Taser Information Sheet - Queensland Police Service

Taser is the brand name of a ‘Conducted Energy
Weapon’. It is yellow in colour and hand held.
When are they used?
Tasers can be used by police officers in situations
where there is a ‘risk of serious injury’ to yourself,
another, or police.
Police officers are trained to utilise the most
appropriate use of force options to resolve a
situation.
Why are they used?
Tasers are used by police officers to resolve
dangerous and violent situations where persons
are threatening self harm or harming others.
How are they used?
Tasers, when used, operate for five seconds and
cause a person to lose control of their muscles.
The presentation of a Taser by a police officer has
been shown to resolve a majority of incidents.
What training do officers receive?
Taser training is part of Operational Skills and
Tactics training which police officers attend yearly
to qualify to carry a Taser. The training also covers
communication skills, particularly when and how
to warn people before firing a Taser.
What checks and balances are in place?
Officers are made aware that Tasers should not be
used in certain circumstances, except in extreme
cases where there is no other reasonable option
to avoid imminent risk of serious injury.
‘Probe mode’ is the actual firing of probes which
causes involuntary muscle contractions and
momentary loss of mobility. Tasers are not to be
targeted at certain areas of the body, unless it is
unavoidable.
‘Drive stun mode’ uses direct contact of the Taser
to the body or clothing of a person, causing
discomfort to the area where the device is applied.
‘Drive stun mode’ does not significantly affect the
central nervous system and does not immobilise a
person.
Officers must attend and pass Taser training yearly
to qualify to carry a Taser. Training encompasses
both theory and practical usage of the Taser.
Police are not to use two or more Tasers on the
one person at the same time.
Occasions will arise where it might be necessary
to use a Taser on a person with a mental illness.
Officers are advised when responding to such
incidents to ensure the assistance of an ambulance
is requested and where possible discuss options
with mental health professionals.
Police are to conduct a First Aid medical assessment
of every person immediately after they are Tasered.
Every time a Taser is taken out of its holster whether it is fired or not – the incident is reviewed
by the Queensland Police Service and the Crime
and Misconduct Commission (CMC).
All police officers have the opportunity to undertake
voluntary Taser exposures during training to best
understand how the device works and how it can
affect people.
General information
Taser use is currently monitored at various levels.
Usage is subject to layers of scrutiny at the local,
district, regional and state level.
There have been significant changes to policy
surrounding the use of Tasers. The effective use of
a Taser can quickly gain control of a person who
needs immediate intervention.
Before a Taser can be used by a police officer,
there must be a ‘risk of serious injury’ to the
individual, another or to a police officer.
A single activation of a Taser is characterised by
one five second cycle. Greater levels of scrutiny
are applied to multiple or prolonged Taser usage.
For more information:
http://www.police.qld.gov.au/News+and+Alerts/
campaigns/taser/
Taser Information Sheet
What is a Taser?