New Jersey police are pushing for the ability to carry non-lethal weapons, a move they say could help save lives.

New Jersey is the only state in which police officers are not allowed to carry non-lethal weapons. Since the fatal shooting of a Maplewood man last month, there has been heated debate as to why New Jersey officers don't have the option of using non-lethal force.

Police in nearby Suffern, NY say non-lethal weapons like Tasers can be very effective against suspects and in potentially violent situations. "In all three instances we've used [a Taser] in Suffern, it has been extremely effective. It has incapacitated the suspect and the officer hasn't gotten hurt,? Suffern Police Chief Clarke Osborne said.

Mahwah Police Chief Jim Batelli says New Jersey has missed the mark by not putting non-lethal force into the arsenal of tools that police officers can use.

The executive director of New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police released a statement that said the association has been pushing for non-lethal weapons for years.