Centerville Police Department is upgrading its tasers.

“We’ve had a lot of internal discussions on the need for the TASER 10 to make this upgrade, to make this jump,” incoming Police Chief Allen Ackerson told the city council at its July 2 meeting. “We’ll be jumping a couple different versions of the taser. The one we’re carrying right now is pretty archaic and old technology. So, I think we've done a good job of waiting for the right technology to come along to now invest the money in new tasers. We’ve worked with them to lower down the overall purchase price.”

“With a maximum range of 45 feet, [nearly double the range of previous models] TASER 10 creates more time and space to de-escalate and resolve conflicts,” the manufacturer Axon’s website says. “When de-escalation fails, TASER 10 can deploy up to 10 individually targeted probes without the need to reload.”

The model has nearly double the range of previous TASER energy weapons, along with improved accuracy and penetration, according to Axon.

The equipment, software, instructor courses and related services will cost Centerville a total of  $88,996 to be paid at $17,799.20 a year for the next five years.

“I’m not excited about spending $88,000, but I am very excited to get into your hands equipment that will better protect your officers and the public, so I’m delighted to be able to get you updated tasers,” Councilmember Gina Hirst told Ackerson. 

Councilmember Robyn Mecham agreed.

“You know what – if it saves one of our officers even in injuries, $17,700 in a year isn’t very much money so I’m very happy to support the officers and want them to have them,” she said. “If it makes my officers safer, I’m all for it.”

The contract terminates after five years unless it is expressly renewed by the parties.

At that meeting Ackerson also requested authorization and received authorization to purchase and outfit two new 2025 Ford Police Interceptor Utility AWD hybrids. The department has two other vehicles, a K9 Expedition and another Interceptor, which are currently being built.