MICHIGAN MUNICIPAL RISK
MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY
TASER
R.A.P.
Program

MICHIGAN MUNICIPAL RISK
MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY
MMRMA is a public entity self-insurance pool which
provides liability and property coverage.
We provide local governments the opportunity to
protect their organizations, their employees, their
offices and their citizens from unexpected liability
and property losses.
In addition to our broad and high limits of liability
and property coverage's, MMRMA provides risk
management, claims administration, legal defense
and reinsurance services to its members.

OUR MEMBERS ARE….
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Villages, Townships, Cities and Counties
Health-related facilities
Municipal authorities
Boards and commissions
Library and library systems
Courts
Transportation authorities
911 Public Safety Communication systems
Cable Communication systems

LAW ENFORCEMENT
DEMOGRAPHICS
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MMRMA represents 151 law
enforcement agencies in
Michigan
Total of 6,346 officers are
employed by those agencies

TASERS IN
MICHIGAN

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY FOR
TASER IN MICHIGAN
January 2003 TASER use approved in
Michigan for:
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Police officers
State correction officers
Licensed Private Investigatators
Aircraft pilot or crew member
Probation officer
Court officer
Bail agent

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY (cont.)
September 2004 statute amended
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Local correction officers added

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Michigan has a distinction between a
“sworn peace officer” and a “corrections
officer”

RISK AVOIDANCE PROGRAM
(RAP)
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Projects which involve the potential for reduction
in risk and liability exposure

z

May of 2003 the TASER RAP reimbursement
project approved

z

Policy & Procedure for TASER developed for
Public Safety and Correctional Officers

3 TASER RAP PROGRAMS

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Law enforcement reimbursement program

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Jail and lock-up program

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Court room program

REQUIREMENTS OF TASER
RAP PROGRAM
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Each department to have a use of force protocol

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Each officer to be trained in use of TASER

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Protocol must include supervisory review of each use of
TASER (we believe key to success in low # claims)

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Copy of police report forwarded to MMRMA

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Medical clearance on subjects (first 18 months)

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Adopt our model policy/procedure

TASER RAP PROGRAM

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Train-the-trainer program around state

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Included presentation at Ingham Regional Medical Center

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July 2003, began partial reimbursement for TASERS

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Since project inception MMRMA budgeted $200,000

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As of November 2005 expended in excess of $155,000

TASER REPORTING DATA
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75 police/sheriff agencies taking part in
program

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Represents 3,930 police officers

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46 Departments have complied with our
incident reporting requirement (61%)

TASER USE DEFINITIONS
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Deployment – probes are discharged

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Drive stun – contact pain compliance

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Presentation – TASER presented to with
laser and/or spark demonstration

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Failure – only included if both probes
make contact

DEFINITIONS (cont.)
Injuries: Three types
1)
2)
3)

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Pre-TASER - occurred prior to TASER
application
TASER - Injury occurred due to TASER
Secondary – occurred after TASER
application
Probe puncture was not classified as injury

TASER DATA
582 TASER incidents consisting of:
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346 TASER deployments

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180 drive stuns

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31 Presentations

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25 Failures

TASER USE DATA – cont.

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Pre-TASER injuries

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injuries

TASER related injury

TASER USE DATA – cont.
Of the 582 TASER incidents,
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323 reported instances of substance abuse
(55.4%). Of this:
• 275 involved the use of alcohol (47.2%)
• 48 instances of drugs/narcotics use (8.2%)

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49 incidents were reported involving individuals
needing psychiatric intervention (8.4%)

REDUCTION IN EXCESSIVE
FORCE CLAIMS
2004 1st full year of program
2000
2001
2002
2004

compared
compared
compared
compared

to
to
to
to

2004
2004
2004
2003

51% reduction
2% reduction
37% reduction
37% reduction

REDUCTION IN EXCESSIVE
FORCE CLAIMS
2005 (through Nov. 30 2005)
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004

compared to 2005
compared to 2005
compared to 2005
compared to 2005
through 11/30/05

75%
63%
76%
76%
62%

reduction
reduction
reduction
reduction
reduction

RECENT RESERVES OR
LITIGATION
Of the 582 TASER incidents occurring over the last 28
months we have collected data:
5 incidents (less than 1%) have had reserves created:
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1 closed with $0 distribution
1 closed $31,600 distribution
1 remains open with a negligible reserve/criminal conviction
1 open pending litigation/OUIL/in-custody/drive-stun (new 1115-05)
1 open pending litigation/off duty PO/drive-stun

FUTURE TRAINING
CONSIDERATIONS
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Two or more TASER applications on
single subject – documentation
TASER application after handcuffed
TASER application for controlling
diabetic reaction
Securing subject after first TASER
application

PROGRAM
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
¾ Negligible number of claims in reserve

¾ Low number of excessive force complaints

¾ Absence of litigation

MICHIGAN MUNICIPAL RISK
MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY
For additional information contact
Mike Berthā
Office – 734.245.7764
Cell – 734.216.9789
Email – mbertha@mmrma.org