Submitted By
Anthony Ambrose, Chief of Police
Reviewed By
LKS
Agenda Item Title
Title
A Resolution Approving a Purchase Price Agreement with Axon Enterprise, Inc. for the Purchase of 50 Yellow Handle, Class IIII X2 TASERS in an Amount not to Exceed $149,772.25, Authorizing its Execution and Waiving the Village’s Bid Process for said Purchase
End
Overview
Overview
The Police Chief has advised his intent to deploy TASERs to on-duty sworn staff, subject to the budget appropriation. The goal of the proposal is to improve officer safety and reduce lost work time due to injury.
Body
Staff Recommendation
The Oak Park Police Department respectfully recommends that the Village Board waivedispense with competitive bidding and approve the purchase of 50 Yellow Handle, Class III, X2 TASERs CEW (conducted electronic weapon) with AXON Enterprises Incorporated, a sole source, to supply conducted electronic weapons to the Police Department.
Fiscal Impact
The Police Department is seeking approval for a budget appropriation of $89,999.97 for the down payment and shipping cost to purchase 50 Yellow Handle, Class III, X2 TASERs. The cost for purchasing 50 Yellow Handle, Class III, X2 TASERs over a five year period is $149,772.25, with the first year Village Board funding appropriation of $89,999.97 and years two through five annually at 14,943.20. All funds will come from the Police Department annual budget. The cost includes the equipment as well as five years of warranty coverage and training.
Background
According to a study conducted by the Police Executive Research Forum, through a grant funded by the United States Department of Justice in 2011, “ECWs (electronic conducted weapons) have had a significant influence in American law enforcement agencies. Perhaps no other weapon has had such a dramatic impact. When used appropriately with a full understanding of their risks, ECWs are useful weapons that can effectively help officers to resolve serious situations. ECWs can reduce the need for more dangerous weapons and lower officer and subject injury rates…”
Additionally, a recommendation specified in the 2015 President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, states:
“3.6 Recommendation: The Federal Government should support the development of new “less than lethal” technology to help control combative suspects.
The fatal shootings in Ferguson, Cleveland, and elsewhere have put the consequences of use of force front and center in the national news. Policies and procedures must change, but so should the weaponry. New technologies such as conductive energy devices (CED) have been developed and may be used and evaluated to decrease the number of fatal police interventions. Studies of CEDs have shown them to be effective at reducing both officer and civilian injuries. For example, in one study that compared seven law enforcement agencies that use CEDs with six agencies that do not, researchers found a 70 percent decrease in officer injuries and a 40 percent decrease in suspect injures”
In general the Police Department also feels that the use of tasers could have limited the nmber of officers injured in the line of duty over the past several years, as they attempted to manually subdue a combative subject. The Police Department believes the injuries could have been avoided. While not to supplant de-escalation techniques, the use of conducted electronic weapons (CEW), electronic control weapons (ECW), conducted energy devices (CED) or as they are commonly referred to, TASERS, has become an industry best practice in less lethal force. As of this date the Oak Park Police Department is the only agency of the near western suburbs that has not adopted a conducted electronic weapon less lethal program.
Alternatives
The Village Board may ask for additional information.
Previous Board Action
The use of TASERs was discussed in the FY17 Finance Committees with the Village Board .
Citizen Advisory Commission Action
N/A
Anticipated Future Actions/Commitments
N/A
Intergovernmental Cooperation Opportunities
Partnerships with local law enforcement organizations for inter-agency training
Performance Management (MAP) Alignment
Vision #1- To consistently improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness, and remain sensitive to community needs.
Vision #3- Prepare department staff to meet the current and evolving challenges of policing.