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.
New laws and court decisions mean updated law enforcement policies; here’s an overview of some important topics to watch throughout the year
Exploring the indictment of Chief Pete Arredondo and the legal challenges in proving criminal negligence in the Uvalde school shooting case
A parolee asked the trial court to suppress the evidence, arguing the search of his phone and house violated his Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights
Due to the incident, former officer Nicholas Hanning was fired and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor third-degree assault
The appellate court held the law was sufficiently clear and that the officer “should have known he could not use deadly force on an unarmed man in a parked car.”
A judge had ruled earlier this year that qualified immunity did not apply to Officer Matthew Rhodes and allowed the suit to go to trial
City of Chicago reverses decision for officers to foot the bill for failed labor lawsuit legal costs
After news broke of the officers potentially being sent to collections for not paying back the city’s legal costs, a letter was sent announcing the reversal
The suit seeks a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction that would prevent police from enforcing the curfew
Letters were sent to LEOs requesting they each pay $185 to account for $19,000 the city spent to fight a labor law violations case
An informant wore video and audio recording devices to meet the deputy with a plan to buy $3,000 worth of illegal guns used in crimes
The recordings took place at the offices of the L.A. County Federation of Labor, which has called the leak “illegal” and vowed to have those involved prosecuted
The complaint states policies and procedures have imposed “unfounded, unwarranted and overly severe and disparate penalties” for people of color
SCOTUS has rejected the argument “that reasonable cause for an investigative stop can only be based on the officer’s personal observation, rather than on information supplied by another person”
The suspect had previously been let out on bail twice within a month-long period on separate domestic violence and attempted armed robbery charges
Measure 114 would require a permit from law enforcement, safety training and a background check before a gun purchase
The state is now issuing about nine times as many risk orders per month as it was before the law was enacted
As part of his plea agreement, J. Alexander Kueng admitted he held Floyd down while handcuffed, knowing from his training this could create a substantial risk
The man reportedly severed his finger when an officer shot him with a less-lethal projectile
If an administrative law judge certifies his innocence, he would be eligible for significant compensation for being incarcerated for 23 years
William Jones was hit with drug trafficking charges after his girlfriend’s brother was found dead from an apparent overdose in his home
The case stemmed from an incident involving a suspect who became belligerent when the upside-down American flag he hung at a Va. police station was removed
The audit is in response to concerns about the state’s former medical examiner’s testimony in the death of George Floyd
Bob Scales, who previously served as the compliance coordinator for Seattle PD, discusses what happens when a police agency is placed under a consent decree
The man has racked up six filming-related court cases since he began showing up at police scenes in 2021, live-streaming officers as they conducted investigations
New legislation comes after the NYPD reported catalytic converter thefts have almost quadrupled in 2022
“We need to do some reforms to be better serving victims of crimes and the families of victims of crimes.”
While the judge said the city has made substantial progress, it “has not yet achieved substantial and effective compliance at this time”
The judge said prosecutors had failed to provide a grand jury panel with information on how and when officers are legally justified in firing their weapons
James Brennand, 25, was charged with two counts of aggravated assault by a peace officer for the Oct. 2 shooting of Erik Cantu according to a police statement
Syed has maintained his innocence for decades and captured the attention of millions in 2014 when the debut season of “Serial” focused on the case
“There is nothing I can say in defense of that officer’s actions that night,” said Police Chief William McManus
Demand for training is outweighing the current availability of police academy training for newly hired officers
A recent bill signed by Calif. Governor Gavin Newsom legalizes safe street crossings in the state that has the highest number of pedestrian deaths
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