In 2014 and 2015 there were many high profile, police-related incidents that drew media attention and widespread protest. Every day, tens of thousands of law enforcement personnel throughout the United States perform honorable and conscientious police work, but irreparable damage may be done to the entire profession from even one remote story of police misconduct or corruption.

Building and maintaining community trust is the cornerstone of successful policing and takes a great deal of continuous effort. The community perceives law enforcement based on interactions the agency has with its citizens. What is often lost in the equation is the fact that some citizens violate the law resulting in negative interactions with police officers.

Law enforcement has changed over the years just as the behavior of criminals has changed. The climate has changed for police officers as well. In addition to the inherent dangers police officers face on a daily basis, they now have the added stress of being fired, sued or prosecuted on a much more regular basis. To handle the additional stress, officers need to receive current and adequate training to address these issues. No longer can officers be told, “That’s how it was done back in the day” because law enforcement is in a completely new arena where hand-held cell phone cameras, dash cameras and body worn cameras are becoming the norm. Social media adds an entirely new layer to the equation. No longer can officers say, “I wasn’t at the scene, so I’m not going to Monday morning quarterback.” In most critical incidents, neither citizens nor the command staff were actually at the scene, but they will often determine the fate of the involved officer. It is imperative that officers stay current and review police-related incidents that are occurring across the United States. Numerous case studies of critical incidents will be discussed during this training class.

This class was designed by a veteran homicide detective from one of the largest police departments in the United States.   Based on an investigation that he conducted, he was civilly sued in federal court. Throughout the investigation, information was obtained that led to the instructor preparing an arrest warrant affidavit for murder. The person was arrested and the case was presented to a grand jury which no-billed the case. Four years later, the instructor was sued for malicious prosecution, and providing false information to a judge to obtain a warrant for the plaintiff’s arrest. The instructor learned valuable lessons, and will discuss things that he believes he could have done differently to minimize his chances of being sued. The instructor is not an attorney and does not purport to be. Therefore, neither this instructor nor the class is intended to offer any legal advice. You will need to consult with an attorney for that. Everything conveyed in this course is based on the instructor’s personal experiences. The instructor will discuss how he believes his case could have resulted in him being criminally indicted in state and federal court.

This course is designed to provide the real world experiences of one officer who will tell a first-hand account to illustrate how his actions inadvertently subjected himself, his department and his city to being sued. Information will be presented that shows how attorneys who file these lawsuits are very aggressive and well prepared to do whatever is necessary to win these lawsuits. The instructor will discuss how the everyday duties of a police officer can place that officer in a situation where they could find themselves not only fighting for their job, retirement and reputation, but also fighting for their freedom.

Topics Covered:

• National Police Incidents Impact on Local Police Departemtns
• Transparency in Policing
• Minimizing the Law Suit
• Qualified Immunity Limitations
• Civil Court Process

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• From Cop to Prison