Abandoning a business practice that has faced criticism, Taser International says it will no longer hire police chiefs with whom it has relationships within weeks or months after they leave public service.
The Scottsdale-based maker of police stun guns and body cameras said Thursday it would now require a one-year "cooling off period" before entering into consulting contracts with former law enforcement officials to promote their experiences using Taser equipment.
The change comes after a scathing New Mexico report Thursday found Taser hired Albuquerque police chief Ray Schultz days after he stepped down in 2013. The Associated Press reported in March on similar arrangements between Taser and former police chiefs in Fort Worth, Texas, and New Orleans.
Taser says it wants to "eliminate any perception of conflict of interest."
