By Jeff Proctor
Albuquerque Journal
ALBUQUERQUE — Carrying a Taser is no longer optional for Albuquerque police officers.
Police Chief Ray Schultz issued a departmentwide “special order” on May 26 stating that “all sworn, uniformed (and nonuniformed) personnel will carry (Tasers) in the issued holster.”
APD provided the Journal a copy of the order on Tuesday.
Previously, officers who were issued Tasers and trained to use them had the option of carrying the devices on calls, Schultz said in an interview. The new policy “takes away discretion.”
The chief said the policy is in direct response to the spike in officer-involved shootings over the past year and a half. APD had its fourth shooting of 2011 - and 18th since January 2010 - over the weekend. Thirteen of those have been fatal.
“With the number of encounters we’ve been having recently, we decided that we have this good tool (Tasers) and we want to make sure that every officer will have that option available to them as a measure to de-escalate a situation short of the use of deadly force,” Schultz said in an interview.
Although they are considered a nonlethal alternative, using Tasers doesn’t come without risk.
Jerry Perea, 38, died on March 21 after two APD officers Tasered him when he allegedly attacked them with a large crucifix. The Office of the Medical Investigator determined that Perea died of methamphetamine intoxication and from being Tasered, with his cardiovascular disease as a significant contributing factor. But investigators did not make a ruling on the effect the stun gun had on Perea and ruled the manner of his death was “undetermined.”
APD does internal reviews after every officer-involved shooting, the chief said. The decision to make Tasers mandatory came after one of those reviews.
The department recently received a shipment of 140 new Tasers, at a cost of about $85,000, he said. APD now has enough to equip all of its officers with the devices, including detectives who serve search and arrest warrants.
Albuquerque Police Officers Association President Joey Sigala applauded the decision to make Tasers mandatory.
“The more options our officers have in the field, the better,” Sigala said.
Copyright 2011 Albuquerque Journal