Law Enforcement Policies
This Policies section highlights how law enforcement policy plays out in the real world, while also connecting you with best practices for drafting, updating and ensuring accountability with policies.
Recent polls on policing show rising trust in law enforcement, with a 75% favorable rating; equal treatment remains a top priority
If your agency chooses to do its public safety policy management in-house, then what unexpected costs could impact your department’s budget?
New laws and court decisions mean updated law enforcement policies; here’s an overview of some important topics to watch throughout the year
Demand for training is outweighing the current availability of police academy training for newly hired officers
Prude’s death was ruled a homicide caused by “complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint” with the drug PCP cited as a contributing factor
Attorneys for the victim indicated the city was liable because officers did not terminate the pursuit earlier
Six officers who resigned over the past year said the department’s lack of a traditional pension was a primary motivation
The federal government has lagged behind many local PDs whose officers have been using body cameras for years
Jurors found the sharing of the digitally-altered photo of a bare-breasted woman made to resemble Capt. Lillian Carranza created a hostile work environment
Additional bills require agencies to screen prospective officers and fire current officers for participation in hate groups and allow noncitizens to become LEOs
The Calif. department’s changes stem from an incident where the pepper balls were fired at a suspect after police stopped a car in search of a stolen vehicle
Recruits must still pass a drug test if selected for the academy and abstain from drug use while employed
The department’s After Action Report identifies 17 areas of analysis with recommendations for improvements, including improvements to de-escalation techniques and training
Over 532 people were killed in police pursuit crashes in 2020 alone, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Take 5 minutes to share your training and tactics around the use of spike strips
A judge said there wasn’t enough evidence that the city’s policies or training standards were the problem
Veteran LAPD IA investigator Marlon Marrache discusses the inner workings of an internal affairs unit
Why is it okay to skimp on basic safety equipment because we’re talking about a cop instead of a welder or warehouse worker?
“Handcuffing is now required to be reported as a use-of-force, so that has increased astronomically,” MPD PIO Garrett Parten said
The police department’s crime lab stopped the practice shortly after receiving a complaint from the district attorney’s office
Troopers claim the policy violates wage laws, because they are “on duty” at a “prescribed place of work": their marked cars
Therapist Marie Ridgeway on the role of therapy in improving officer mental health
Gig Harbor PD shared a photo of two suspects who appeared to be passed out in a car after smoking fentanyl to illustrate ongoing enforcement challenges
Warrants will no longer be served at private residences for non-violent felonies and misdemeanors during the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
The Court ruled that the employee statements were compelled by threat of job loss and inadmissible in a criminal proceeding
The ruling recommends law enforcement agencies adopt protocols to pull data from the devices under more narrow parameters
Attorneys must draw up new regulations, policies and additional training courses for responders, specifically addressing the photographing of human remains
Effectively immediately, no more than one regular day off will be canceled per week for officers, except during certain holidays
According to the Inspector General’s office, 10% of CPD officers worked the long schedules in April and May
The new guidelines are “designed to help make policing a more compelling career path for women,” acting Attorney General Matthew Platkin said
“This SRO will not wait at all — no hesitation, no asking for permission to go in — to address an active shooter or any intruder on a school campus,” Sheriff Marcos López said
The order is meant to “enhance officer safety, deployment strategies and optimize presence in the field”
Our goal should be to provide the support that develops resilient officers, who are emotionally, physically and spiritually prepared to handle crisis
