GENERAL ORDERS LINCOLN POLICE DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: GENERAL OPERATIONS
TITLE: CONDUCTED ENERGY WEAPON
EFFECTIVE DATE: AUGUST 1, 2025
REVISION DATE:
ACCREDITATION: ALABAMA ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE (AACOP)
APPROVAL: CHIEF SCOTT BONNER
Embedded Files
CONDUCTED ENERGY WEAPON
304.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
This policy provides guidelines for the issuance and use of the conducted energy weapon (CEW).
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304.1.1 DEFINITIONS
CARTRIDGE - A replaceable vessel that generally contains probes, and connecting wires.
CONDUCTED ENERGY WEAPON (CEW) - Is designed primarily to discharge electrical charges into a subject that will cause involuntary muscle contractions and override the subject's voluntary motor responses.
CYCLE - The period during which electrical impulses are emitted from the CEW following activation. In most models, a standard cycle is 5 seconds for each activation. The duration of a cycle may be shortened by turning the CEW off but may be extended in certain models by continuing to pull the trigger.
DISPLAY - Drawing and exhibiting the CEW as part of a warning tactic, typically accompanied by appropriate verbalization.
EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES - Circumstances that would cause a reasonable person to believe that prompt and unusual action is necessary to prevent physical injury to self or others.
LASER PAINTING - The act of upholstering and pointing a CEW at a subject and activating the CEW's laser dot to show that the weapon is aimed at the subject.
LESS-LETHAL - Any apprehension or restraint tool that, when used as designed and intended, is less likely to cause death or serious injury than a conventional police lethal weapon (e.g., firearm).
PROBES - Projectiles with wires contained in a CEW cartridge. When the CEW is discharged, probes are expelled from the cartridge and penetrate the subject's clothing and/or skin, allowing the application of the electric impulse.
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304.2 POLICY
The CEW is used in an attempt to control a violent or potentially violent individual. The appropriate use of such a device may result in fewer serious injuries to officers and suspects.
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304.3 ISSUANCE AND CARRYING CEDS
Only members who have successfully completed department-approved training may be issued and may carry the CEW.
The CEW Instructor should keep a log of issued CEW devices and the serial numbers of cartridges/magazines issued to members.
Officers shall only use the CEW and cartridges/magazine that have been issued by the Department. Cartridges should not be used after the manufacturer's expiration date.
Uniformed officers who have been issued the CEW shall wear the device in an approved holster. Non-uniformed officers may secure the CEW in the driver's compartment of their vehicles.
Members carrying the CEW should perform a function test prior to every shift to ensure it is in proper working order. This can be done by tapping the selection switch down and holding it for 3 seconds.
To eliminate any risk of confusion between lethal and less-lethal force, Officers who carry the CEW while in uniform shall carry it in a holster on the side opposite the duty weapon, in cross-draw to prevent any muscle memory confusion from the duty weapon to a less-lethal.
(a) All CEWs shall be clearly and distinctly marked to differentiate them from the duty weapon and any other device.
(b) Officers should not hold a firearm and the CEW at the same time.
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304.3.1 USER RESPONSIBILITIES
Officers shall be responsible for ensuring that the issued CEW is properly maintained and in good working order. This includes a function test and battery life monitoring, as required by the manufacturer, and should be completed prior to the beginning of the officer's shift.
CEWs that are damaged or inoperative, or cartridges that are expired or damaged, shall be returned to the CEW Instructor for disposition. Officers shall submit documentation stating the reason for the return and how the CEW or cartridge was damaged or became inoperative, if known.
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304.4 VERBAL AND VISUAL WARNINGS
A verbal warning of the intended use of the CEW should precede its application, unless it would otherwise endanger the safety of officers or when it is not practicable due to the circumstances. The purpose of the warning is to:
(a) Provide the individual with a reasonable opportunity to voluntarily comply.
(b) Provide other officers and individuals with a warning that the CEW may be deployed.
If, after a verbal warning, an individual fails to voluntarily comply with an officer's lawful orders and it appears both reasonable and feasible under the circumstances, the officer may, but is not required to, activate any warning on the device, which include an audible warning, and the laser in a further attempt to gain compliance prior to the application of the CEW. The laser should not be intentionally directed into anyone's eyes.
The fact that a verbal or other warning was given or the reasons it was not given shall be documented by the officer deploying the CEW in the related report.
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304.5 USE OF THE CEW
The CEW has limitations and restrictions requiring consideration before its use. The CEW should only be used when its operator can safely deploy the device within its operational range. Although the CEW may be effective in controlling most individuals, officers should be aware that the device may not achieve the intended results and be prepared with other options.
If sufficient personnel are available and can be safely assigned, an officer designated as lethal cover for any officer deploying a CEW may be considered for officer safety.
