Pain compliance techniques may be very effective in controlling a passive or actively resisting individual. Officers may only apply those pain compliance techniques for which the officer has received Departmentally approved training and only when the officer reasonably believes that the use of such a technique appears necessary to further a legitimate law enforcement purpose. Officers utilizing any pain compliance technique should consider the totality of the circumstance including, but not limited to:

(a) The potential for injury to the officer(s) or others if the technique is not used,
(b) The potential risk of serious injury to the individual being controlled,
(c) The degree to which the pain compliance technique may be controlled in application according to the level of resistance,
(d) The nature of the offense involved,
(e) The level of resistance of the individual(s) involved,
(f) The need for prompt resolution of the situation,
(g) If time permits (e.g. passive demonstrators), other reasonable alternatives.

 The application of any pain compliance technique shall be discontinued once the officer determines that full compliance has been achieved.

(University of California Police Department’s tazer policy, found via the Daily Bruin)

Related posts:

1. More on the CCW fight in CA
2. “I’m not a cop, but I play one in the Explorer Scouts…”
3. It’s not polite to brandish.
4. UCLA Cops Taser Student Who Refuses to Show ID
5. The first Devin Brown claim has been filed