Massachusetts

Massachusetts Police Report Increase in Stun Gun Use

Data shows Massachusetts police departments nearly doubled their ownership of stun guns from 2015 to 2016, with a record high of 1,084 uses of the guns in 2016.

The state's Executive Office of Public Safety and Security reports police departments owned 6,008 stun guns in 2016.

The Boston Globe reports State Police have accounted for most of the increase, with officials spending about $1 million to buy 895 devices in the spring of 2016.

State Police spokesman David Procopio says the device gives troopers another option to resolve a confrontation before it reaches a point where deadly force is necessary.

Police say the device's $1,000 price tag has kept some departments from buying them. Other departments, such as Arlington, say they don't use stun guns over concerns about the optics.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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