcement officers with the tools they
need to protect and serve the residents of Middlesex County,’’ said Middlesex
County Freeholder Director Christopher D. Rafano.
Prosecutor
Kaplan gained support of the Middlesex County Association of Chiefs of Police,
which voted on October 18, 2011, to approve his offer to provide one device to
each department that meets the training requirements.
South
Brunswick Police Chief Raymond Hayducka, a former president of the Middlesex
County Chiefs Association and first vice-president of the New Jersey State
Association of Chiefs of Police, supported the plan.
‘’The
last thing a police officer wants to do is to use deadly force. Not every
situation may involve going to a Taser, but having that option is a benefit to
the officer, the department and the public,’’ the chief said.
The
offer is being made to each of the 25 municipal police departments in the
county, and to the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Department, the Rutgers
University Police Department, the Middlesex County College Police Department
and the Middlesex County Department of Adult Corrections.
Training
sessions are being planned by the manufacturer and the State Police, but
training dates have yet to be established. Training could begin early next
year.