Will CEDs replace or supplement existing equipment?
CEDs are an additional less-lethal force option to the selected members of An Garda Síochána participating in this six month CED pilot.
What is a Conductive Energy Device (CED)?
A Conductive Energy Device (CED), is a less lethal tactical option for Gardaí that temporarily incapacitates a person using an electrical current that disrupts the body's voluntary muscle control. The Taser delivers its electrical energy in a five second cycle (which can be interrupted, extended or repeated) but once the cycle ends or is broken, the direct incapacitation effect ceases.
CEDs are commonly known as a Taser.
Are An Garda Síochána authorised to use CEDs?
The CEDs currently authorised for use by An Garda Síochána are approved by the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. As the technology progresses and new models are introduced, they may also be authorised for use.
Are CEDs new for An Garda Síochána?
An Garda Síochána has used CEDs since 2007. CEDs have been on issue to specialist members of An Garda Síochána Special Tactics and Operational Command Units (Regional Armed Support Units and Emergency Response Unit) and other specialist Firearms Officers.
What is this CED Pilot in An Garda Síochána?
An Garda Síochána will commence a CED Pilot for Frontline Uniform Gardaí on Thursday 18th December 2025. This will be the first time that Frontline Uniform Gardaí are issued with and deployed on operational duty with CEDs.
The CED pilot is about giving specially trained Gardaí, an additional, controlled, less-lethal use of force option.
The pilot will aim to evaluate the operational, ethical, human rights, and community impacts of deploying CEDs as an additional tactical option within a graduated use of force framework, in order to prevent harm to Garda Personnel and members of the public.
An Garda Síochána has been using CEDs for a number of years, How often are CEDs used?
An Garda Síochána has used CEDs since 2007. CEDs have been on issue to specialist members of An Garda Síochána Special Tactics and Operational Command Units (Regional Armed Support Units and Emergency Response Unit).
On average there have been 2 CED deployments per month over the last 5 years.
When will CEDs be in use by An Garda Síochána?
An Garda Síochána will commence a CED Pilot for Frontline Uniform Gardaí on Thursday 18th December 2025 for a 6-month period.
How many Gardaí will be authorised to carry CEDs?
During the CED Pilot a selected group of 128 Uniform Gardaí, from the 4 designated stations, will be authorised to carry CEDs while on operational duties.
8 Gardaí on each of the 4 Core Operational Units in each designated Garda Station will be authorised to carry CEDs on operational duties.
Does An Garda Síochána have a policy governing the use CEDs?
Yes, An Garda Síochána has an existing ‘Overarching Use of Force’ Policy and a specific Conductive Energy Device (TASER) Policy. The Conductive Energy Device (TASER) Policy has been updated for this 6 month Taser Pilot to authorise the selected uniform members of An Garda Síochána to carry CEDs.
What training have members undertaken in the use of CEDs?
Each of the 128 selected uniform members will have undertaken a comprehensive 3-day training course in the use of the CEDs before being authorised to carry CEDs on operational duties.
They have also attended an additional half day human rights awareness briefing.
The 3-day Taser Training Course is grounded in Irish Constitution and European Convention on Human Rights principles and Garda policy, Garda Decision Making Model, Garda Code of Ethics in addition to practical training and assessments.
When will CEDs be used?
The primary responsibility for the use of a CED rests with the individual member of An Garda Síochána who must ultimately account for their decision making. The use of a CED is part of an escalation of use of force options and will be justified solely and exclusively where the member of An Garda Síochána honestly and reasonably believes that it is necessary in order to prevent a risk of death or serious injury.
Are members of An Garda Síochána required to carry Body Worn Cameras (BWCs)?
Yes, the selected uniform members of An Garda Síochána for the CED Pilot are all assigned to Garda Stations which are part of the Body Worn Camera (BWC) proof of concept.
Uniform members of An Garda Síochána authorised to carry CEDs will also be wearing BWCs.
The use of BWCs will be governed by the current Code of Practice for use of BWCs.
