Medical Assistance to CEW Discharges

 

Definitions

Conducted Energy Weapon or CEW: A weapon that when discharged uses a conducted electrical charge in order to incapacitate a person, or to generate compliance through pain.

Officer:  A constable appointed under the Police Act or an enforcement officer appointed under s. 18.1 of the Police Act.

Standards

Automated external defibrillators (AEDs)

The Chief Constable, Chief Officer, or Commissioner must:

(1) Ensure that, for a rural police force that provides policing to a jurisdiction of less than 5,000 population, CEW operators who have been assigned a CEW while on-duty must also be equipped with an AED that is to be carried in their police vehicle.

(2) Ensure that, for an urban police force that provides policing to a municipality of greater than 5,000 population, all on-road patrol supervisors must be equipped with AEDs that are to be carried in their police vehicles.

(3) Ensure that all Officers who are authorized to use an AED receive and maintain training in accordance with the British Columbia Emergency Health Services consent requirements for police use of an AED.

Requests for medical assistance

The Chief Constable, Chief Officer, or Commissioner must:

(4) Ensure that, if an Officer uses an AED on a person, emergency medical assistance, either from paramedics or a hospital, is sought as soon as possible.

(5) Ensure that Officers request paramedic attendance at all medically high-risk incidents before discharge of the CEW or, if that is not feasible, as soon as possible thereafter. Medically high-risk incidents include when a CEW is discharged in:

(a) Probe mode across the person’s chest;
(b) Any mode for longer than five seconds, including a single discharge cycle that exceeds five seconds, or an additional discharge from the same or another CEW; or
(c) Any mode against anyone who the Officer has reason to believe is:

(i) an emotionally disturbed person,
(ii) an elderly person,
(iii) pregnant,
(iv) a child, or
(v) a person with a medical condition (e.g., heart disease, implanted pacemaker, or defibrillator).

Policies and procedures

The Chief Constable, Chief Officer, or Commissioner must:

(6) Ensure policies and procedures are consistent with these BC Provincial Policing Standards.