Police to Request Funding for Tasers at Special Town Meeting

Police officers in Easton may soon have a new weapon to help them deal with more aggressive incidents.

As part of November’s Special Town Meeting, Police Chief Alan Krajcik will request approval for funding to supply each officer in the police department with a taser.

“It’s a safe tool. It’s not just a gadget. The assaults on my officers have increased dramatically, the injuries on my officers having to restrain violent prisoners have gone up,” Krajcik told the selectmen this week.

Krajcik cited two incidents this year that showed the need for tasers. In January, a sargent checking on an intoxicated male near the Ames Library resulted in a fight that required three to four officers to restrain the male and recently, another sergeant at Borderland State Park was hit with a rock thrown by a man who ran away from a group home.

The sergeant involved in the January incident did have to take a medical leave due to injuries obtained from restraining the male. According to Krajcik, the amount requested for the tasers is cheaper than the cost to replace the sergeant during his leave and his medical bills.

“People just seem to want to fight more. They have a lack of respect, especially when they are intoxicated or on drugs. They use to comply with our orders, two or three officers telling someone to come along was fine, now they clench the fists and they want to fight,” Krajcik said.

The use of tasers has been controversial nationwide with videos popping up online of officers using tasers in a controversial manner but the police chief does not expect any issues with his officers.

“I don’t have control over someone in California or Texas but since I became the chief in 2009, we’ve arrested 1,350 people and I have not had one complaint. We have a very good reputation in Easton,” Krajcik said,

During town meeting, Krajcik will have a powerpoint presentation on the tasers and a short video of himself getting tased as part of a demonstration.

Also at town meeting, the police department will request funding for a new fingerprinting system and a new video surveillance system to replace the current aging system.

A new camera would be placed in the lobby with more to be installed to monitor the holding cells and interview rooms.

According to Krajcik, new FBI standards require the film to feature a watermark to show that the film has not been tampered with.