Note: Members of An Garda Síochána assigned to STOC and who carry CEDs, in addition to other Firearms, are not part of the BWC Proof of Concept and currently do not carry BWCs.
Why are uniform members of An Garda Síochána now being authorised to carry CEDs?
Every day, frontline Gardaí respond to fast-moving, unpredictable incidents. Almost all are resolved calmly. But some can turn volatile very quickly. Situations where somebody is armed, distressed, intoxicated, or experiencing a severe mental-health crisis. In some of those scenarios, Gardaí have to make instant decisions to protect the public, protect the person in crisis, and to protect themselves.
The CED pilot is about giving specially trained Gardaí, a controlled, additional tactical use of force option when every other approach has failed or isn’t safe.
This isn’t about changing the culture of Irish policing. It isn’t about arming Gardaí. And it isn’t about increasing force. This is about preventing harm.
CEDs are a proven, less-lethal tactical option that can assist members of An Garda Síochána to manage high-risk and violent situations, reducing the need for more forceful interventions and help to keep people safe.
From 2014 to 2024 inclusive, an average of 299 Garda members were the victim of an assault each year. While the increase has stabilised in 2024, there was a significant increase post-pandemic, with a record 470 assaults in 2023.
What are the perceived benefits of the use of CEDs?
- improve safety for the public
- improve safety for the Gardaí
- increase current less lethal force options for uniform Gardaí
- CEDs prevent escalation of incidents rather than causing escalation
- harm is avoided rather than devices deployed
- reduce challenges around arrests
What make and model of CED will An Garda Síochána use?
The uniform members of An Garda Síochána will be equipped with the X26P Axon Taser, for the 6-month CED pilot.
Note: Members of An Garda Síochána assigned to STOC carry Axon Taser 7.
What is a Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS)?
DEMS stands for Digital Evidence Management System This is an ICT software solution that will enable An Garda Síochána to collect, store, manage and analyse digital evidence including BWC footage and CED telemetrics.
Are CEDs Human Rights compliant?
Yes, The revised CED procedure document has been human rights screened.
An Garda Síochána has used Tasers since 2007, with no Human Rights issues.
The Garda Decision Making Model (including human rights considerations) is part of the training course, which is 3 days in duration.
The deployment of CEDs aligns with human rights obligations under the ECHR, particularly:
- Article 2 (Right to Life) – Tasers provide a non-lethal alternative to firearms, reducing the risk of fatal outcomes.
- Article 3 (Prohibition of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment) – The use of Tasers, under strict governance and training, prevents unnecessary pain or suffering compared to higher-force options.
- Article 8 (Right to respect for Private and Family Life) – Tasers, when paired with BWCs, ensure accountability, transparency, and proportionality in use-of-force incidents.
The European Court of Human Rights recognises that States have a positive obligation to protect life, including ensuring that police have appropriate non-lethal means available.
The United Nations’ Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials encourages the development of non-lethal options: “Governments and law enforcement agencies should equip law enforcement officials with various types of weapons and ammunition to allow for a differentiated use of force
Will a public information campaign be in place prior to the introduction of CEDs?
An Garda Síochána has already made announcements on the introduction of CEDs for frontline Uniform Gardaí on a CED pilot in 4 selected Garda Stations, including a recent social media campaign.
An Garda Síochána has used CEDs since 2007.
Will every CED discharge be reviewed?
A detailed use of force reporting form is required to be completed and recorded on PULSE in respect of all use of force incidents, including Conductive Energy Devices.
The Use of Force reporting form captures a broad range of information regarding the justification for the use of force, subject behaviour and possible contributing factors.
The Use of Force Reporting Form is reviewed in the first instance by front line supervisors and Superintendents and is subject to quality control checks by the Garda Information Services Centre.
Every use of a Conductive Energy Device during the lifetime of the Pilot will be subject to monitoring by Superintendent Specialist Training, Garda College, and Assistant Principal Solicitor, Human Rights Section, Crime Legal who will review all incidents involving Conductive Energy Devices.
