We can all thank Taser International Inc. years ago for establishing a strong presence while establishing Conductive Energy Weapons as an acceptable Use Of Force option or tool within the law enforcement and security industries; as such, courts and thousands of Use Of Force cases have come to accept the use of Conductive Energy Weapons as a normal, “less-than-lethal” device. Taser International broke through barriers and spent millions of dollars in research and legal fees, setting this industry and other knock-off brands up for success by fighting the battles and laying the foundation for everyone to enjoy the benefits… countless rounds of applause should go out to Taser International and their founders.
That being said, the Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms agency (ATF), has officially declared Conductive Energy Weapons like Taser and Phazzer brands to be non-firearms and non-deadly weapons, which means they do not need to be registered and you do not need a license to carry these items per ATF (Federal Government) – they fall within the same guidelines as a stun gun. Any private citizen and of course security guards can carry a Conductive Energy Weapon (concealed or exposed), at any time; check with your state but Texas has zero restrictions. This means Non-commissioned, Commissioned, and Bodyguards can carry these items with no questions asked in the state of Texas.
Conductive Energy Weapon manufacturers such as Taser or Phazzer both highly recommend that you take their training class, however, it is not required by the State or Federal Government and both Taser and Phazzer will openly sell those particular products to anyone (civilian or law enforcement) without taking their class. That being said, we at TCTA highly recommend that you seek all available training for anything that you will be carrying while on duty or using, as it all boils down to your “Use of Force” and what type of training you’ve received? Even if you take a generic Conductive Energy Weapon training class (which we offer), you and your company will want some level of certification which will provide you a level of liability protection. As stated prior, you can buy these items directly from the manufacturer or even used and found on Craigslist but you want some type of training under your belt to protect yourself and your company from a lawsuit.