The Conducted Electrical Weapon (CEW) is a handheld electronic immobilization device which is designed for controlling High-Risk/Assaultive or physically combative persons at a range of up to 20 feet away. Strict control shall be maintained with the ultimate responsibility for the use of the CEW resting with the Branch Supervisor.
Only those personnel who have completed and passed the Department’s required training for the CEW shall be authorized to use and/or carry the CEW on their person. Each Unit shall maintain a current list of qualified trained and authorized personnel and it will be reflected on the daily in-service sheet. When carrying the CEW on their person, qualified personnel shall only carry the CEW in a Department-approved CEW holster as specified in the Department-approved CEW Training Program.
Branch Supervisors may allow qualified, trained, and authorized personnel to use the CEW without direct supervision in emergent situations, should an inmate or individual pose a substantial threat of inflicting serious injury upon themselves or any other person.
Trained and authorized personnel, when encountering a situation requiring the deployment of the CEW, will immediately notify their Branch Supervisor.
Use of the CEW will be limited to situations where an individual’s violent actions require its use. The person’s actions must fall under the Assaultive/High-Risk category of the Department’s Force Policy.
Verbal Warning
Unless it would compromise officer safety or is impractical due to circumstances, a verbal warning of the intended use of the CEW shall precede the activation of the device in order to:
The fact that a verbal and/or other warning was given or reasons it was not given shall be documented in any related reports.
Authorized Department personnel discharging a CEW shall request the response of a supervisor if not already enroot or on-scene.
Medical Treatment
Darts embedded in the subject’s skin shall only be removed by medical personnel. The individual must be transported to a medical facility for examination/treatment by qualified medical personnel whenever the person is hit with a specialized weapon projectile such as a CEW dart.
Care should be used when using the device to avoid any contact with the subject’s head or neck area.
Stun Feature
This feature is approved for use at this time. The CEW has a “stun gun” type feature, utilizing two exterior probes located on the front of the device. This feature is accomplished by activating the device with: a training cartridge installed; without any cartridge installed; or with a used cartridge installed and making direct, continuous contact with the individual. The "stun" feature is substantially less effective than the darts because it only effects about 2-1/2 inches of muscle, while the darts will nearly always effect the major muscle groups.
Personnel may demonstrate a “sparking” of the weapon in an effort to gain voluntary compliance. In the event of such a demonstration, personnel shall submit a memorandum to their direct supervisor fully justifying their actions.
Any individual subjected to an application of the CEW, in either the “probe” or the “touch/drive stun” mode, shall be taken to a medical facility prior to booking, for appropriate medical treatment and/or removal of the probes.
Inmate Removal Procedures
The CEW use shall be limited to situations where an inmate’s violent actions fall under the Assaultive/High-Risk category of the Department’s force policy. The CEW can be deployed at the direction of the Branch Supervisor or Area Lieutenant.
Reporting Deployment of the CEW
The Branch Supervisor, in situations involving the use of the CEW, shall immediately notify the Area Lieutenant and follow the use of force reporting and review procedures.
Whenever a use of CEW requires force reporting, a download of the CEW stored data and video shall be conducted and submitted with the force package.
Personally Owned Electronic Immobilization Devices (CEW)
Authorized Department personnel shall only carry Department authorized Electronic Immobilization Devices (CEW) whether on or off-duty.
Personally owned CEWs shall be available for computer download upon the request of a supervisor. The device shall meet the specification of the Weapons Training Center and shall only be used in accordance with this section.
Department personnel shall record all personally owned Department-authorized CEWs (carried on-duty and off-duty) with Personnel Administration when the devices are purchased or obtained, sold or disposed of, stolen or lost.