Taser AFID Tags

The Taser has become an invaluable tool in law enforcement; as prevalent as handcuffs and a side-arm on the patrolman’s duty belt. The less lethal control device has undoubtedly saved lives and prevented the kinds of injuries sustained by combative subjects in decades past.  When the officer shoots the Taser two probes are launched from the cartridge and once embedded under the skin will temporarily incapacitate the subject by introducing a pulsed current.

Anti-felon Identification Tags (AFIDs)  are small serialized confetti-like discs packed into each taser cartridge (the piece that houses the probes that are launched toward the subject). Each cartridge contains between 20 and 40 tags and the alphanumeric serial number on each tags corresponds to the serialized cartridge issued to the officer. In normal light the tabs are colored pink, yellow, and even translucent. But the tags have another useful feature; they are visible under ultra-violet light making them easy for CSIs to find at the shooting scene. AFID tags were introduced to provide some accountability of which Taser was fired in which relative position at a shooting scene. In some ways this evidence is similar to an analysis of fired cartridge cases. A recent study indicated that 75% of these tabs will be found within a 120 sq. ft. area in the direction of fire. That may seem like a large area but it is basically 12 feet in front of the shooter and about 5 feet on either side of the center-shooting line. Having said that, there is no defined “pattern” of distribution as this can be affected by many of the same conditions affecting expended cartridge cases.

AFID Tags in Normal Light

AFID Tags Under Ultra-violet Light

So how are these tags used in an investigation? First, they help confirm the relative position of the deployed Taser. If officer X says he was taking cover behind a door and fired from that position we should find AFID tags in that general area.  If the tags are from another officer’s Taser then the officers have to explain that. In high stress scenarios some officers can’t remember exactly where they were when they deployed a Taser, especially if additional use of force methods (such as shooting), chasing, or extensive searching occurs. They also help to show how many officers fired their Tasers at a given scene. These tags are durable and can be found days and weeks after deployment. Many agencies have a policy stating that officers are required to collect the spent cartridge and a sample of the tabs at the crime scene.

So how can you use this information in a novel? Well, most criminals probably don’t know about these tags. Imagine a scenario in which an officer’s Taser is stolen. Days later it is used to commit a crime and the suspect unwittingly leaves behind these tags. The CSIs investigating the scene are now able to link the two crimes together which may provide a clue as to the suspect’s identity. It could be any number of people who could have had access to the officer’s Taser or they may have lost it in a scuffle. Use your imagination and consider an unusual suspect.