Final Findings From the Expert Panel on the Safety of Conducted Energy Devices

This article discusses the results of the final report on the health risks associated with the use of conducted energy devices (CEDs) by law enforcement personnel. With over 12,000 law enforcement agencies in the United States using CEDs as an alternative to conventional physical control tactics, NIJ sponsored a study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the devices. The final report, issued in May 2011, concluded that field use of CEDs is safe in the vast majority of cases and creates less risk of injury for officers and suspects than other forms of subduing uncooperative persons. The panel reviewed 300 subdual cases in which a CED was used and the individual later died, and found that in the majority of the cases, there was no conclusive medical evidence to indicate that the CED contributed to the death of the individual and that short-term exposure to CEDs is safe for a majority of the population. The report also indicates that the risk of injuries sustained by individuals after being subdued by CEDs is less than 1 percent. Recommendations for the safe and effective use of CEDs are discussed.