A working group has been established by Acting Deputy Commissioner Security Strategy & Governance to oversee the pilot roll out of Conductive Energy Devices
Will incidents involving CEDs be referred to Fiosrú?
As is currently the process, every discharge of a CED is pro-actively notified to Fiosrú, The Office of the Police Ombudsman.
Will statistics on CEDs use be published?
An Garda Síochána regularly publishes use of force statistics, including discharge of CEDs, in the Commissioner’s monthly report to the Policing and Community Safety Authority.
Will CEDs replace or supplement existing equipment?
CEDs are an additional less-lethal force option to the selected members of An Garda Síochána participating in this six month CED pilot.
What independent human rights assessments have been carried out?
The CED Pilot has been discussed with oversight bodies including the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, the Policing and Community Safety Authority and the Strategic Human Rights Advisory Committee for An Garda Síochána.
An Garda Síochána has conducted a literature review of published evaluations of Conductive Energy Device pilot initiatives in comparable jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, Norway and New Zealand.
As part of the development of the proposed pilot, the Human Rights Screening Tool was completed and forwarded along with the associated policy and procedure documentation for further human rights screening and impact assessment by the Garda Human Rights Section and external human rights advisor.
A bespoke human rights awareness training session for all participants on the pilot has been developed by the Human Rights Section of An Garda Síochána and will be mandatory for all participants. The session will set out the law while also highlighting the centrality of human rights considerations to policing and use of force decisions. It will also include a consideration of the potential human rights risks experienced by particular groups, in particular those experiencing mental health crisis.
The human rights evaluation will include ongoing human rights monitoring of each individual use of force incident involving a Conductive Energy Device.
As part of this monitoring and review, Garda Human Rights Section will conduct ongoing human rights monitoring of each incident where a Conductive Energy Device is used as part of this pilot. The findings of the evaluation will be subject to review by external counsel and the external human rights advisor. The findings will be presented to the Strategic Human Rights Advisory Committee which comprises a panel of external experts and advocacy groups.
How will CEDs be stored, maintained, and audited?
CEDs will be stored in the designated Garda Stations in approved storage safes.
When any CED is discharged, the device data will be downloaded on to the Garda Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS) where the telemetric data can be reviewed.
The BWC footage, from any relevant BWCs, will also be down loaded onto the DEMS system providing further information in relation to the respective incident.
Individual members will sign the CED out at the start of their shift and sign it back at the end of the shift.
The CED will be carried on the person of the individual member on duty and will not be located in the vehicle.
What medical care is provided immediately after a CED is used?
The effects of the CED are temporary. The CED passed short pulses of electricity into the body causing the muscles contract. The subject may lose balance and fall to the ground.
During, or shortly after the use of the CED, the subject may have experienced the following:
- Dazed for several minutes;
- Muscle twitches;
- Loss of memory of the event;
- Unsteadiness, and a spinning sensation;
- Temporary tingling;
- Weakness in the limbs;
- Local aches and pains, and tissue swelling.
These sensations are normal effects of a CED.
A person subject of CED discharge is likely to be arrested for the primary offence/ activity which required the use of force and taken to a Garda Station.
Persons who have been subjected to the effects of a CED should be examined by a qualified medical professional as soon as practicable.
The subject should be subjected to enhanced supervision in line with Criminal Justice Act 1984 (Treatment of Persons in Custody in Garda Síochána Stations) Regulations 1987 and 2006.
If there are any further signs of adverse or unusual medical reactions then medical assistance should be summoned.
The arrested person will be provided with the appropriate advice form ‘Guidance for persons subjected to the effects of a ‘Conductive Energy Device’. This should be explained in ordinary language and recorded in the Custody Record.
Where a person subject of CED discharge, requires urgent medical treatment appropriate advice has already been provided to Hospitals’ and GPs’.
An Garda Síochána has used CEDs since 2007.