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.
When you see another officer using force that you know is unreasonable, you are required to intercede
Throughout our police careers, we are told to intervene if we see another officer doing something wrong or illegal, but it is unclear exactly what we should do
Agencies that familiarize themselves with extremists’ cyber haunts stand a better chance of uncovering potential problems before they materialize
A strong wellness policy moves beyond good intentions, building clear, accessible systems that support personnel before, during and after stress and critical incidents
Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that the change formalizes the department’s existing practice and will help promote transparency
LEOs can demand physical ID if a satisfactory oral response isn’t provided, Ala. Supreme Court rules
The case reached the state’s high court after a federal appeals ruling questioned whether officers had probable cause in the arrest of a man watering his neighbor’s flowers
Following the deaths of Christian County Deputies Gabriel Ramirez and Michael Hislope, Probation Officer Patricia Drinkall is launching a petition-driven campaign to change bail and bond laws
ALPR remains one of policing’s most powerful investigative tools, but agencies that cannot demonstrate disciplined oversight risk legal challenges, public backlash and the loss of a critical technology
The agency substantially reduced residential searches while undergoing training to meet consent decree requirements, but aims to revive the practice now that training has been completed
The San Jose Police Department significantly surpassed its adopted overtime budget of $26.6 million, with total personnel services running $16.5 million over budget
The new directive bars masks intended to conceal identity while permitting use for safety, health and weather-related reasons
Antioch officials say the department has revised use of force, pursuit and bias-policing policies amid a multiyear federal compliance deal
Strategies for keeping agency policies current with laws, court rulings and best practices to reduce liability and strengthen compliance
In 2025 incidents, an officer investigating a felony warrant contacted CBP after suspecting the individual was not a U.S. citizen and a sergeant called CBP for translation help
The policy changes took effect in response to local concerns about federal immigration enforcement, the Madison Police Department stated
A campaign dispute in Alabama raises hard questions about dissent, accountability and democracy in elected policing
Always-on video now captures incidents before officers arrive and long after scenes are cleared, forcing agencies to rethink investigative workload, risk and evidence management
Twice in 2025, the council denied Mayor Karen Bass’s proposal to allow the LAPD to hire 410 more officers during the fiscal year; the council approved the about $2.6 million hiring budget on Jan. 21
League City officials are reassessing how artificial intelligence tools are used after a digitally edited booking photo prompted public questions
Public reaction to the Minneapolis ICE shooting reflects widespread misunderstandings of how deadly force in vehicle encounters is evaluated under law, policy and training
A historic drop in officer deaths marks real progress in safety. It also places new responsibility on agencies, leaders and individual officers
A civil rights settlement mandates oversight and policy updates for Antioch PD after texts and federal indictments revealed racist messages and excessive force
The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office ended joint air rescue operations following a new county policy permitting off-duty marijuana use by firefighters
Prosper Police Department’s CAD-integrated DFR program shows how early aerial perspective — paired with patrol drones and grant-supported partnerships — can help growing agencies adjust response in real time
NYPD
Many officers who weighed in following Zohran Mamdani’s win in November warned of mass retirements, reduced morale and increased risk for civilians — concerns resurfacing as he prepares to take office
Goodyear Police Department sketch artist Officer Mike Bonasera completes the sketches by hand before using an AI tool to turn the sketches into photorealistic images
Gordon Graham leads discussion on how app-based vehicle inspections prevent in-the-field failures
A national Police1 survey of more than 500 women uncovers a workplace reality many still navigate quietly, revealing how culture, power and fear shape their day-to-day decisions
A Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge wrote that the Inglewood PD demonstrated “a pattern and practice of failing to comply with their statutory obligations” under public records laws
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