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.
Trooper Michael Proctor’s suspension due to inappropriate text messages serves as a stark reminder that anything written can become public and impact a case
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
Bonette Meeks, 29, was convicted in June of second-degree murder, armed criminal action, unlawful possession of a firearm and resisting arrest
Thomas Lane is already serving a federal sentence for violating Floyd’s civil rights
A judge ordered that Syed’s conviction be vacated as she OK’d the release of the now-41-year-old who has spent more than two decades behind bars
Jenna Cole and her daughter Charlotte, who was 5 at the time, suffered post-traumatic stress from the January 2021 incident
The federal agency is looking into allegations of discrimination against Black officers that reportedly begins during hiring and extends to promotions and discipline
Recruits must still pass a drug test if selected for the academy and abstain from drug use while employed
News media organizations and the ACLU are now asking that the law, which was set to take effect next week, be permanently blocked
A judge said there wasn’t enough evidence that the city’s policies or training standards were the problem
Assessing the totality of the circumstances, a court holds the plain view exception applied and the officers’ search of a vehicle was lawful
Why is it okay to skimp on basic safety equipment because we’re talking about a cop instead of a welder or warehouse worker?
Troopers claim the policy violates wage laws, because they are “on duty” at a “prescribed place of work": their marked cars
The law makes it illegal to knowingly film police officers 8 feet or closer if the officer tells the person to stop
Al-Damany Kamau committed the execution-style murder of Det. John Sczyrek with the help of a probation officer, who smuggled a handgun into the courthouse
The Court ruled that the employee statements were compelled by threat of job loss and inadmissible in a criminal proceeding
“Families come in all forms and children of fallen responders will now receive equal benefits regardless of their parents’ marital status,” Sheriff Jim Hart said
The court restated the well-established law that an officer’s observance of a traffic violation, no matter how minor, gives the officer probable cause to initiate a stop
The ruling recommends law enforcement agencies adopt protocols to pull data from the devices under more narrow parameters
“I don’t believe that’s a political statement,” Rep. Kevin Miller, a former state Highway Patrol trooper, said
Attorneys must draw up new regulations, policies and additional training courses for responders, specifically addressing the photographing of human remains
The gunman’s parents sued after authorities seized 25 rifles, 10 pistols and two shotguns from their home in 2014
The jury found that the officer used an unreasonable amount of force
Justice Sonia Sotomayor denied the appeal, which would keep the city from firing Detective Anthony Marciano over its vaccine mandate
“Each day more and more municipal workers are being fired for refusing the EUA COVID-19 mandate in a city riddled with crime,” the detective’s lawyer said
The court noted the “vast difference” between providing a warning before releasing a dog to search off-lead and not giving a warning while searching with a leashed dog
Prosecutors had argued the “hot pursuit” exception negated the need for a warrant
The man showed up at Omaha Catholic Charities firing blanks and staging “victims” who appeared to have been wounded
Jurors determined that deputies and firefighters at the crash scene invaded Vanessa Bryant’s privacy and provoked emotional distress
The group’s Arizona chapter filed a petition in U.S. District Court, arguing the law criminalizes First Amendment freedoms
Federal investigators said Kelly Goodlett added a false line to the warrant and later conspired with another detective to create a cover story
The law creates new standards for training, conduct and accreditation of law enforcement in South Carolina
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