San Francisco Police to be Equipped with Tasers in 2018

The San Francisco Police Department can begin equipping its officers with Tasers in December 2018, the Police Commission said in voting on an issue that has been debated and rejected in the city for 13 years.

After an almost seven-hour meeting interrupted by a raucous protest that led to a lockdown of City Hall, commissioners passed the measure 4-3 late Friday.

San Francisco has one of the last major police forces in the country without the devices, in part because of the opposition from community members.

Conductive energy devices “are a sound, less-lethal force option that complement the de-escalation principles and techniques our officers practice every day,” Chief Bill Scott said. He thanked the commissioners and their staffs for months of analysis and discussion on the issue, and the residents who participated in work groups and gave “thoughtful, articulate” feedback.

Scott has said he wants all sworn officers to be equipped with the weapon, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.