Warning: Never attempt to open or modify a TASER cartridge. Tampering with a live TASER cartridge could cause it to fire or malfunction (which may result in serious injury). Handle all TASER cartridges with care. Probes may deploy unexpectedly if exposed to physical shock, or static electricity.
TASER cartridges should be kept away from conditions known to create an electrostatic discharge, such as rubbing cloth (e.g., jacket liner or uniform pants) across a cartridge in an environment known to create static shocks.
Cartridge blast doors can be knocked off the front of a cartridge. Because those cartridges cannot be relied upon to consistently discharge, it is recommended that those cartridges be removed from service. Attempting to deploy a cartridge with no blast doors could result in a charge being created and held in the wires. Any conductive material that comes into contact with the front of the cartridge, even after the cycle has ended, could draw the charge to the ignition pin and deploy the probes.
AFID
Every time a TASER cartridge is deployed, approximately 20–30 small confetti-like Anti-Felon Identification (AFID) tags are ejected. Cartridges can be assigned to individual users, as each is serialized. Each AFID tag is printed with the corresponding serial number of the cartridge deployed, allowing determination of which user deployed the particular cartridge.
