Taser X-26

Electronic Control Device

A Training Presentation of the Brunswick Hills

Police Department

Objectives

The student will understand the Department's policies concerning the Taser X-26 The student will understand the justification for the use of the Taser X-26 The student will have a familiarization concerning the procedures pertaining to device readiness, deployment, and aftercare. The student will have an understanding of documentation that is required pertaining to the Taser X-26.

Definitions

Electronic Control Device (ECD) – A device designed to disrupt a subject's central nervous system by deploying battery powered electrical energy, sufficient to cause uncontrolled muscle contractions and override voluntary motor responses.

Definitions

Anti-Felon Identification Tag (AFID) – Confetti like pieces of paper that are expelled from the cartridge when fired. Each AFID tag contains an alpha-numeric identifier unique to the cartridge used.

Policy

It is the policy and the intent of the Brunswick Hills Police Department that the ECD is to be used as a non-lethal, intermediate force option to protect an officer, or another, from a subject who is violent, potentially violent, or is non-compliant.

It is the policy and intent of the Department that the ECD be used to gain physical control of a subject when lesser means of force have failed, or cannot be reasonably employed.

Policy

It is the policy and intent of the Department that the ECD should be used to prevent a further escalation of force in a situation.

It is the policy of the Department that all officers of the Department who have completed the course of instruction on the ECD prescribed by the Chief of Police and recommended by the manufacturer shall have the ECD available for their use while working in uniform on patrol duty.

Policy

It is the policy of the Chief of Police that the Taser X-26 shall be the prescribed ECD to be used by the Brunswick Hills Police Department.

Justification For Use

Officers may use the Taser in a situation where the officer must gain physical control over a subject and there is risk of physical harm to the officer, or another, in attempting to gain physical control over the subject, and all other lesser means of force have failed, or cannot be reasonably employed.

Justification For Use

The goal of the officer shall be to gain physical control of the subject, utilizing the minimum amount of force necessary, and to carry out the lawful purpose of making a lawful arrest of the subject, or taking the subject into a lawful protective custody.

Authorized Users

Only officers who have satisfactorily completed the Department's prescribed training shall be authorized to carry the Taser.

Device Readiness

The Taser will be carried in an approved holster on the side of the body opposite the service handgun. Officers not assigned to patrol duty may utilize other department-approved holsters and carry the Taser consistent with department training.

The Taser shall be carried fully armed with the safety on in preparation for immediate use when authorized.

Device Readiness

Officers authorized to use the Taser shall have available a minimum of one spare cartridge that shall be used as a backup in case of cartridge failure, the need for replacement, or breakage of the first cartridge's leads during engagement. The spare cartridge shall be stored and carried in a manner consistent with training and the cartridges replaced consistent with the manufacturer's expiration date.

Device Readiness

Taser Cartridges

Device Readiness

Only department approved battery power sources shall be used in the Taser.

Officers shall perform a function check of the Taser prior to each shift worked. The serial number of the Taser being used by the officer shall be recorded in the comments section of the officer's daily patrol log.

Device Readiness

Officers shall not switch, or replace cartridges except in cases of cartridge failure, the need for redeployment, or breakage of the cartridge's leads during engagement. The Chief of Police, or his designee, shall record and maintain a record of the serial numbers of the cartridges assigned to each Taser. Officers shall report any change in cartridges to the Chief of Police, or his designee, and shall report any damage or malfunction. Changing cartridges without authority, or failing to report any damage or malfunction, will result in disciplinary action.

Device Readiness

The Chief of Police, or his designee shall periodically inspect and cause to have maintenance performed on all Department-owned Tasers, in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturer.

Deployment

The Taser is generally analogous to Pepper Mace spray on the use-of-force continuum, and decisions to use the Taser involve the same basic justification. As such, it is forbidden to use the weapon as follows:

1. In a punitive or coercive manner.

2. On a handcuffed or secured prisoner, absent assault behavior that cannot be dealt with by any other means.

Deployment

3. On any suspect who is compliant and does not demonstrate an overt intention to use violence or force against the officer or another person.

4. In any environment where an officer knows that a potentially flammable, volatile, or explosive material is present (including, but not limited to Pepper Mace with volatile propellant).

5. In any environment where the subject's fall could reasonably result in death.

Deployment

As in all uses of force, certain individuals may be more susceptible to injury. Officers should be aware of the greater potential for injury when using a Taser against children, the elderly, persons of small stature irrespective of age, or those who the officer has reason to believe are pregnant, equipped with a pacemaker, or in obvious ill health.

Deployment

Upon firing the Taser, the officer shall energize the subject the least number of times and for no longer than necessary to accomplish the legitimate operational objective.

The subject should be secured as soon as practical while disabled by Taser power to minimize the number of deployment cycles. In determining the need for additional energy cycles, officers should be aware that an energized subject may not be able to respond to commands during, or immediately following exposure.

