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.
A successful prosecution is the desired result of most criminal investigations – and that begins with an effective investigation report
In U.S. v. Turner, the court examines how the search incident to arrest doctrine and automobile exception justify vehicle searches
Failing to meet the leadership obligations of the three most important questions in police liability will have consequences for any law enforcement officer or leader
The “sensitive locations” effort stems from the Bruen Supreme Court decision
The new law will require deputies “to do a little more research” when they encounter someone carrying a firearm, Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister said
The ex-Laurel police chief kept on his computer a coded list of people he felt had slighted him, researched their properties and set fires
Deputy Scot Peterson was acquitted of felony child neglect and other charges for failing to act during the 2018 Parkland school massacre
The state Supreme Court found the nearly real-time surveillance of a person’s social media was the “functional equivalent” of tapping their phone
A recent case demonstrates how evidence collection, whether it shows innocence or guilt, is essential for law enforcement investigators
Of the five officers who were criminally charged, commissioners fired four of them after an internal affairs investigation; The fifth officer retired in January
For taking cover instead of taking action, Scot Peterson has been charged with six counts of felony child neglect with great bodily harm
The dispatcher said even before the Parkland school shooting, it was known to dispatchers, deputies and admins that the county’s radio system often failed
The justices unanimously rejected an argument by Riverside County that its sheriff’s deputies couldn’t be sued for leaving a man’s naked body lying in plain sight
Scot Peterson is the first law enforcement agent in U.S. history ever tried for an alleged failure to act during a school shooting
Officer Christopher Oberheim was shot and killed in 2021 when he and another officer responded to a domestic disturbance
“We can’t make the problem totally go away, but we want to help local law enforcement in every way that we can”
Officer Clifton Lewis was shot and killed while he was working as a security guard in December 2011
Four of seven justices found the scientific methodology is not reliable enough to allow examiners to testify that a particular gun fired a particular bullet
Prosecutors allege ex-Deputy Peterson, the school’s assigned deputy, knew the shooter was inside the building but chose not to confront him during the attack
The security guard said ex-Deputy Peterson stayed next to the neighboring building for 40 min, long after the shots ended and other officers stormed inside
The legislation allows the academies to recover training expenses from new recruits who leave before completing four years of service in the city
Lt. Col. Sam Samaroo said Deputy Scot Peterson was taught that even if he was alone, he would need to confront the shooter without waiting for backup
Municipalities must keep in mind that negligent hiring claims are a viable means for injured plaintiffs to seek compensation
Police conducted a warrantless search of the suspect’s property; the question before the court: Was the property abandoned?
“It is understood that the longer you wait, the more damage is being done,” Officer Best said. “Every time you heard a gunshot, somebody might be dead”
In Philadelphia, nearly 200 officers were disciplined, including 15 who were forced off the job. 12 officers filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city
New Haven police have since adopted reforms that include making sure all prisoners wear seat belts
A judge has refused to release the BWC of the shooting, which was deemed justified, leading the city council to indicate it would not pay for legal representation
What ex-Deputy Scot Peterson heard and saw during the shooting is the key issue in the trial. He is charged with failing to confront shooter Nikolas Cruz
The court determines if a traffic stop was lawfully (or unlawfully) prolonged and if the evidence discovered is admissible
The Department of Public Safety said it stands by the decisions that were made in this case and “reject the notion that this individual was discriminated against”
The prosecutor in opening statements said the suspect acted with deliberation when he used the Sgt. Michael Chesna’s own gun to shoot him multiple times
A prosecutor argued that former Deputy Scot Peterson could have confronted shooter Nikolas Cruz and stopped the deaths of six of the 17 people
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