Related story: Officials want N.J. officers to carry stun guns
By Tom Baldwin
The Courier-Post
TRENTON, N.J. — State, county and municipal police, as well as corrections officers, may have stun gun-type weaponry under a bill that won approval today in a state Senate committee.
The unanimous vote by the Senate Law and Public Safety and Veterans’ Affairs Committee sent the measure to Senate President Richard Codey, who decides whether the full body will have a chance to debate the measure.
New Jersey is currently the only state in the nation that does not allow these so-called non-lethal weapons, such as Tasers, to be used by law-enforcement.
Attorney General Anne Milgram has empaneled a fact-finding group that is holding public hearings on the advisablity of the weapons. Law enforcement generally favors them, saying they are greatly preferable in situations where a threatening person - such as a drunk - would not need to be felled by an officer’s handgun.
The meeting of the committee was not smooth, however, as the sponsor, Sen. Anthony Bucco, R-Morris, grew angry when he discovered staffers for the committee’s majority Democrats had changed parts of the legislation.
“I don’t like someone fooling around with my bills,” said Bucco.
“I thought they (changes) were run by you. I apologize,” said committee chairman Sen. John Girgenti, D-Passaic.
“Thank you, Senator,” said Bucco. “I accept your apologies.”
Then Bucco accused Milgram’s staff of “stalling” his legislation.
“I am disappointed in the Attorney General’s Office,” Bucco said.
“We don’t have any comment regarding his remarks,” said Milgram spokesman Peter Aseltine. “As you know, we do have a committee appointed. There is not a set timetable. They are trying to move ahead as expeditiously as possible.”
Aseltine said the National Institute of Justice is due later this month to unveil a two-year study on the use of stun guns. He suggested no further action on the issue may be forthcoming until lawmakers and others read the study.
Deborah Jacobs, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, noted the proposal has been pending for years and thanked the committee for moving cautiously, adding that people have died when targeted by stun-gun weapons.
“It might be helpful to wait until the attorney general’s report is out,” said Jacobs, who said some states are reconsidering their allowance of the guns.
Copyright 2008 The Courier-Post