7. STEPS FOLLOWING CEW DEPLOYMENT—PROCEDURAL                                  
  Municipal Police Forces Other Agencies
  Abbotsford Central Saanich Delta Kitasoo Nelson New West Oak Bay Port Moody Saanich Stl'atl'imx Tribal Police Transit Authority Police Vancouver Victoria West Van Corrections RCMP Sheriffs
General                                  
Each law enforcement agency is an expert in and responsible for its own post-deployment policies and procedures. (TI v.14) √ √     √ √                 √    
Law enforcement agencies are not liable for product liability litigation. (TI v.14) √ √     √ √                 √    
Liability exposure related to use of force, policy, training, and use-of-force related injuries/deaths are the responsibility of each law enforcement agency. (TI v.14) √ √     √ √                 √    
Legal articulation is the ability to explain the situational factors, your perception and risk assessment of a situation, and relate continually to the IM/IM, RCMP policy, and the Criminal Code.       √           √           √  
Evidentiary protocol                                  
Collect expended cartridge and place into evidence. (TI v. 12, v.13, v.14) √ √ √   √ √         √     √ √   √
Collect expended cartridge and place into evidence as directed by department policy. (TI v.12, v.13, v.14) √ √ √   √ √     √   √   √ √ √ √ √
Collect expended probes and place into evidence as directed by department policy. (TI v.12, v.13, v.14) √ √ √   √ √     √   √   √ √ √ √ √
Use surgical gloves to “encase” the cartridge and probes.                 √                
Collect expended anti-felon identification tags (AFIDs) and place into evidence as directed by department policy. (TI v.12, v.13, v.14) √ √ √   √ √         √     √ √   √
AFIDs do not need to be collected as evidence.                         √        
There are at least 20 AFID tags per cartridge, and the serial number is matched to the cartridge. AFIDs have been used to validate an officer’s story.       √         √ √     √     √ √
AFIDs are not generally collected but may be relevant for crime scene investigation.       √           √           √  
Several agencies have either changed their policies or are considering doing so as it relates to collecting cartridges, probes, and AFIDs as evidence because they √ √     √ √                 √    
have determined they are of little evidentiary value in most cases. It should be noted that much can be determined by close examination of probes and wires.
This would be of particular importance in cases where a CEW device did not incapacitate a subject and officers had to resort to deadly force. (TI v.14)
The CEW coordinator provides monthly statistics on CEW use.                       √          
Protocol when the subject is grievously injured or killed                                  
Do not assume that the medical examiner is familiar with sudden death or excited delirium. (TI v. 13, v.14) √ √   √ √ √       √ √     √ √ √ √
Obtain core body temperature prior to death or as soon as possible after death.
(TI v.13, v.14)		 √ √   √ √ √   √   √ √     √ √ √ √
Ensure that the hospital takes body core temperature, even hours after death.             √                    
Collect brain tissue samples for determining chronic drug (especially stimulant) abuse. This process is very time sensitive, as there is only 12 hours to collect, √ √   √ √ √ √     √ √     √ √ √ √
harvest, prepare, and freeze samples. The coroner or medical examiner must contact the University of Miami to do this, at 1 800-UM-BRAIN. (TI v.13, v.14)
Discuss with coroner ASAP the concept of brain examination (Miami).               √                  
The University of Miami can take brain tissue collected in first 24 hours.             √                    
Keep the battery in the device because this will keep the integrity of the internal clock.             √                    
Obtain information about whether the device could be heard arcing when it was deployed.             √                    
Conduct a physiological autopsy. (TI v.13, v.14) √ √   √ √ √       √ √     √ √ √ √
TASER International recommends that a department spokesperson attend training to understand technology/organize crisis plan for a sudden death. (TI v.14) √ √     √ √                 √    
In the event of a sudden death following the use of a CEW device, refer to the sudden death checklist located in the supporting documents file. (TI v.14) √ √     √ √                 √    
Obtain as much information as possible from the CEW operators involved regarding the incident. (TI v.14) √ √     √ √                 √    
Departments may contact TASER International for medical and legal expert advice. (TI v.14) √ √     √ √                 √    
Departments should never contact TASER International for medical and legal expert advice.       √           √           √  
Prepare a media statement and provide the media with information about CEW technology. (TI v.14) √ √     √ √                 √    
If injury or death occurs proximal to CEW exposure, treat the scene like a major crime scene.             √   √       √        
If injury or death occurs proximal to CEW exposure engage, in evidence collection/photographs/video.             √   √       √        
Obtain witness statements.             √   √       √        
Seize the weapon or cartridge involved.             √   √       √        
Seize the deceased or injured party’s clothing as it can help determine the distance of the shot.             √   √       √        
If an in-custody death (ICD) occurs, warn the public and the media not to jump to conclusions; avoid description as a “taser death”; find out vital ICD details             √                    
including the time between the CEW deployment and death; and the effectiveness of the CEW system (did it gain compliance?) .
Obtain information about the location of probes and make sure photos are taken including measurements.             √                    
Obtain information about the type of CEW use: was it probe or drive-stun deployment?             √                    
Obtain information about whether there was other force used.             √                    
Obtain information about whether the officer was trained in the system.             √                    
Obtain information about whether alcohol or narcotics played a factor in the incident.             √                    
Obtain information about the subject’s behaviour before and after the exposure.             √                    
Complete a dataport download as part of the investigation and evidence collection.             √   √       √        
Download the device within 48 hours of the event.             √