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

Police Training

Reporting reasonable suspicion factors supports frisk

Remember that it isn’t enough to do the right thing; an officer must also thoroughly document the reason for doing the right thing

August 08, 2022 02:30 PM

·

Legal

Flight from crashed car created probable cause for arrest

The court rules a suspect effectively resisted arrest by fleeing

July 29, 2022 11:58 PM

·

Legal

Following inventory policy saves search

It was the officers’ adherence to policy that led to a successful prosecution

July 29, 2022 12:18 AM

·

Police car lights

Use of Force

Pretending to have a gun leads to being shot with a real gun

Appellate court concludes that the evidence plainly showed the officers subjectively believed the suspect had a gun

July 26, 2022 08:06 PM

·

Legal

‘Maximum resistor’ maneuver

Court rules on whether an ankle-crossing restraint tactic contributed to a subject’s death

July 20, 2022 02:56 PM

·

powdered drugs in plastic bag in hand close-up

Legal

Raise your hand(s) if you’d like to be frisked

After being charged with possession of methamphetamine, an arrestee claims he had been unlawfully searched but the court did not agree

July 02, 2022 01:16 PM

·

In Handcuffs.JPG

Legal

Policy violation does not equal constitutional violation

The court highlights the differences in a policy violation vs. a constitutional violation in a case involving a jail suicide

June 22, 2022 10:15 AM

·

Officer on traffic stop cu.JPG

Legal

Traffic stop extended, but detention was lawful

The court determines if law enforcement completed a lawful detention though the traffic stop was extended

June 22, 2022 09:39 AM

·

Legal

Text messages, vehicle search result in conviction for sexual predator

A sting operation catches an internet predator and the court determines the admissibility of the evidence

June 06, 2022 09:07 AM

·

Traffic stop white truck (1).JPG

Legal

Third frisk of underwear finally revealed the gun

The court rules that evidence discovered in a third pat-down search over the course of a traffic stop is admissible

June 06, 2022 08:53 AM

·