Policy Text
FLORIDA CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT
08-09
ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE
ordinary prudent person to believe that a
particular person has, is threatening, or about to An electronic control device is classified as
commit an unlawful act, and would cause a
less than lethal force technology and
person of average caution to act in a similar
equipment. By definition, these devices are
manner under similar circumstances. not likely to result in death or serious
physical injury. At present, the Florida City
REASONABLE BELIEF Police Department utilizes electronic control
devices from the TASER Company.
The facts or circumstances the officer knows, or
should know, are such as to cause an ordinary The ECD is deployed as an additional Law
and prudent person to act or think in a similar Enforcement tool, and it is not intended to
way under similar circumstances. replace firearms or self-defense techniques.
CARTRIDGES The ECD may be used to control a dangerous or
violent subject when deadly force does not
• 15 ft-Yellow blast doors appear to be justified or necessary
• 21 ft-Silver blast doors Attempts to subdue the suspect by other
conventional tactics have been, or will likely be
• 25 ft-Green blast doors ineffective in the situation at hand, or there is
reasonable expectation that it will be unsafe for
Training cartridges are blue with fishing line officers to approach within the contact range of
instead of wire. the subject.
On the rear of the Taser cartridge, it states the The ECD utilized by the Florida City Police
expiration date along with distance. Department has a records storage function
where it stores the time and date when it is fired.
This data provides a complete and accurate
PROCEDURE
documentation on each firing. These records
An Electronic Control Device (ECD) is a device provide invaluable information in the event of
that uses a powerful electrical signal that an allegation of the misuse of the device.
temporarily override's the central nervous
system and direct control skeletal muscles.Thus USE OF FORCE APPLICABILITY
causing an uncontrollable contraction of the
muscle tissue, allowing the ECD to physically The use of the ECD may be deployed when
debilitate a subject regardless of pain tolerance suspects, through their words and body
or mental focus. language, communicate that they are resisting,
opposing, or attempting to flee from an officer
who is making a lawful arrest or detention.
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FLORIDA CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT
08-09
ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE
• The suspect poses a threat from a distance,
and the officer is at risk of injury if he/she
In addition, an officer may deploy the ECD on attempts to close the gap.
an individual who may be experiencing a mental
health crisis. If the officer feels it is unsafe to Other considerations on deployment of the ECD
approach a person with a mental health issue include:
and may be a danger to himself, the officer, or
others. • Imminent threat of the suspect to the officer
or others;
The ECD is not intended to be used as a tool of
coercion or to intimidate an individual into • Suspect actively resisting arrest;
compliance with simple requests or directions
from an officer. • Severity of the crime at issue;
DEPLOYMENT • Attempt by the suspect to evade
apprehension by flight.
The decision, for an officer to deploy an ECD
will ultimately rest on the officer’s judgment Officer/suspect factors that may be
and application of departmental policies. A considered:
suspect’s actions, including verbal statements
and body language, should be taken into account • Age;
before the deployment of an ECD.
• Gender;
The ECD may be used at distances up to 21 feet
when: • Pregnancy (avoid use on late-term women as
the ECD could cause complications from
• The suspect is punching, kicking, or secondary injury fall and contractions);
physically resisting, obstructing or opposing an
officer;
• Young children (avoid use);
• The suspect is threatening to punch, kick, or • Skill levels;
physically harm a police officer;
• Numbers of suspects and numbers of
• Lesser force options are ineffective;
officers;
• The officer reasonably believes that the • Relative strength of officers and suspects.