New Taser policy released

More than a year after a university police officer used a Taser on a student in Powell Library, today the UCLA Police Department announced it has released its new policy regulating Taser use.

The policy, which should be implemented by the start of next quarter, was developed from recommendations made in an independent evaluation of the incident and in consultation with experts on Tasers and police use-of-force policy, said Police Chief Karl Ross.

Administrators, including Chancellor Gene Block and student leaders, were given the opportunity to review and comment on the policy before it was finalized, Ross said.

“After this process, I believe we have one of the best, if not the best, Taser policies in the country,” he said.

Though The Bruin could not obtain a copy of the policy before press time, Ross said it specifically states that a Taser cannot be used on a person defined as a “passive resister” – as was the case with the Powell incident according to an independent review.

Block said in a statement that the policy will help provide officers “with the guidelines they need to do a difficult job.”

“Clarifying and bolstering our policies governing the use of Tasers underscore UCLA’s commitment to ensuring the safety of the campus community,” he said in a statement.

The policy, growing from an original length of 3-4 pages to 14-15 pages for the new policy, includes very specific definitions for when a Taser can and cannot be used, Ross said.

Those definitions include all of the different levels of resistance, including “violent,” “active aggression,” and “active physical resistance,” according to a press release.

Ross added that all officers will have to be retrained on Taser use to make sure they are up to speed on the new policy.

The officers will be trained over the next few weeks, and the training will incorporate a review of the policy, practical application, judgement calls based on scenarios, and a written test that must be passed with a score of 100 percent, Ross said.

The training will also be an annual requirement for all officers.

Ross also said the state has improved its standards for Taser trainers. Previously, Taser International, which manufactures the device, provided the training, but now the state has taken on that role.

Ross said he believes the change could help dispel the perception of training bias.

Gabe Rose, Undergraduate Students Association Council president, said he met with police and reviewed the policy before it was finalized.

“I certainly commend UCPD for their thorough revisiting of the policy and their willingness to improve its shortcomings,” he said.

Rose said that though the new policy is thorough, the most important part of its implementation is the training process, which will “allow officers to better serve students.”