Saginaw Township Police Sgt. Rick Herren Taser X26

Sgt. Rick Herren shows off the Taser brand X26 model electronic control device during a class on Sept. 25, 2013, during the Citizen's Police Academy in Saginaw Township on the use of force.

(Sammy Jo Hester | MLive.com)

SAGINAW, MI — Saginaw's police force was, about one year ago, equipped with a supply of 70 Karbon Arms MPID electronic control devices, commonly known as "stun guns" or "Tasers."

But officers can no longer use those weapons, because of a decision made in January by a federal judge more than 600 miles away.

Saginaw City Manager Tim Morales gave the background to Saginaw City Council at its Monday, Feb. 3, meeting in order to explain a proposed expenditure of $16,692.70 to buy 12 new Tasers for the police department.

In a lawsuit filed May 2011 in the U.S. District Court of Delaware, Arizona-based Taser International claimed Florida-based Karbon Arms infringed on its patents in the production of Karbon Arms stun gun models MPID and MPID-C.

U.S. District Judge Richard Andrews on Jan. 10, 2014, signed an order agreed to by both companies, thus avoiding a trial.

In the order, Taser International was awarded nearly $2.4 million in damages and a permanent injunction was issued blocking the production, sale or use of the Karbon Arms devices, including those being used by police officers in Saginaw.

Morales explained the injunction means Saginaw officers can no longer use the stun guns they have been carrying, at least not without violating the federal judge's order. After the ruling, a notice was sent out to all law enforcement agencies with Karbon Arms equipment, he said.

"Every department in the country received the same notice," Morales said.

Saginaw Police Chief Brian Lipe told members of City Council that the injunction has, to his knowledge, impacted at least 700 other police departments across the country.

The Karbon Arms equipment that has now been rendered useless is relatively new to Saginaw, arriving only a little more than a year ago.

Saginaw City Council, in September 2012, approved the $74,253 expense to purchase all 70 Karbon Arms devices, replacing the department's stock of Taser-brand stun guns. The purchase was made using funds in the city's drug forfeiture fund.

City Councilman Floyd Kloc expressed his displeasure with Taser International supporting a judgement that will have such an immediate and damaging impact on so many different law enforcement agencies.

"I think it's just reprehensible," Kloc said. "This Taser company is supposedly selling safety. They've effectively disarmed all the agencies that had the other Tasers by allowing this injunction that has immediate effect. We cannot use the Tasers we have right now."

Morales said Saginaw wants to equip its officers with stun guns to use for less-than-lethal force in certain situations, but replacing all 70 would have been impossible due to budget limitations.

"We cannot afford to buy 70 Tasers," he said. "S

o we're attempting to buy enough Tasers so that the number of police officers deployed on a specific shift will have Tasers."

He said a combination of donations and police forfeiture funds are being levied to purchase 12 Taser-brand devices, holsters and an estimated one-year supply of air cartridges. M

orales explained that about $9,000 is being covered by the department's drug forfeiture account and the remaining $7,600 is coming from an anonymous donor.

"We're not using any regular general fund dollars from taxes," he said.

All members of City Council present Monday voted in favor of the $16,692.70 Taser purchase being recommended by Lipe and Morales.

City Council also approved an agreement to purchase 65 new Glock pistols for the police department from Kiesler Police Supply located in Jeffersonville, Ind.

The company provided the most attractive bid of three weapons suppliers vying to supply the department. The other two dealers considered were CMP Distributors located in Lansing and Michigan Police Equipment located in Charlotte, Mich.

Because the department is trading in 104 of its old pistols, Saginaw is essentially being given all 65 weapons for free and getting a $3,170 credit to its account to go toward future purchases with the company.

Mark Tower covers local government for MLive/The Saginaw News. Contact him at 989-284-4807, by email at mtower@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.