New LPD Taser provides additional safety for Lincoln officers, community

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Lincoln Police Department has added a new Taser to its non-lethal toolkit.

The department is now using the Taser 10 as part of a development program with Axon, a company that manufactures the Taser.

The new Taser offers more accuracy and range, with an effective distance of 40 feet, compared to the previous model’s 7 to 15 feet range.

“Distance creates time, that time creates the opportunity for officers to make better decisions because in a dynamic environment, you’re not as close to the subject,” Officer PJ Lensing said.

In the past five years, LPD averaged 37 Taser deployments a year, which is half the national average.

Officers typically work to communicate with the suspect as a form of de-escalation before using any other tools.

But sometimes, officers need to resort to other options, such as Tasers.

“Sometimes we don’t have a choice, subjects don’t always give us the opportunity to talk to them,” Sgt. Justin Roach said.  “So having those tools in place to be able to both verbally and physically de-escalate situations without going to higher levels of force.”

The Taser 10 also has the ability to deploy 10 individual prongs, compared to the former model’s two prongs per cartridge.

The new low-voltage system focuses on neuromuscular incapacitation, which is less painful for those being detained.