Guidelines for EMDT

• NCJ Number: 213465
• Author(s): National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center
• Date Published: January 2005
• Length: 2 pages
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Award: Operation of the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC)

Annotation

This report discusses the development of guidelines for the law enforcement and corrections use of electro-muscular disruption technology (EMDT).

Abstract

Over the past decade EMDT devices have been added to law enforcement and corrections arsenals of less-lethal technologies. The devices work by delivering a high-voltage low-powered electrical charge which induces involuntary muscle contractions that temporarily and reversibly incapacitate an individual. While EMDT devices have been used successfully for years with few problems, a November 2004 Amnesty International report called attention to the possibility of in-custody deaths. This report spurred the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) to accelerate the pace of its research on recommended policies, procedures, and training curricula for EMDT use. Researchers at IACP learned about the technology through a 6-hour EMDT training class and through work with the Montgomery County Police Department. Contact information is offered for the IACP and a textbox offers an outline of the Nine-Step Strategy for Effective Deployment of EMDT devices presented in IACP’s upcoming report.