Two years after Phoenix police launched a pilot program focusing on less lethal weapons, the department has deployed them nearly 12,000 times but used them far less.The weapons include pepperball launchers and 40 millimeter foam baton launchers. Assistant Police Chief Bryan Chapman said ideally, they’re used in situations where people are armed with weapons other than guns.
The Phoenix Police Department last week rolled out a new “Crime Reduction Plan” aimed at driving down violent crimes by 5% and property offenses by 8%.