Conroe council expands police equipment

Conroe City Council approved three police-related items March 26, including more tasers for officers, new handguns for the department’s SWAT-trained personnel and an amendment to the city’s meet-and-confer agreement with the Conroe Police Officers Association.

What happened

Council approved the purchase of 50 additional Axon Tasers to equip officers who do not already have one. During the meeting, Police Chief Jon Buckholtz said the devices would go to the roughly 50 officers still without them and called tasers an important, less-lethal tool that helps officers take people into custody without causing further harm.

Council also approved the purchase of 37 Staccato P-4.5 HD 9mm handguns for the department’s SWAT team and other tactically trained officers. Buckholtz told the council the weapon system would give those officers more options in the field.

By the numbers

Agenda documents show the first-year payment for the added tasers totals $71,586. Of that, $55,585 had already been budgeted, and the remaining $16,001 will come from departmental savings, Buckholtz said. The full three-year cost listed in the Axon quote is $214,760.

The Staccato handgun purchase totals $72,185, according to agenda documents. Buckholtz said those funds are not city tax dollars but money seized from criminal activity and returned to the department through asset forfeiture.

Also on the agenda

Council also approved an amendment to the 2024 meet-and-confer agreement between the city and the Conroe Police Officers Association.

In the meeting, the amendment was discussed as part of the city’s broader effort to address police pay and staffing. The item involves lateral-entry officers and holiday pay.