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.
From staffing to stress, supervisors face it all — share the toughest challenge your frontline leaders are navigating right now
Mislabeling public safety K-9s creates confusion, liability and access issues during high-stakes deployments
Staffing shortages and burnout cut deepest when agencies neglect their people; leaders who prioritize wellness and mentorship protect both officers and mission
While it’s easy to rely on established case law, officers and legal professionals must avoid a one-size-fits-all approach
The tool allows access to officers’ training, education and license issue date records; personal information and information on undercover officers remains confidential
A committee of Harris County residents awarded the raise after the constables argued that they were earning less than some of their subordinates
The Olympia PD must create a policy establishing the ban of symbolic enhancements to equipment within the next year, effectively banning thin blue line and other types of imagery
The policy is turning off young officers from applying and preventing the department from making lateral hires, said Larry Calderone, president of the city’s largest police union
The revisions come after more than a year of study and discussions with LE agencies across the country, community support groups and mental health experts
In Texas, the White Settlement PD’s customized boots reflect officer rank; the department noted they symbolize the strong bond between the police force and the community
The committee recommended that the PD standardize case management, implement new records management, increase training for officers and increase its civilian staff
“These materials are important for our community to see...as we strive to be a self-assessing and self-correcting department,” Interim Chief Michael Sullivan said
This resource reviews each phase of a protest response that can be tailored to meet individual community and agency needs and resources
An analysis of PERF’s 10-year look-back report on the phenomenon of body-worn cameras in American policing
Dive into how Officer Cody Haakonson’s paid sabbatical highlights Paynesville PD’s innovative approach to keeping officers happy, healthy and on the job
Houston mayor seeks exception to legal carrying age to recruit officer candidates out of high school
A Texas law that forbids carrying a gun below the age of 21 inhibits the Houston Police Department from recruiting younger officers and filling ranks, Mayor John Whitmire says
The commission also recommended the department create a pursuit review board that would publish a quarterly report on the pursuits officers engage in
The program aims to make officers more comfortable in hot weather, incentivize recruitment and retention and “humanize” the badge, according to the Brea PD
Chester Police Department officers now work two days on, two days off, followed by three days on, three days off, giving each officer every other weekend off
In a policy that Governor Gavin Newsom described as an “outlier,” Oakland only allows police pursuits when a suspect is armed with a gun or involved in a forcible violent crime
Recent polls on policing show rising trust in law enforcement, with a 75% favorable rating; equal treatment remains a top priority
NYPD
The new policy bans beards, but allows exceptions for medical and religious reasons
The Court ruled that the officers never had sufficient reason to suspect that the man was trespassing and that, without it, they weren’t acting legally when they tried to detain him
One of the new measures allows the families of deceased Mississippi first responders to receive the responder’s salary for up to 60 days
The changes include “additional support” for the Downtown Public Safety Center, including police dogs, bicycle units and violence prevention officers
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
“Don’t be surprised if you see more and more of them around in...Arapahoe County,” the sheriff’s office stated
Under the new law, uniformed officers must document the “aggregate number” of Level 1 encounters, at the end of their shifts
Exploring the ever-growing array of options and implements that promise to restore order to out-of-control situations
The association’s position is that officers should be permitted to review BWC recordings before they are required to give a statement or write a report
“The City of Phoenix and Phoenix Police Department of today are materially different than the department that you investigated,” the city said in a letter to the DOJ
Under the previous law, officers were only allowed to pursue a driver if they had “reasonable suspicion” that someone in the car had committed certain violent crimes
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