GLEA Board Meeting – Dec. 7th

Native New Yorker : 95th Ave and Glendale

3:00pm – 4:00 pm

It is important to keep our kids and community safe for the spooky Halloween season.  As you are getting you and your family ready for the festivities, Glendale Law Enforcement Association has some tips for you to consider.

To read the article, CLICK HERE.

The Arizona Police Association (APA), which includes GLEA, passed a bill in July of this year that gives police officers and other “first responders” immunity from photo radar tickets while in the course of Officer’s official duties.

The bill passed after it was demonstrated Arizona police management was incapable of reasonably ascertaining violations of the law and Officers exceeding the speed limit in furtherance of their daily duties. Border Patrol, DPS and Maricopa County Sheriff’s were being pummelled with discipline for unwarranted photo radar tickets for actions taken to complete their official duties. It is not a crime to do your job. Many agencies where serving double jeopordy on officers, as they were getting tickets and discipline.

Since June, 2008, Mesa Officers have received 314 photo radar or red light notices. The majority of which were while executing official duties. Thanks to APA’s new law, officers cannot be citied nor can other measures be taken against them. The MPA is working with the department on solutions for dealing with the proper disposition of these photo notices.

The law also recognizes the public’s expectation that when they need us there the most, we will be there to save lives. Tragically, many Officers are killed in collisions every year, answering those calls.

When responding to calls, regardless of the new protections APA has afforded you, ABOVE ALL, WE WANT YOU TO BE SAFE. We urge our Mesa Officers to drive carefully, use your training, use good judgement, drive reasonably, make sure you check your tires and equipment at the start of your shift, and be please be careful out there.

The MPA will continue to protect and serve those who protect and serve.

The Arizona Police Association (APA) participated in a conference call with Taser International today regarding recent news about their updated Training Bulletin.  The bulletin clarifies where officers should deploy their Taser and for the best results one should not aim at the chest or head.  Taser trainers have already been implementing this into their training courses, and all officers know for the best results we aim at the back.  In addition, this clarifying bulletin helps departments, such as Glendale, avoid additional risk of lawsuits.  There were also claims media outlets made that this bulletin admits Tasers can cause cardiac arrest if a Taser is deployed to a chest.  This is completely false and inaccurate, according to Taser.  GLEA does not know of any cardiac arrest Taser death in the state of Arizona.

We help pursue the best equipment for officers and their safety.  GLEA believes that this bulletin should not change the way officers should operate their Taser, and feel that if an officer has to Taser someone in the chest then we will back them 110%.  Officer safety comes first when having to execute a Taser.  We remind the public, officers and media that there are risks with any less lethal equipment (pepper spray, baton, even your patrol car!), but these equipment are used in times of need and keep officers alive.

Taser has offered free training to Glendale officers if there is an expressed need.  Please contact a board member if you would like to participate.

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The key point is:  We have issued a new TASER Preferred Targeting Guide that will apply for the new XREP impact munition as well as ECDs such as the TASER^® X26™, M26™ and X3™.

Note, we have lowered the recommended point of aim from center of mass to lower-center of mass for front shots.  The blue highlighted area in the adjacent target man represents the preferred target area.  There are three reasons:

1. 1.     Simplify targeting for all TASER^® systems — which now includes the new 12-gauge shotgun deployed TASER^® eXtended Range Electronic Projectile (XREP™) up to 100 feet — to one easy to remember map, avoiding chest shots when possible and the risk of a head/eye shot in a dynamic situation, as is standard for impact munitions

1. 2.     When possible, avoiding chest shots with ECDs avoids the controversy about whether ECDs do or do not affect the human heart.

1. 3.     Close-spread ECD discharges to the front of the body are more effective when at least one probe is in the major muscles of the pelvic triangle or thigh region.

Back shots remain the preferred area when practical (note this has been a preferred target since our training began for law enforcement).

Preferred Target Areas in Blue

The Copper Corridor Police Association became the newest member of the APA in October. Based in Pinal County, the CCPA has among its members officers from Hayden P.D., Gila County Sheriff’s office, Hayden P.D., Gila River P.D., Arizona State Capitol Police, and Apache Junction P.D.

Welcome to Glendale Law Enforcement Association’s website.  Representing Glendale officers with integrity and professionalism…

We are trained to assist and represent you when you need it!