Sec. 54-1t. Adoption of policy re police use of electronic defense weapons. Data collection. Reports.

(a) For purposes of this section, “law enforcement agency” means the Division of State Police within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection or any municipal police department, “police officer” means a state police officer or a sworn member of a municipal police department and “electronic defense weapon” has the same meaning as provided in section 53a-3.

(b) (1) Each law enforcement agency that authorizes a police officer employed by such agency to use an electronic defense weapon shall: (A) Not later than January 31, 2015, adopt and maintain a written policy that meets or exceeds the model policy developed by the Police Officer Standards and Training Council regarding the use of an electronic defense weapon; (B) require police officers to document any use of an electronic defense weapon in use-of-force reports; (C) not later than January fifteenth following each calendar year in which an electronic defense weapon is used, prepare an annual report using the form developed and promulgated by the Police Officer Standards and Training Council pursuant to section 7-294cc that details the use of electronic defense weapons by police officers employed by such agency and includes (i) data downloaded from the electronic defense weapons after their use, (ii) data compiled from the use-of-force reports, and (iii) statistics on each such use of an electronic defense weapon, including, but not limited to, (I) the race and gender of each person on whom the electronic defense weapon was used, provided the identification of such characteristics shall be based on the observation and perception of the police officer that used the electronic defense weapon, (II) the number of times the electronic defense weapon was activated and used on such person, (III) the injury, if any, suffered by such person against whom the electronic defense weapon was used, and (IV) if the electronic defense weapon that was used had different usage modes, the mode used; and (D) not later than January 15, 2016, and annually thereafter, submit the report to the Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division within the Office of Policy and Management.

(2) Not later than January 15, 2016, and annually thereafter, a law enforcement agency that does not authorize police officers employed by such agency to use an electronic defense weapon shall submit a report to the Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division within the Office of Policy and Management stating that such agency does not authorize its officers to use electronic defense weapons.

(c) The Office of Policy and Management shall post the annual reports submitted pursuant to subsection (b) of this section on its Internet web site.

(P.A. 14-149, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 14-149 effective January 1, 2015.