The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is spending big money on a crime fighting tool, but it's not body cameras.
The company that makes Tasers said JSO has ordered more than 2,500 of the Taser X26P Smart Weapon.
JSO is spending $2.5 million on the new Tasers. It comes at a time the department is under scrutiny for its lack of body cameras and increase in police-involved shootings
"They are upgrading them at a pretty penny," said Action News Jax crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson.
JSO is replacing its current Tasers with 2,630 upgraded models at a cost of about $970 dollars each.
"Maybe they could have leveraged that resource to utilize body cameras and outfit everyone with body cameras," Jefferson said.
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Previously, Sheriff Mike Williams has said it would initially take between $3 and $5 million to outfit every officer with body cameras. JSO, after much public pressure, plans to implement a pilot program for body cameras by mid-2017.
"Their contention is they are looking down the road with regard to body cameras as far as the maintenance and the upkeep and the uploading of files and things like that. Well, there's grants available that can help you get them and that two-point whatever million you just spent on Tasers, unless the Tasers are outdated and really need to be replaced, they could have saved that up," Jefferson said.
JSO has had 9 police involved shootings in 2016. It had 10 all of last year. Jefferson said body cameras would help bring transparency to the investigations and perhaps reduce the chance that deadly force is used.
JSO is using an annual payment plan for the Tasers. It provides warranties and spare parts for five years.
JSO released a statement:
Director of Services Tony Davis was evaluating the costs to replace our electronic control devices that required replacing. The best option, financially, was the five year payment plan, which covers their life expectancy. The plan replaces all existing inventory with a new model and NO interest costs. This means all sworn officers and assigned corrections personnel will receive a new ECD. This will provide our personnel, additionally, the latest model ECD, at a cost to the city of $969.60 per for the 2,630 units ordered. (A substantial savings from an outright purchase of a smaller quantity, and with no need for subsequent purchases for upcoming years for the existing inventory. Lower cost financed over five years and no interest.)