The NYPD is preparing to put more distance between officers and suspects.
At her State of the NYPD address, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed that the department will begin issuing the Taser 10, a newer model manufactured by Axon that significantly extends the range at which an officer can deploy a conducted energy weapon.
Per The New York Post, the Taser 10 can reach up to 45 feet—nearly four times the effective range of the Taser 7 currently in use. It also carries up to 10 probes, allowing multiple attempts if the first shot fails to make proper contact.
The device operates at a lower voltage than earlier models, around 1,000 volts, and does not include a “drive-stun” mode, which involves pressing the weapon directly against a person’s body.
Tisch described the upgrade as a response to real-world limitations officers have faced. “Tasers were introduced to give officers another option in high-risk encounters – to slow situations down, to create space, and to reduce the likelihood that an encounter ends in deadly force,” she said.
But in critical moments, she added, “the technology wasn’t effective enough to make a difference.” The new model, she said, gives officers the ability to act “from greater distance, with more precision, and with more opportunity to resolve situations before they turn lethal.”
The department began piloting the Taser 10 in December and plans a broader rollout this spring. Officials have not released pricing details.
Not everyone sees the expanded range and capacity as a simple upgrade. The Children's Rights Alliance for England has raised concerns about how longer-range energy weapons could affect children and has called for a formal Child Rights Impact Assessment before wider deployment of similar models.
The Omega Research Foundation has also flagged limited independent data on the device’s real-world safety, particularly given its 10-shot capacity.
The UN Committee Against Torture has previously urged that Tasers be used strictly as a last resort in situations where lethal force might otherwise be considered.
Tisch has framed the shift as part of a broader modernization effort, arguing that giving officers additional non-lethal tools reduces the likelihood of shootings. “This is about working smarter — not harder,” she said in her address. “This is about saying better is not good enough.”