Police_State Earmark 25K Equipment

Transcript (~4 min @ 30:48)

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▶ 30:42 Mark Garipay: on discussion, all in favor? I. Opposed? That will be recommended. Um, do I need to take a mo- we'll take a mo- um, let's take a motion to take ID 2025-775 and 2025-776 out of order.

▶ 30:59 Robb Stewart: Yeah, Mr. Uh, Chair, I'll make a motion to take IDs 2025-775 and 2025-776 out of order. Second.

▶ 31:08 Mark Garipay: The motion to take those two out of order made by Counselor Stewart, seconded by, was it Counselor Romanul? Yes. Um, on discussion, all in favor? I. Opposed? Chief, uh, you're up next again for ID 2025-775. Police state earmark 25,000 for equipment.

▶ 31:27 Speaker 2: Yes, uh, I'd like to thank, uh, state contingent rep-, uh, Rep. Gary Bedient and Sen. Lewis for helping us get this, uh, $25,000 for equipment. And the equipment, what we're looking to do is upgrade, uh, uh, several things. Uh, rifles are outdated, old. They're of various makes and models and mixed and matched, and that's not best practices. So part of this money will be used to, uh, purchase, trade in the old ones, get some new ones with some, um, mounted lights, some red dot lasers to be more accurate. And the other part of that money, we look to get some more shields, ballistic shields, in case there's a- a critical incident involve an active shooter. We only have two right now, uh, so that will help us equip each cruiser on the street with them. And the other part of the money, if we have enough, is to get some, uh, upgraded less lethal options, which is, which is our 40-millimeter launchers, is what they're called. They shoot, um, um, like foam, um, I don't want to call them foam bullets, but they're foam. They- it's a less lethal option. Right now, we only have two, um, and that doesn't equip e- every cruiser with the ability to have a less lethal option at their hands. So, uh, we're hoping to get, um, more of them, get rid of the older ones, and have them, uh, double-shot, for lack of a better word. They're only single shot right now, and statistics have shown that that less lethal type weapon often sometimes takes more than one shot. So if we have the ability to do two less lethal options before, unfortunately, we may have to resort to something stronger, that will certainly help our officers and the public at large. So that's what we plan to use that money for, for equipment.

▶ 33:08 Ward Hamilton: Thank you. Counselor Hamilton. Thank you, Chief. And, uh, thank you for your thoughtful explanation on how this grant will be, or, or how these funds will be allocated. Certainly, you understand the use of force continuum and, um, certainly the, uh, personnel in the Morris Police Department have, uh, demonstrated over the years their restraint, their thoughtfulness, and, um, you know, I feel very comfortable in recomend- in, uh, in, um, uh, you know, making a motion to recommend, um, you know, support for this order, um, in, in, uh, at this time I make that motion.

▶ 33:49 Speaker 5: Second.

▶ 33:50 Mark Garipay: We have a motion to recommend ID 2025-775 made by Counselor Hamilton, seconded by Counselor Finocchiaro.

▶ 33:59 Speaker 1: On discussion, Counselor Williams?

▶ 34:00 Ryan Williams: Um, I just wanted to clarify. You said you were replacing some equipment. Do we currently have foam

▶ 34:06 Speaker 4: 40 millimeter?

▶ 34:08 Speaker 2: Yes, we have two.

▶ 34:09 Ryan Williams: We have two. And you're gonna replace them

▶ 34:13 Speaker 4: with two new ones?

▶ 34:14 Speaker 2: W- our goal is to replace the two and get four. So each, each cruiser on the street will at least have, uh, the- the less lethal option. Right now, we only have two. We keep one on the street, and we keep one inside.

▶ 34:26 Ryan Williams: We- I would assume this is almost- I don't think I've ever heard of this being used, either the shields or the launchers.

▶ 34:34 Speaker 2: Unfortunately, no.

▶ 34:35 Ryan Williams: I mean, that's- (laughs) Right? I mean, I think we would know. Um, are you able to coordinate... Uh, does this equipment change the way you interact with NMLEC at all, in terms of either sending some materials or personnel or, or receiving, or the need to receive in different situations? Like, how do the two things combine?

▶ 34:55 Speaker 2: Uh, no, it shouldn't, but it w- it, it actually would prepare us a little bit better while we await NMLEC. I see. We'd have a little bit more equipment for our guys while they wait.