The committee recommends that every agency have a comprehensive policy that governs the use of electronic control weapons, which include specific information on the placement of the device on an approved use-of-force continuum. The policy should require departmental training for officers who use the device. Such training should cover the nature of the weapon, its capabilities, and the potential deployment effects. The policy should also require that a report be made each time the device is used, including the nature of its deployment. The article advises that the TASER should never be identified or promoted as a deadly force device, and it should not be used when deadly force is required. Officers must be trained to use the weapon in incidents with threats unlikely to cause death or great bodily harm, but should never be used as a substitute for lethal force. The TASER is nonlethal and should not be described as "less-lethal", which implies that it can cause death. The TASER should not be used to any degree on pregnant women, elderly individuals, children, and visibly frail individuals. Officers must be trained to accurately assess the number of reapplications of the TASER that can be safely given in order to ensure control of a resisting subject. The article recommends that agencies provide their officers with front-draw holsters for their TASER placed on the officer's nonservice weapon side. Training is also recommended for medical personnel in an agency's jurisdiction who may treat "tased" subjects.
Essential Elements in TASER Policy and Procedure
NCJ Number
215261
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 54 Issue: 8 Dated: August 2006 Pages: 87-90
Date Published
August 2006
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article's recommendations for the tactical applications of the TASER are based on an exhaustive 2-year study by the Ad Hoc Committee on Electronic Control Weapons under the direction of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police.
Abstract