BART's Board of Directors voted unanimously Thursday to spend up to $141,000 on the purchase of 130 Tasers to allow each of its police officers to have their own stun guns.
The BART Police Department has 60 Tasers, which is not enough for each officer to carry one.
BART staff said in a report that giving each officer a Taser would increase the officers' comfort level with the weapons.
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The issue of officers' training and familiarity with Tasers was raised by lawyers for former BART police Officer Johannes Mehserle, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter last year for fatally shooting passenger Oscar Grant III at the Fruitvale station in Oakland on Jan. 1, 2009.
Mehserle admitted he shot and killed Grant after responding to a report of a fight on a train, but said he meant to use his Taser rather than his gun.
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BART spokesman Linton Johnson said the transit agency will get the new Tasers before the current fiscal year ends June 30.
Johnson said BART had a voluntary policy under which officers could choose whether to carry Tasers, but now all officers will be required to carry Tasers once they get proper training.
BART staff members say each Taser costs $815, plus an additional $185 for a four-year extended warranty. Shipping and handling for 130 Tasers costs $400.
Bay City News Service contributed to this report.
