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Ken Wallentine

Law Enforcement and the Law

Ken Wallentine is the chief of the West Jordan (Utah) Police Department and former chief of law enforcement for the Utah Attorney General. He has served over four decades in public safety, is a legal expert and editor of Xiphos, a monthly national criminal procedure newsletter. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Death and serves as a use of force consultant in state and federal criminal and civil litigation across the nation.

LATEST ARTICLES
Driver Looks Sideways at Police Officer Leaning Inward to Inspect the Interior of Vehicle
Legal
Protective searches are judged by the whole scene, not a single fact
Ruling emphasizes the importance of clearly articulating observations that support reasonable suspicion
March 05, 2026 11:39 AM
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Ken Wallentine
Busy city street. Vehicles, tail lights. Fredericksburg, Texas
Legal
ADA accommodation ends where objective safety risk begins
A recent appellate ruling emphasizes that officers are not required to alter tactics when a subject presents an objective safety threat
March 05, 2026 11:16 AM
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Ken Wallentine
Busy city street. Vehicles, tail lights. Fredericksburg, Texas
Legal
Pocket searches, wallets and the limits of ‘he could have arrested him’
A routine retail stop becomes a Fourth Amendment lesson in sequencing: no arrest, no search-incident authority
February 20, 2026 06:30 PM
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Ken Wallentine
Pulled over by the Police in blurred Dodge Charger
Legal
Handcuffs, medical vulnerability and a bent stent
Is a brief restraint reasonable force if a subject’s undisclosed medical condition leads to serious injury?
February 20, 2026 03:25 PM
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Ken Wallentine
Police officer outside house at sunset.png
Legal
Entry for emergency aid does not require probable cause
The emergency-aid exception is neither a Terry stop nor a criminal investigation. It has its own standard: objective reasonableness based on the totality of circumstances
February 16, 2026 06:35 PM
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Ken Wallentine
Police officer arrests young man
Legal
Reasonable suspicion for traffic stop built step by step
Eight facts that gave officers reasonable suspicion to extend the scope of a traffic stop
February 03, 2026 12:37 PM
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Ken Wallentine
AdobeStock_514792700_Preview.jpeg
Legal
Reasonable suspicion by association?
This case examines how courts evaluate reasonable suspicion tied to proximity and association
January 30, 2026 05:43 PM
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Ken Wallentine
Police officer arrests young man
Legal
Don’t be a litterbug — or you might end up in jail
How a routine littering complaint led to a lawful police encounter and broader legal implications for officers and communities
January 27, 2026 10:57 AM
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Ken Wallentine
View of self-willed young man driving on modern sports car from the police. Police officer cop chasing a thief driving a patrol car on the highway at daytime. Police in pursuit.
Legal
Did 39-second pursuit driving ‘shock the conscience’?
When does a pursuit become constitutionally dangerous? A 39-second chase forces the court to decide when the clock really starts
January 20, 2026 02:46 PM
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Ken Wallentine
Light Traffic on Interstate Highway and Roadside State Patrol Incident Photo Series
Legal
Reasonable suspicion for vehicle frisk, one fact at a time
Furtive movements, gang affiliation and parole status created reasonable suspicion for vehicle frisk in U.S. v. McGregor
December 17, 2025 04:21 PM
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Ken Wallentine
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