New Bedford Police Lead the State in Taser and Stun Gun Use

A report by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security places New Bedford at the top of the list of Massachusetts communities when it comes to the number of times officers used tasers or stun guns in 2014.

According to the report, New Bedford officers used electronic control weapons, or ECWs, a total of 105 times last year, down from 125 in 2013, and 145 in 2012.

Police Chief David Provencher tells WBSM News, a number of factors make it unfair to compare communities on ECW use, including how long departments have been using such tools, and how many are in their possession. Provencher says the New Bedford Police Department has about 200 tasers and stun guns, and has been using them since 2012.

Provencher adds the department has "very stringent review procedures" and says he's "comfortable that the use is appropriate and consistent" with the department's policy on ECWs.