Tempe OKs Taser guns for 9 schools

The Arizona Republic | December 17, 2004

TEMPE - Officers stationed at nine schools will be armed with Tasers by spring, now that the City Council granted the Police Department permission to buy up to $200,000 in stun guns and equipment.

The council's move Thursday night will buy 170 new Tasers for the remaining officers on the force who don't already have them, outfitting everyone in the department from the lieutenant rank down. This includes the department's school resource officers.

Tempe police have been phasing in Taser use since 2003. It currently owns 135.

The department has been meeting with school officials to quell possible concerns about the Tasers' presence in their buildings.

Administrators from the Tempe Union High School District met with police representatives Monday. There was a smattering of questions about safety from Superintendent Shirley Miles and some of the principals.

"Of all the less lethal tools we have, it's probably the most consistent," Sgt. Noah Johnson said. "It's just another tool for the officers to use to do their jobs."

Everyone in the department goes through six hours of training to become certified for Taser use, Johnson said. Recertification is required each year.

Although Taser use is left to an officer's discretion, department police requires that Tasers only be used if a person is showing "active aggression." This is one of the more strict policies in the Valley, Johnson said.

At least five other area districts already furnish school resource officers with Tasers.