Page 10 - January 2017

TASER/Electronic Control Weapon Deployment

In February of 2016, the Department of State The TASERs are issued at the beginning of the class,
Police made the decision to move forward with connected to a computer by the Armorers and assigned
equipping its members with an additional less lethal specifically to the member’s name and identification
use of force tool to put on their belts…..The TASER number. They are then added onto the members’ duty
X2. The TASER X2, also referred to as an Electronic belts, situated for a cross draw in a retention holster
Control Weapon (ECW), is a smart weapon, designed specifically designed for the TASER. The fact that the
to temporarily incapacitate a subject while reducing the law requires the TASER to be mounted on the opposite
risk of injury to both the officer and the subject. The side of the issued firearm and taking into account the
TASER, when deployed in accordance with training, is TASER’s bright yellow finish, weapon recognition is
a highly effective less lethal use of force (UOF) tool clearly discernable as a less lethal weapon.
with the ability to control a subject,
allowing the officer to place that
subject into custody efficiently and
decisively.

Once our detailed policies were
approved through the Executive
Office of Public Safety and Security
(EOPSS), the Colonel then gave
the training staff approval to train
our members and deploy our first
issue of TASERs. Over 800 of
these devices were ordered and
ready to deploy. Members of the
Defensive Tactics Staff, Firearms
Training Unit, Armorer’s Office,
and the STOP Team, were certified
as TASER instructors by a Senior
Master Instructor from TASER Situations in which the ECW may be activated include, but are not limited to:
International. Once certified as • When an individual uses force or violence against the member or another person(s);
instructors, this group was given • When an individual exhibits violent, threatening, or potentially violent behavior;
the enormous task of training their • When an individual actively resists an arrest or detention;
own colleagues, and making sure • When an individual flees in order to avoid arrest or detention in circumstances where
the soon to be end users of this new the member would pursue on foot and physically effect the arrest or detention;
less lethal weapon system were • When an individual expresses intent and has the means to commit suicide or inflict
given superior training and the serious bodily harm to themselves of others and the ECW activation does not create
confidence needed to carry it every additional risk;
day. • To protect Department members or others against an aggressive animal; and
• In the course of Department-authorized training exercises or demonstrations.
The end user certification course
for the TASER X2 is a two day, 16 hour curriculum The students are given instruction on the TASER,
developed in conjunction with TASER and their including but not limited to: the technology and
required course materials, MSP Use of Force policies, capabilities of the TASER, smart use considerations
static drills and several dynamic scenarios. Each and use of force policy. As part of demonstrating the
class begins with a safety briefing and an overview capabilities of the TASER, a number of students in
of the course goals and expectations of the student. the class are given the opportunity to volunteer to be

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