11. CEW DEFINITIONS                                  
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General definitions                                  
CEWs are electronic control devices (ECDs), conducted energy devices (CEDs), or manufactured by TASER International. (TI v.11, v.12, v.13, v.14) √ √ √   √ √   √     √     √ √   √
CEW electronic control devices are weapons designed to incapacitate a person from a safe distance while reducing the likelihood of serious injuries or death. (TI v.13, v.14) √ √   √ √ √       √ √     √ √ √ √
CEWs are hand-held electronic immobilizing devices specifically designed to physically incapacitate a subject.                 √                
Less lethal/non-lethal                                  
The CEW is not a substitute for lethal force. (TI v.12, v.13, v.14) √ √ √ √ √ √       √ √ √   √ √ √ √
The CEW is not a replacement for the use of deadly force, but rather can be used in conjunction with deadly force where appropriate and reasonable to do so.       √           √           √  
The CEW is a less lethal or lower lethality weapon. (TI v.13, v.14) √ √   √ √ √     √ √ √     √ √ √ √
Lower lethality force is a concept of planning and force application, which meets operational objectives, with less potential for causing death or physical injury than conventional police tactics.       √           √           √  
The CEW is a non-lethal weapon. (TI v.11, v.12)     √         √                  
U.S. Department of Defense policy defines non-lethal weapons as “weapon systems that are explicitly designed and primarily employed so as to incapacitate personnel     √                     √      
or materiel, while minimizing fatalities, permanent injury to personnel, and undesired damage to property and the environment….” It is important to note that
Department of Defense policy does not require or expect non-lethal weapons to have a zero probability of producing fatalities or permanent injuries. “Rather,
non-lethal weapons are intended to significantly reduce the probability of such fatalities or injuries as compared with traditional military weapons which achieve
their effects through the physical destruction of targets.” (Joint Concept for Non-lethal Weapons, United States Marine Corps.) (TI v.12, v.13)
Functional definitions: electrical effect on nervous system                                  
CEWs use propelled wires or direct contact to conduct energy to affect the sensory and motor functions of the nervous system. (TI v.11, v.12, v.13, v.14) √ √ √ √ √ √   √   √ √     √ √ √ √
All previous less-lethal weapons have worked on pain compliance that can be overcome by drugs, alcohol, EDPs, or by focused, combative individuals. CEWs √ √   √ √ √   √   √ √   √ √ √ √ √
in probe mode do not rely on pain to achieve compliance, but override the central nervous system to achieve incapacitation. (TI v.11, v.13, v.14)
CEWs affect both the sensory and motor nervous systems, causing incapacitation. (TI v.11, v.12, v.13, v.14) √ √ √ √ √ √   √ √ √ √   √ √ √ √ √
The motor nervous system is composed of nerves that carry commands from the brain to the muscles to control movement. (TI v.11, v.13, v.14) √ √   √ √ √   √   √ √   √ √ √ √ √
Neuromuscular incapacitation (NMI) systems stimulate the peripheral nervous system by causing direct stimulation of motor nerves contracting muscles. This √ √ √ √ √ √ √   √ √ √   √ √ √ √ √
stimulation is caused by the short duration, high-voltage electrical impulses that CEWs emit. (TI v.12, v.13, v.14)
The sensory nervous system is made of nerves that carry information from the body to the brain about sensory stimulation such as touch, temperature, etc. (TI v.11, v.13, v.14) √ √   √ √ √   √   √ √   √ √ √ √ √
Stun systems generate “electrical noise” that the sensory nervous system interprets as pain or discomfort, but does not cause incapacitation; these stun systems are used for pain compliance. (TI v.12, v.13, v.14) √ √ √ √ √ √     √ √ √   √ √ √ √ √
NMI’s incapacitation effects only occur while the weapon is cycling.             √   √       √