Deployment

In preparation for firing, the Taser shall be pointed in a safe direction, taken off safe, and then aimed. Center mass of the subject's back should be the primary target where reasonably possible. Center mass of the chest, or the legs, are the secondary targets.

Fixed sights should be used as the primary aiming device and the laser dot as the secondary aiming device.

Deployment

The Taser may also be used in “drive stun” mode. This can involve removing the cartridge and pressing the Taser against an appropriate area of the body consistent with department training. The officer can also deploy probe and drive stun, depending on proximity. It is important to note that when the weapon is used in this manner, it is:

1. Primarily a pain compliance tool due to a lack of probe spread.

Deployment

2. Minimally effective compared to a conventional cartridge-type deployment.

3. More likely to leave marks on the subject's skin.

4. Subject to the same deployment/use guide- lines and restrictions as those of the Taser in cartridge deployment.

Deployment

As with all uses of force, the officer will be required to justify the use of the Taser in a deployment/use incident.

Aftercare

Tasers affect the sensory nervous system, which are nerves that carry information from the body to the brain. They also affect the motor nervous system, which are nerves that carry commands from the brain to the muscles to control movement.

Aftercare

Exposure to Tasers will have an instantaneous effect, rendering the subject incapable of movement, by overriding the central nervous system, producing uncontrolled muscle contractions. These contractions are temporary and will cease once the conducted energy from the Taser is interrupted or stopped.

Aftercare

Tasers do not damage nerve tissue or cause serious burns and recovery of the subject is almost immediate once energy is stopped.

The following is a list of common effects of Tasers which an officer may observe:

1. Subject can fall immediately to the ground.2. Subject may yell or scream.3. Involuntary muscle contraction.4. Subject may freeze in place with legs locked.

Aftercare

5. Subject may feel dazed for several seconds or minutes.6. Potential vertigo.7. Temporary tingling sensation.8. May experience stress amnesia.9. May not remember any pain.

Aftercare

The Taser darts may be removed by the officer from the subject, after the subject is restrained. The officer shall clean the area with an alcohol wipe and apply a bandage, if needed. If the subject has been struck in the face, head, groin, or female breast area, the officer shall have the probes removed by a trained medical professional, at the level of EMT, or higher, as required.

Aftercare

Upon gaining control of, and placing restraints on the subject, the arresting officer shall transport the subject to the Medina County Jail.

Aftercare

Upon demand of the prisoner, or if the officer has reason to believe that is is necessary, an ambulance shall be summoned by the arresting officer. The officer shall provide such information and assistance to the ambulance staff as may be required, and shall escort the ambulance to the nearest medical facility, if needed, taking reasonable precautions to ensure the security of the prisoner.

Aftercare

An ambulance may be summoned and the subject may be transported to a medical facility for examination in the following circumstances:

1. When the prisoner requests medical attention.2. When the prisoner has been struck in a sensitive area (face, head, groin, female breasts)3. When officers have difficulty removing the probes.4. When the prisoner does not appear to recover properly after exposure.

Aftercare5. When the prisoner is in a potentially susceptible category, such as a child or elderly person, etc.6. When the prisoner has been energized more than three times.7. When the prisoner that has more than one ECD effectively used against him or her in any given incident.8. When the prisoner has been subjected to a continuous energy cycle of 15 secs., or more.9. When the prisoner has exhibited signs of extreme uncontrolled agitation or hyperactivity prior to exposure.

Aftercare

Jail staff at the Medina County Jail shall be informed of a Taser exposure and any subsequent medical treatment rendered. Officers shall provide such information to the jail staff as they require.

Photographs of the affected area should be taken after the darts are removed.

Aftercare

When the Taser has been operationally used, the officer shall collect the cartridge, wire leads, darts, and AFIDs as evidence, and place them in a biohazard bag and enter them into the property room using normal evidence procedures.

Aftercare

Cartridge and AFIDs

Aftercare

AFIDs

Documentation

The arresting officer shall record all the facts and circumstances of the incident in the offense report and shall prepare a use of force report. The use of force report shall be completed by the end of the arresting officer's shift and shall be forwarded directly to the Chief of Police.

Documentation

The arresting officer shall also make notification of the incident to the supervisor on duty, or to their immediate supervisor, if no supervisor is on duty, as soon as possible.

The Chief of Police, or his designee, shall be responsible for maintaining such computer, or other records, of the Taser devices, as may be required for legal proceedings, maintenance, or officer oversight documentation.

Initial Training

All officers desiring to carry the Taser shall receive an approved course of instruction, presented by a certified training officer, prior to using the Taser on duty.

Refresher Training

All officers who have completed the initial training in the use of the Taser shall be required to complete such refresher training as may be approved and required by the Chief of Police.

Course Completion

Thank you for taking this course. Comments and suggestions to improve this course should be directed to the Department Training Officer.

You may now download the course examination and complete it, transfer your answers to the online answer sheet, and submit them. You will be notified of the results.