Legal
The Legal topic page on Police1 is a must-read for any officer, at any agency, who wants to stay up-to-date on the latest news. Every trial, verdict and court decision that has to do with cops will be covered on this page.
It determines whether property retains constitutional protection from warrantless searches
Reasonable suspicion is built from the whole picture, not picked apart piece by piece
Police service dog deployments live in a gray area courts continue to refine
“It cannot be said in any shape or form that the [ex-officer Clifford Proctor] had any malice,” which would be a necessary element of any murder charge, Judge Ronald S. Coen said
An investigation by the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation found that ex-Newton PD Lt. Carlos Uribe shot Camden Childers after Childers raised his hands in surrender “and was no longer deemed a threat”
The four officers alleged that department officials, including former chief Adrian Diaz, created a hostile work environment and sexually harassed them
Essex County Prosecutor’s Sergeant Darryl Brown was discovered with the missing items after the journalist used a tracking device to trace them to his home, the state’s attorney general alleged
Under Fargo’s Law, those who injure or kill K-9s and horses now incur fines up to $20,000 and could go to prison for up to 15 years
If reasonable officers can disagree, qualified immunity likely applies
From body language to cross-examination, small mistakes on the witness stand can have major consequences
The court reversed a lower court ruling, finding state troopers did not violate the state’s wiretap law by using body-worn camera to record sobriety tests
Michael Debiase allegedly confronted another Myrtle Beach officer who was “warming up fish in the microwave, causing an odor,” according to an arrest warrant
Monica Goods’s father fled a traffic stop after refusing to hand over his license to then-trooper Christopher Baldner; Baldner rammed the vehicle, leading to a crash that killed Monica
“Jessica’s Law” is named after Jessica Ebbighausen, whose family was initially ineligible for survivor benefits because she was still in training when she was killed in an on-duty crash
Jose Cerpa Guzman attacked an officer at the department’s Harbor Station, stole his firearm and exchanged gunfire with a watch commander before leading police on a pursuit
The proposed bill would specifically authorize certain federal assistance programs to fund vehicle security enhancements, including bullet-resistant glass windows
As more states restrict vascular neck restraints, the policies may unintentionally increase injuries by removing an effective intermediate-force option from officers’ toolkits
The sheriffs are requesting a judicial block on the Community Trust Act, which limits when local law enforcement agencies may cooperate with ICE
Trooper John Myer claims he needed surgery after a prior injury was aggravated when he was struck from the rear after an officer in front of him abruptly braked while entering the highway
Under the new law, buyers can no longer pay cash for critical infrastructure metals unless the seller is paid through a process in which a picture is recorded or the transaction is worth less than $300
State legislatures are moving to restrict this key technology — here’s how to protect it
The DOJ alleged that Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Washington state are imposing unconstitutional restrictions that impede law enforcement and threaten agents’ safety
The proposal would bar agencies receiving federal highway funds from using automated license plate readers for anything other than toll collection
Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services officials told the U.S. DOJ that the pause was intended to make sure “issuance of ... license plates to federal agencies fully complies with Oregon law”
SCOTUS declines to hear qualified immunity case, allowing Mich. officer to be sued over use of force
The U.S. Supreme Court’s move allows a suit against a Grand Rapids PD officer to proceed after he mistakenly shot a long-range projectile at a protester at close range in 2020
Law-enforcement COWs offer persistent visibility without additional personnel
The Youth Charging Reform Act shortens the list of crimes that require adult court for 16- and 17-year-olds; the face covering ban is intended to impact federal, state and local officers
The risk is not that AI will be used — it’s that it will be used without guidance
Rayquell M. Grant was found guilty of assault and attempted assault in the stabbing of an Amherst Police officer, but was acquitted of first-degree attempted murder
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- Va. PD left with no remaining officers after town council votes to fire chief, sergeant
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- Wyo. law now allows any officer to cite truck drivers for English nonproficiency
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