Gatineau, March 22, 2016. – The Service de police de la Ville de Gatineau (SPVG) today announced that several patrol police officers will soon be equipped with Conducted Energy Weapons (CEWs). The decision to deploy the CEWs was made based on extensive consultations and analyses by a working group set up in 2014 that involved experts in health care and paramedic services, as well as in the use of force.

"Our police officers are increasingly confronted by people suffering from mental health problems and excited delirium. The CEWs will fill an important gap between firearms and the intermediate weapons that are already available, such as extendable batons and pepper spray. This is a tool that will help enhance the safety of our police officers, the public and the people with whom we have to intervene, namely when a bladed weapon is involved," explained Gatineau Police Chief Mario Harel. He also specified that non-violent response remains the primary objective of police officers who priorize communication and negotiation in their interventions.

Highlights of the use of Conducted Energy Weapons

- The use of CEWs is authorized by Quebec's ministère de la Sécurité publique, in accordance with the Police Act and the Criminal Code.

- Since 2005, only those police officers who are members of the SPVG's GI intervention group are equipped and authorized to use CEWs.

- The use of CEWs is controlled, and only police officers who are trained to do so may use this weapon.

- Police officers equipped with a CEW take a three-day course at the École nationale de police du Québec (ENPQ).

- This training follows the recommendations made in the report by the Sous-comité consultatif permanent en emploi de la force (SCCPEF) on CEWs presented in 2007.

- Police officers who use CEWs must be recertified annually to maintain their competencies.

- CEWs use electrical power to inflict pain to neutralize a person.

- The electrical discharge results in loss of muscle control, causing a temporary paralysis lasting a matter of seconds, called neuro-muscular neutralization.

- This biomechanical dysfunction can create an effective diversion, even in people who are not or are only slightly sensitive to pain, while maintaining a safe distance.

- Conducted Energy Weapons can be used in three ways:

1. In "demonstration" mode, which has a dissuasive effect and prompts those who have been warned to cooperate with the verbal orders given by the police officers.

2. In "contact" mode, which is used when the weapon physically touches the person who has been warned.

3. In "projection" mode, in the case of a person who is violent or in crisis, from a distance of up to ten metres.

- Every time a CEW is used in one of these three modes, an administrative follow-up will be done, in accordance with the directive.

- The directive provides that a person who receives an electric discharge will automatically be taken to a hospital. The paramedics will be provided with a briefing sheet indicating the following information: a description of the weapon, its voltage, and the technique for removing the probes.

- Yellow Conducted Energy Weapons are clearly identifiable. They do not replace handguns.

- In addition to the SPVG's GI team, four officers from each of the five teams will now be equipped with a CEW and assigned to the city's different sectors.

- Officers were selected based on their interest and experience, and their superiors' recommendations.

- The SPVG currently has fourteen CEWs that need to be replaced. A process is in place for acquiring new equipment.

- A $53,400 budget has been earmarked to purchase the equipment, and to train 20 officers and three monitors.

- CEWs are already used by the Montréal, Québec City, Laval, Longueuil and Ottawa police forces.