Connecticut Police Begin Rolling Out New Technology
Connecticut State Police have begun using new equipment and systems purchased with $120 million approved by the state government to improve police technology over the next 10 years.
The first purchases, starting this year, are expected to cost about $10 million. The package includes tasers, virtual reality training equipment, body cameras, a statewide computer system for video and data, drones for 911 calls, and tools to make body-camera video and records easier to handle.
The 2027 budget plan from Governor Ned Lamont says the money will replace outdated police technology and give State Police new tools to update their work, work more quickly, and make it safer for officers and the public.
At the State Police Academy, a trooper demonstrated the TASER 10, or T-10 model. The device launches probes that attach to a person and deliver an electric shock, temporarily immobilising them.
Older models shot two probes at a set angle and had only two additional probes if the first attempt failed. The T-10 holds 10 separate probes, so officers have more opportunities to use it without resorting to deadly force.
The device checks the electrical connection between the probes once they are attached and automatically sets the current direction. It works up to 45 feet away, about twice as far as older models, and uses about 1,000 volts instead of the 40,000 to 50,000 volts used by earlier tasers.
When turned on, the device emits a clear sound and shines a green laser to aid aiming. Its battery stores information about when it is taken out, turned on, and fired. This information is automatically sent to the state police evidence system, so there is no need to download it manually.
The department reported that the new tasers have been in use for about three months and that deployments to date have ended without injury.
The new equipment includes virtual reality headsets and immersive training software. The system enables officers to fire hundreds of simulated rounds daily, from 100 to 200 per session, greatly reducing expenses compared to live ammunition.
The training shows both still and moving targets and puts trainees in real-life situations, such as traffic stops where someone in a car displays a weapon. The department plans to bring the virtual reality systems to community events so people can see how officers train and so young people can learn about police work as a possible job.
Officers also showed body cameras that turn on automatically when a taser is used. The cameras use artificial intelligence to recognise what language is being spoken and can translate up to 50 languages.
Before, officers often used mobile phones or language translation services to communicate with people who did not speak English. These ways can be hard to use during quick situations and can take attention away from what is happening.
The built-in translation in the new cameras is meant to make talking with people easier and reduce the need for extra devices during calls.
