The League City Police Department obtained new tasers and received training on them in the hopes that they can be used to help prevent the use of deadly force and protect department staff.

Two-minute impact

From Feb. 6-8, 121 League City police officers received training on the Taser 10 from Axon, which is a technology and weapons company that develops products for military, law enforcement and civilians.

Tim McCurley, the department’s training division lieutenant, said the department’s goal is to de-escalate any scenario where harm may come to a civilian or an officer.

The new Taser 10 will replace the department’s old model, the X26P, which McCurley described as a “one-shot wonder,” as the two-probed taser had significantly less accuracy, he said.Some of the Taser 10’s features include:

• Audible and visual warning alerts
• Enhanced data management
• A maximum range of 45 feet; the X26P could shoot up to 20 feet away
• 10 individually targeted probes
• Advancements in accuracy, effectiveness and reliability

McCurley said it was a requirement for all officers below the rank of captain to receive the training, including detention officers who work in the jail system. There are approximately 135 sworn officers staffed, he said.

What else?

In 2022, Axon launched its “moonshot” goal to cut gun-related deaths between police and the public in half by 2033.

The company publishes a public safety gun fatality database in collaboration with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research, an independent, nonprofit research firm to this end.Quote of note

Though the upgraded equipment is still not 100% accurate, it does give League City PD more options than they had before, McCurley said.

“The goal of having an intermediate weapon is actually to save [the suspect’s] life and the officer's life,” McCurley said. “It prevents the officer from having to use deadly force.”