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Date: 8/7/2015
CHICOPEE – Police Chief William Jebb told city councilors he believes the incidences of police injury due to altercations with those they arrest will decrease substantially once Tasers are used by the city’s police officers.
Jebb spoke to the council during the public speak-out portion of the Aug. 4 meeting, updating them on the department’s Taser program.
Jebb said the 15 Tasers would shortly be purchased by the city through grant funds. Currently the department is working with the city’s Law Department and the State Police in developing a policy concerning the weapon’s use.
“We plan on implementing them by the year’s end,” Jebb said. He added their use by officers would be optional.
The police chief explained that since January 2010 there has been 333 times in which Chicopee officers have been injured due to an interaction with a suspect. He believes the presence and use of a Taser could reduce the incidences by 50 percent.
He said the Taser would be carried on the opposite side of an officer’s service weapon so the two could not be confused.
“It would be a cross draw,” Jebb explained.
He added the weapon itself shuts itself off after five seconds. It has an internal unit that records its use.
Each officer that elects to carry a Taser will undergo eight hours of training, Jebb said. Other police chiefs have told him they have provided a deterrent by officers simply carrying them.
In other action, several city schools are on their way to having a new roof, and two of them may qualify for reimbursement of the cost by the state.
The City Council approved $279,000 to pay for the new roof at the Szetela School and $125,6000 for the design of roof replacement at the Belcher Elementary School and the Fairview Veterans Memorial Middle School.
In his pre-meeting briefing, Mayor Richard Kos explained the approval of the sum for the latter two schools was a necessary step to qualify for consideration for state reimbursement at a rate of nearly 80 percent.
Ron Simard, director of maintenance for the city’s schools, explained to the council state rules prohibit the city from seeking reimbursement because Szeltela is a pre-school facility.
The council also approved $225,000 for sewer separation works on Columba Street from Grattan Street to Granby Road. They were told that currently part of the sewer line on the street has been partially crushed. While the damage still allows for the sewerage to flow through it, the replacement comes at a good time when the design work for the sewer separation work on the street is being designed.
Kos also asked and received approval of $472,738.60 for salary accounts in the Fire Department. The mayor explained the nearly half million would help insure a full complement of fire fighters.