Sheriff’s Tasers Will Add Video
The Maricopa County, Ariz., sheriff’s office has ordered 623 Taser cameras, equipped with audio capabilities, to be added to 1,168 stun guns that will be employed by detention officers in two months. At a price of $1,199 apiece, the Taser Cams can be placed on the Taser X26 model that shoots a pair of barbs at the end of wires sporting 50,000 electrical volts.
The camera activates when the safety is turned off, and can record as much as 90 minutes of footage. Obtaining the view of the individual utilizing it, the Taser Cam records footage at distances as far as 25 feet.
The county’s use of Taser Cams signifies their initial use in prisons and the first time audio has been included in a Taser.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio notes that the device could help lessen the charges of excessive force from inmates. Currently, four Taser guns are being tested in the prisons, and 500 officers are being instructed to employ them.
Abstracted by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center(NLECTC) from the East Valley Tribune (AZ) (05/24/06); Sakal, Mike .