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Police officers soon will be armed with one more tool to protect themselves on the job.
On Tuesday, the City Council voted 6-2 in favor of the Police Department’s request to buy 57 Tasers.
The Tasers, according to Police Chief David Dial, will provide a safer environment for officers and the public. A Taser is a non-lethal device that is used to shock aggressive individuals or animals.
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In 2005, the department began a pilot program using Tasers. Eventually, the entire police force will be outfitted. The Tasers cost about $800 and will be retrofitted with video cameras.
Councilman Grant Wehrli supported buying the Tasers.
“This provides a way to fill that gap from a baton and using something lethal,” he said.