| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to dart-firing stun guns; creating s. |
| 3 | 943.1717, F.S.; providing circumstances during which law |
| 4 | enforcement, correctional, and correctional probation |
| 5 | officers may employ a dart-firing stun gun; requiring the |
| 6 | Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission to |
| 7 | establish standards for instruction in the use of dart- |
| 8 | firing stun guns in self defense and in the use of deadly |
| 9 | force; requiring that a minimum number of hours in such |
| 10 | training be included in the basic skills course required |
| 11 | for certification; providing an effective date. |
| 12 |
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| 13 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 14 |
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| 15 | Section 1. Section 943.1717, Florida Statutes, is created |
| 16 | to read: |
| 17 | 943.1717 Use of dart-firing stun guns.-- |
| 18 | (1) A law enforcement, correctional, or correctional |
| 19 | probation officer's decision to use a dart-firing stun gun must |
| 20 | involve an arrest or a custodial situation during which the |
| 21 | person who is the subject of the arrest or custody escalates |
| 22 | resistance to the officer from passive physical resistance to |
| 23 | active physical resistance and the person: |
| 24 | (a) Has the apparent ability to physically threaten the |
| 25 | officer or others; or |
| 26 | (b) Is preparing or attempting to flee or escape. |
| 27 | (2) The Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission |
| 28 | shall establish standards for instructing law enforcement, |
| 29 | correctional, and correctional probation officers in the use of |
| 30 | dart-firing stun guns in self-defense and in the use of deadly |
| 31 | force. The instructional standards must include the effect a |
| 32 | dart-firing stun gun has on persons who are under the influence |
| 33 | of alcohol or drugs. |
| 34 | (3) Each basic skills course required for certification as |
| 35 | a law enforcement, correctional, or correctional probation |
| 36 | officer must include instruction on the use of dart-firing stun |
| 37 | guns. The portion of the basic skills course on the use of stun |
| 38 | guns must be a minimum of 4 hours' duration. |
| 39 | (4) After completing the basic skills course, each law |
| 40 | enforcement, correctional, and correctional probation officer |
| 41 | must complete an annual training course on the use of dart- |
| 42 | firing stun guns. The annual training course on the use of stun |
| 43 | guns must be a minimum of 1 hour duration. |
| 44 | Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. |