Will Town Meeting Support the Purchase of Tasers for the Stoughton Police Department?

Article 34 on this year’s could spark debate (or more accurately provide some shock), with the seeking the purchase of 45 tasers for their department.

The estimated cost of this article is $67,500, according to the Warrant.

The Finance Committee voted 6-4 against approving this article, and voted 6-4 against another motion to purchase only 25 tasers.

The Municipal Operations Committee voted 6-1 against approving this article, but a motion to instead purchase 22 tasers at approximately $35,000 was approved unanimously.

The Stoughton Police Department put together an informational slideshow presentation, providing justification for their request to purchase these devices.

“Tasers are more effective in facilitating capture, control and restraint than other force options,” according to the SPD presentation.

600 volts go through the body when a taser is deployed and 99.75% of the time suspects have no significant injury as a result of the device being used, according to data provided by the Police Department.

Stoughton Police site a May 5, 2011 interview with Attorney Scott Greenwood, General Counsel to the American Civil Liberties Union where he said “I am convinced [tasers] present the ideal compromise when having to resort force.”

“There is zero justification to be against these weapons,” he continued.

How will Town Meeting members respond? Take a look at the informational slideshow provided by the Police Department (located in the media gallery), which provides further details about this article and about the use tasers.

Town Meeting at 7:30 p.m. at the Stoughton High School auditorium.