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304.5.1 APPLICATION OF THE CEW
The CEW may be used when the circumstances reasonably perceived by the officer at the time indicate that such application reasonably appears necessary to control a person who:
(a) Is violent or is physically resisting.
(b) Has demonstrated, by words or action, an intention to be violent or to physically resist, and reasonably appears to present the potential to harm officers, themself, or others.
Mere flight from a pursuing officer, without additional circumstances or factors, is not good cause for the use of the CEW to apprehend an individual.
The CEW shall not be used to psychologically torment, to elicit statements, or to punish any individual.
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304.5.2 SPECIAL DEPLOYMENT CONSIDERATIONS
The use of the CEW on certain individuals should generally be avoided unless the totality of the circumstances indicates that other available options reasonably appear ineffective or would present a greater danger to the officer, the subject, or others, and the officer reasonably believes that the need to control the individual outweighs the potential risk of using the device. This includes:
(a) Individuals who are known to be pregnant.
(b) Elderly individuals or obvious juveniles.
(c) Individuals with obviously low body mass.
(d) Individuals who are handcuffed or otherwise restrained.
(e) Individuals known to have been recently sprayed with a flammable chemical agent or who are otherwise known to be in close proximity to any known combustible vapor or flammable material, including alcohol-based oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray.
(f) Individuals whose position or activity is likely to result in collateral injury (e.g., falls from height, located in water, operating vehicles).
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304.5.3 TARGETING CONSIDERATIONS
Recognizing that the dynamics of a situation and movement of the subject may affect target placement of probes, when practicable, officers should attempt to target the back, lower center mass, and upper legs of the subject, and avoid intentionally targeting the head, neck, area of the heart, or genitals. If circumstances result in one or more probes inadvertently striking an area outside of the preferred target zones, the individual should be closely monitored until examined by paramedics or other medical personnel.
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304.5.4 MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS OF THE CEW
Once an officer has successfully deployed two probes on the subject, the officer should continually assess the subject to determine if additional probe deployments or cycles reasonably appear necessary. Officers should not intentionally apply more than one CEW at a time against a single individual. Additional factors officers may consider include but are not limited to:
(a) Whether it is reasonable to believe that the need to control the individual outweighs the potentially increased risk posed by multiple applications.
(b) Whether the probes are making proper contact.
(c) Whether the individual has the ability and has been given a reasonable opportunity to comply.
(d) Whether verbal commands or other options or tactics may be more effective.
Given that on certain devices (e.g., TASER 10™), each trigger pull deploys a single probe, the officer must pull the trigger twice to deploy two probes to create the possibility of neuro-muscular incapacitation.
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304.5.5 ACTIONS FOLLOWING DEPLOYMENTS
Officers should take appropriate actions to control and restrain the individual as soon as reasonably practicable to minimize the need for longer or multiple exposures to the CEW. As soon as practicable, officers shall notify a supervisor any time the CEW has been discharged. If needed for evidentiary purposes, the expended cartridge, along with any probes and wire, should be submitted into evidence. The brand, model, and serial number of the CEW and any cartridge should be noted and documented on the evidence paperwork. The evidence packaging should be marked "Biohazard" if the probes penetrated the subject's skin.
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304.5.6 DANGEROUS ANIMALS
The CEW may be deployed against an animal as part of a plan to deal with a potentially dangerous animal, such as a dog, if the animal reasonably appears to pose an imminent threat to human safety and alternative methods are not reasonably available or would likely be ineffective.
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304.5.7 OFF-DUTY CONSIDERATIONS
Officers are authorized to carry department CEWs while working an off-duty job.
Officers shall ensure that CEWs are secured while in their homes, vehicles, or any other area under their control, in a manner that will keep the device inaccessible to others.
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304.6 DOCUMENTATION
Officers shall document all CEW discharges in the related arrest/crime reports and the Use of Force report forms. Photographs should be taken of any obvious probe impact sites and attached to the Use of Force report form. A notification shall also be made to a supervisor in compliance with the Use of Force Policy. Unintentional discharges, pointing the device at a person, audible warning, and laser activation, other than for testing purposes, will also be documented on the report form. Data downloads from the CEW after use on a subject should be done as soon as practicable using a department-approved process to preserve the data.
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304.6.1 USE OF FORCE REPORT FORM
As Applicable based on the device type, items that shall be included in the Use of Force report form after the discharge of a CEW are:
(a) The brand, model, and serial number of the CEW and any cartridge.
(b) Date, time, and location of the incident.
(c) Whether any audible warning display or laser, deterred a subject and gained compliance.
(d) The number of probes deployed, CEW activations, the duration of each cycle, the duration between activations, and (as best as can be determined) the duration that the subject received applications.
