943.1717 Use of dart-firing stun guns. - Florida Statutes

943.1717 Use of dart-firing stun guns.

   (1) A decision by a law enforcement officer, correctional officer, or correctional probation officer to use a dart-firing stun gun must involve an arrest or a custodial situation during which the person who is the subject of the arrest or custody escalates resistance to the officer from passive physical resistance to active physical resistance and the person:

   (a) Has the apparent ability to physically threaten the officer or others; or

   (b) Is preparing or attempting to flee or escape.

   (2) The Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission shall establish standards for instructing law enforcement, correctional, and correctional probation officers in the use of dart-firing stun guns. The instructional standards must include the effect that a dart-firing stun gun may have on a person.

   (3) The basic skills course required for certification as a law enforcement officer must include instruction on the use of dart-firing stun guns. The portion of the basic skills course on the use of dart-firing stun guns must be a minimum of 4 hours’ duration.

   (4) A law enforcement officer, correctional officer, or correctional probation officer who has not received the dart-firing stun gun training described in subsection (3) and who is authorized by his or her employing or appointing agency to carry a dart-firing stun gun after the effective date of this act must complete, before issuance and use of a dart-firing stun gun, the 4-hour dart-firing stun gun training described in subsection (3) or an equivalent training course provided by the officer’s employing or appointing agency in accordance with the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission standards outlined in subsection (2).

   (5) After completing the basic skills course, each law enforcement, correctional, and correctional probation officer who is authorized by his or her agency to use a dart-firing stun gun must complete an annual training course on the use of dart-firing stun guns. The annual training course on the use of dart-firing stun guns must be a minimum of 1 hour duration.

History. s. 5, ch. 2006-298.