Who can apply
To apply to a program to carry a taser/electronic weapon, an authorized officer must:
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Be one of the following:
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A federal, state, or municipal law enforcement officer
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A member of a special reaction team in a state prison
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A designated person in a special operations or tactical team in a county correctional facility
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Have completed a firearms training course conducted by the Municipal Police Training Committee or approved by the Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police
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Be authorized by the officer’s department to carry a firearm in the performance of the officer’s duty.
The training program
The Executive Office of Public Safety must approve your taser/electronic weapon training program. A program must include:
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Training for more than 4 hours
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A review of the mechanics of an electronic weapon
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A document including:
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Information on the medical issues with electronic weapons
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Information about the effects of electronic weapons on individuals with pre-existing medical conditions
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Information about the removal of wires from an individual after use of a weapon
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A demonstration of the removal of wires from an individual
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A segment on weapon proficiency for trainees, including a demonstration on the accurate discharge of an electronic weapon and practice discharge of an electronic weapon by trainees
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A segment on the use of an electronic device as less than lethal force and its relation to other weapons within the department’s use of force policy. This segment must incorporate review of the department’s less than lethal force policy
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A segment on the department’s data collection protocol and reporting requirements as set forth in G.L. c. 140,§ 131J.
Note: All departments and agencies must submit their training program curriculum to the Secretary of Public Safety for approval before training authorized officers. All training program curricula on the use of electronic weapons must be submitted to the Executive Office of Public Safety for approval.