(e) The range at which the CEW was used.
(f) The type of mode used ( e.g., probe deployment).
(g) Location of any probe impact.
(h) Description of where missed probes went.
(i) Whether medical care was provided to the subject.
(j) Whether the subject sustained any injuries.
(k) Whether any officers sustained any injuries.
The Training Coordinator should periodically analyze the report forms to identify trends, including deterrence and effectiveness. The Training Coordinator should also conduct audits of CEW device data downloaded to an approved location and reconcile Use of Force report forms with recorded activations. CEW information and statistics, with identifying information removed, should periodically be made available to the public.
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304.6.2 REPORTS
The officer should include the following in the arrest/crime report:
(a) Identification of all personnel firing CEWs
(b) Identification of all witnesses
(c) Medical care provided to the subject
(d) Observations of the subject's physical and physiological actions
(e) Any known or suspected drug use, intoxication or other medical problems
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304.7 MEDICAL TREATMENT
Consistent with local medical personnel protocols and absent extenuating circumstances, appropriate medical personnel trained in probe removal and handling should remove CEW probes from a person's body.
Used CEW probes shall be treated as a sharps biohazard, similar to a used hypodermic needle, and handled appropriately. Universal precautions should be taken.
All persons who have been struck by CEW probes, who have been subjected to the electric discharge of the device, or who sustained direct exposure of the laser to the eyes shall be medically assessed prior to booking. Additionally, any such individual who falls under any of the following categories should, as soon as practicable, be examined by paramedics or other qualified medical personnel:
(a) The person is suspected of being under the influence of controlled substances and/or alcohol.
(b) The person may be pregnant.
(c) The person reasonably appears to be in need of medical attention.
(d) The CEW probes are lodged in a sensitive area (e.g., groin, female breast, head, face, neck).
(e) The person requests medical treatment.
Any individual exhibiting signs of distress or who is exposed to multiple or prolonged applications shall be transported to a medical facility for examination or medically evaluated prior to booking. If any individual refuses medical attention, such a refusal should be witnessed by another officer and/or medical personnel and shall be fully documented in related reports. If an audio/video recording is made of the contact or an interview with the individual, any refusal should be included, if possible.
The transporting officer shall inform any person providing medical care or receiving custody that the individual has been subjected to the application of the CEW (see the Medical Aid and Response Policy).
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304.8 SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES
When possible, supervisors should respond to calls when they reasonably believe there is a likelihood the CEW may be used. A supervisor should respond to all incidents where the CEW was activated.
A supervisor should review each incident where a person has been exposed to a CEW. The device's internal logs should be downloaded by a supervisor or Firearms Instructor and saved with the related arrest/crime report. The supervisor should arrange for photographs of probe sites to be taken and witnesses to be interviewed.
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304.9 TRAINING
Personnel who are authorized to carry the CEW shall be permitted to do so only after successfully completing the initial department-approved training. Any personnel who have not carried the CEW as a part of their assignments for a period of six months or more shall be recertified by a qualified CEW instructor prior to again carrying or using the device.
Proficiency training for personnel who have been issued CEWs should occur every year. A reassessment of an officer's knowledge and/or practical skills may be required at any time, if deemed appropriate, by the Training Coordinator. All training and proficiency for CEWs will be documented in the officer's training files.
Command staff, supervisors, and investigators should receive CEW training as appropriate for the investigations they conduct and review.
Officers who do not carry CEWs should receive training that is sufficient to familiarize them with the device and with working with officers who use the device.
The Training Coordinator is responsible for ensuring that all members who carry CEWs have received initial and annual proficiency training. Periodic audits should be used for verification.
Application of CEWs during training could result in injuries and should not be mandatory for certification. The Training Coordinator should include the following training:
(a) A review of this policy.
(b) A review of the Use of Force Policy.
(c) Performing weak-hand draws or cross-draws until proficient to reduce the possibility of unintentionally drawing and firing a firearm.
(d) Target area considerations, to include techniques or options to reduce the unintentional application of probes to the head, neck, area of the heart, and groin.
(e) Scenario-based training, including virtual reality training when available.
(f) Handcuffing a subject during the application of the CEW and transitioning to other force options.
(g) De-escalation techniques.
(h) Restraint techniques that do not impair respiration following the application of the CEW.
(i) Proper use of cover and concealment during deployment of the CEW for purposes of officer safety.
(j) Proper tactics and techniques related to multiple applications of CEWs.
These policies and operating procedures are not designed to cover every possible scenario or situation in society, but rather to define standard operating procedures for members of the Lincoln Police Department. These guidelines are subject to past, present and future judicial review. These guidelines can be amended and or repealed by the Chief of Police as necessary. The policies and procedures herein provided supersede all previous policies and orders.
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