CEW Operator Training

Definitions

Conducted Energy Weapon or CEW: A weapon that when discharged uses a conducted electrical charge in order to incapacitate a person, or to generate compliance through pain.

Officer: A constable appointed under the Police Act or an enforcement officer appointed under s. 18.1 of the Police Act.

Provincially-Approved Training: Training that has been acknowledged by the Director of Police Services as adequate to meet BC requirements pertaining to training on a specific topic or set of topics.

Standards

Certification

The Chief Constable, Chief Officer, or Commissioner must ensure that:

(1) Any Officer authorized to carry and use a CEW has successfully completed:

(a) BC’s CEW Operator online training course, or other provincially-approved online training for CEW operators; and
(b) practical training for the model they will be using.

(2) Further to Standard (1), model-specific practical training conforms to Provincially-Approved Training outlines.

(3) Officers are not permitted to revert to a previous CEW model once trained on a newer model, except in exceptional circumstances.

Prerequisites to certification

The Chief Constable, Chief Officer, or Commissioner must:

(4) Ensure that any Officer authorized to begin training as a CEW operator:

(a) Has successfully completed BC’s Crisis Intervention and De-escalation (CID) Training course, or other Provincially-Approved Training in crisis intervention and de-escalation within the previous three years; and
(b) Meets the selection criteria established by the police force for CEW operator training.

Recertification

The Chief Constable, Chief Officer, or Commissioner must:

(5) Ensure that any Officer authorized to carry and use a CEW is recertified by reviewing the topics contained in BC’s CEW Operator online training course, or other Provincially-Approved Training for CEW operators, and passing the final assessment or a provincially-approved equivalent of the final assessment:

(a) At least once each year; and
(b) Any time a police force determines, for any reason, that a CEW operator has not operated a CEW in accordance with any of the BC Provincial Policing Standards.

(6) Ensure that any Officer seeking to be recertified to carry and use a CEW has, at minimum:

(a) Previously fulfilled Standard (1), above;
(b) Successfully completed BC’s Crisis Intervention and De-escalation (CID) course, or other Provincially-Approved Training in crisis intervention and de-escalation within the previous three years; and
(c) Met the selection criteria established by the police force for CEW operator training.

Training delivery

The Chief Constable, Chief Officer, or Commissioner must:

(7) Ensure that the CEW operator training is taught by an instructor who satisfies all the requirements in BCPPS 3.2.3 Use-of-Force Instructor Training.

(8) Prohibit a trainer’s or trainee’s exposure to the electrical charge of a CEW.

Training records

The Chief Constable, Chief Officer, or Commissioner must:

(9) Ensure that written records are maintained of the CEW operator certification, and recertification completed by each Officer in the police force.

Policies and procedures

The Chief Constable, Chief Officer, or Commissioner must:

(10) Ensure policies and procedures are consistent with these BC Provincial Policing Standards.