Central police training with new Tasers

CENTRAL, La. (WAFB) – Officers with the Central Police Department are working to increase your safety with new equipment. Assistant Chief Cliff Ivey is one of three officers certified to use the new Taser 10. It now almost doubles the distance they can shoot at someone, giving them ten chances to connect instead of two. Ivey said this provides a greater buffer for her and others if the situation ever goes wrong.

“It reduces the harm to us and the public in the event of a use of force and of course gives us another step before we may have to resort to lethal force,” Ivey said.

Officers become certified by attending lectures, walking through scenarios and practicing de-escalation and Taser firing using virtual reality.

However, the Taser 10 isn’t the department’s only new, state-of-the-art device. Ivey said they also recently got new body cameras, dash cameras, vests and spike strips. This is all to reduce fatal encounters while on the job.

“To make the Central Police Department a life-saving organization so that our officers have more opportunities to avoid the use of deadly force and violent encounters,” Ivey said.

The officers trained today will now certify the rest of the department so they can implement the new equipment.

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