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Police report department is using expired taser cartridges; replacement contract options under consideration
Summary
Police staff warned the department is relying on expired taser cartridges and outlined vendor options ranging from about $22,000 to $38,000 over five years; Chief Gerson said cartridge shelf-life is five years and staff expect to defer purchases until after the next fiscal year.
Police staff reported that many of the department’s replacement taser cartridges are past their manufacturer expiration dates and that some models and cartridge types are now hard to find.
“Most of the cartridges are expired,” the department representative said. “The expiration on pretty much all the less lethal stuff is five years.” The speaker said the department still has functioning units and batteries but relies in part on cartridges that expired in 2025 and earlier; a small number of cartridges in inventory expire in 2027.
Staff described vendor pricing options presented previously: a five‑year package for seven of the newest model (referred to in the discussion as the "x10") was quoted at about $38,000; a lower-tier model ("x7") that the vendor continues to sell and service was presented at roughly $22,000 over five years. The committee was told prior orders did not include replacement cartridges, and that the proposed package from the vendor would include replacement cartridges and required annual training cartridges.
The department said it could delay new purchases until after the next fiscal year and continue to manage with existing equipment. The department raised a legal and reputational concern: if an expired cartridge fails in the field or is used and later questioned, that could lead to complaints. The committee did not take formal action on procurement during the meeting and staff indicated they would revisit the matter after current payment obligations conclude.
