Winston-Salem, N.C. – January 15, 2009 An emergency medicine researcher at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center has just published the first large, independent study of injuries from “conducted electrical weapon” (CEW) or Taser® use, finding that serious injuries occurred in fewer than 1 percent of 1,201 Taser uses by law enforcement officers. The study, led by William P. Bozeman, M.D., of Wake Forest University School of Medicine, is now available online in the Annals of Emergency Medicine (“Safety and Injury Profile of Conducted Electrical Weapons Used By Law Enforcement Officers Against Criminal Suspects”) and is scheduled to appear in a future print issue of the journal. The findings represent a three-year review of 1,201 CEW uses at six law enforcement agencies across the United States. The study was funded by the National Institute of Justice. “These weapons appear to be very safe, especially when compared to other options police have for subduing violent or combative suspects,” Bozeman said. “That is not to say that injuries and deaths are impossible. Police and medical personnel need to be aware of the potential for serious injury and look for evidence that a person subdued by a Taser has been hurt.” The study reports that 99.75 percent of criminal suspects shocked by a CEW received no injuries or mild injuries only, such as scrapes and bruises. Of the 1,201 criminal suspects, 492 suffered mild injuries, mostly (83 percent) superficial puncture wounds from the Taser probes. Of the three subjects who sustained significant injuries, two suffered from head injuries related to falls; the third developed rhabdomyolysis, or a rapid breakdown of muscle tissue. Ninety-four percent of the suspects were male, and alcohol or intoxication was documented in almost half of the cases (49.5 percent). A physician at each participating agency reviewed police and medical records after each CEW use. Injuries wereentified and ified as mild, moderate or severe. More than two-thirds of United States law enforcement agencies currently use CEWs. They are credited with decreasing police officer and suspect injuries and deaths due to police use of force. However, the devices have been surrounded with controversy. “While injuries from Taser use are uncommon, they are not unheard of,” Bozeman said. “Subjects exposed to a CEW discharge should be assessed for injuries, and appropriate medical evaluation should be provided when non-trivial injuries are apparent or suspected. Existing medical and/or psychiatric conditions in the suspect may also cause or contribute to the behavior that leads police to use a Taser or other physical force. These underlying conditions may require medical assessment and treatment, independent of Taser exposure.” Co-authors were J. Tripp Winslow, M.D., M.P.H., of Wake Forest University, William E. Hauda, M.D., of Inova Fairfax Hospital (Va.), Joseph J. Heck, D.O., of University Medical Center (Nev.), Derrel Graham, M.D., and Brian Martin, M.D., M.S., of Louisiana State University-Shreveport (La.). About Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center is an academic health system comprised of North Carolina Baptist Hospital, Brenner Children’s Hospital, Wake Forest University Physicians, and Wake Forest University Health Sciences, which operates the university’s School of Medicine and Piedmont Triad Research Park. The system comprises 1,154 acute care, rehabilitation and long-term care beds and has been ranked as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” by U.S. News & World Report since 1993. Wake Forest Baptist is ranked 32nd in the nation by America’s Top Doctors for the number of its doctors considered best by their peers. The institution ranks in the top third in funding by the National Institutes of Health and fourth in the Southeast in revenues from its licensed intellectual property. www.wfubmc.edu. Annals of Emergency Medicine is the peer-reviewed scientific journal for the American College of Emergency Physicians, a national medical society with more than 27,000 members. ACEP is committed to advancing emergency care through continuing education, research, and public education. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, ACEP has 53 chapters representing each state, as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. A Government Services Chapter represents emergency physicians employed by military branches and other government agencies. For more information visit www.acep.org.

Contacts: Bonnie Davis Phone: 336-716-4977 email: bdavis@wfubmc.edu or Jessica Guenzel Phone: 336-716-3487 email: jguenzel@wfubmc.edu