An Arkansas Sheriff’s Office Seeks to Upgrade Their TASER Guns

The TASER is widely used in law enforcement all over the country. Though the models that they use may vary, they have been used very successfully and have saved many lives. This technology is continuing to evolve and as it does, many departments are switching out the upgraded models for the older ones. In my opinion, they have very good reason to do this.

It may cost a pretty penny, but the Washington County Sherriff’s office in Arkansas is in the process of upgrading their TASER guns. They have been using these spectacular devices since 2004, but they want something better than the ones they have been using. The difference between their old ones and the new ones is that the newer ones have cameras built into them.

The Sheriff’s office purchased two of them with cameras last year in order to test them out. They liked what they saw so have been working to replace all of the units without cameras in them. They have budgeted to buy new stun guns for the county deputies, as well as the Fayetteville and Springdale police departments.

The cameras that are installed on the new units go a long way toward preventing misuse. Though every TASER firing must be followed by a full report, the video footage helps to verify the officer’s account. This is especially good for the citizens in Washington County. If they have a complaint, the video footage can be reviewed to ensure that procedure was followed.

Though the quality and field of view aren’t what it could be, the technology is still evolving. The more it evolves, the better it will be for both citizens and law enforcers.