SAN JOSE -   The ACLU of Northern California is asking the San Jose City Council to review the San Jose Police Department’s (SJPD) practices regarding the release of records on police use of Tasers.  Without access to these records, the ACLU and other groups can not independently evaluate the new Taser rules that were put into place in December 2005.

“We are very concerned about the rising number of deaths linked to police use of Tasers. That is why we have been asking the SJPD, since April of 2005, for use-of-force reports outlining how Tasers are being used,” said Sanjeev Bery, Director of the San Jose office of the ACLU-NC.  “However, the SJPD has stonewalled us saying they will not provide the requested information. Without access to these reports, the public has no way to independently review the implementation of SJPD policies.” 

In the January 24th letter to the Mayor, Councilmembers, and the City Manager, the ACLU urges the City Council to put the issue on the agenda as soon as possible.  In a related matter, the San Jose City Council Rules Committee will review tonight a report giving the SJPD an F-minus for failing an independent audit of its public records policies.  The audit was conducted by Californians AWARE, a statewide policy group.

In September 2005, the ACLU-NC released a report entitled Stun Gun Fallacy, in which the ACLU documented the lack of Taser regulations by local police departments including the San Jose Police Department. The report called for local policy policies to regulate Taser use and included a model policy based on best practices throughout Northern and Central California.

For a copy of the ACLU-NC letter and the ACLU-NC report on Tasers, click here.