Lexipol
Lexipol provides fully developed, state-specific law enforcement policies researched and written by subject matter experts and vetted by attorneys. Our policies are based on nationwide standards and best practices while also incorporating state and federal laws and regulations where appropriate. Best of all, we keep your policies updated for you, saving you time and money.
With Lexipol, you will enhance personnel accountability, reduce liability, save time and money on policy management AND rest easy knowing your department is protected.
The 8th Circuit upheld officers’ use of force in Aden v. City of Bloomington, citing Graham factors and qualified immunity
In Dimock v. City of Brooklyn Center, the court ruled warrantless entry and deadly force was lawful, citing exigent circumstances doctrine
In U.S. v. Turner, officers conducted a lawful warrantless protective sweep after exigent circumstances linked to a reported gunshot
By law and by department policy, officers are required to intercede in certain circumstances
When you see another officer using force that you know is unreasonable, you are required to intercede
Considerations following an officer-involved shooting
Court decisions have held it is reasonable for officers to use deadly force to end a pursuit if a suspect engages in dangerous prior conduct or there is objective evidence of the driver’s intent to harm officers
A court’s opinion recites critical factors for officers who request and serve a no-knock warrant
The court concluded officers had lawfully used a hidden camera to record what they could have seen from the publicly accessible hallway
When supervisors and leaders retire, they take with them decades of accumulated skills, experience and patterns of thinking about how things get done
‘Everything was going along swimmingly. Right up until he accidentally shot himself on duty as I stood directly next to him.’
The court bypassed the issue of whether the stop was a legitimate welfare check
All cops should embrace the concept of ‘random irregularity’ while on patrol
When a subject tells you they can’t breathe, it should be understood as a nontrivial indication that something might be seriously wrong
An agency culture must prioritize the safety of the officer and the protection of innocent persons over making arrests
It is our job, our oath, our promise to police a diverse society with equity
Understanding the legal precedent behind free speech rights and how they apply on and off duty
An officer’s objectively reasonable mistake of law can provide reasonable suspicion for a seizure
Collaborative responses are the most successful at efficiently using resources and driving down the homeless population when properly implemented
“By shooting an incapacitated, injured person who was not moving, and who was laying on his knife, the police officers crossed a ‘bright line’ and can be held liable.”
This case is an urgent reminder for agencies to scrutinize their use of force policies, training materials and review procedures
Peer support can act as one facet of treatment alongside professional counseling, group therapy or medical treatment
The message in this case is to always check for mobile phone and YouTube video recordings of stupid suspects self-incriminating
In the years since the Supreme Court’s decision, some people – including many criminal defense attorneys – have suggested officers be held to a different standard
There is no other profession that allows us to be the light at the end of someone’s dark tunnel every day we go to work
We have substantial ‘problems lying in wait’ in too many law enforcement agencies that we need to address
The court’s holding in this case is very narrow: A person driving a rental car beyond the rental period who is on notice does not have an expectation of privacy in the car’s location
The choices you make or fail to make can introduce risk of injury to the police and the community you’ve committed to protecting
Tactical decisions, including the decision to use force, require a quick calculation of the risk of action against the risk of delay
De-escalation and communication skills are key in the fast-paced, unpredictable world of emergency psychiatry
A random encounter with a Latvian prompted my commitment to learn something new every day
When not confronted with imminent threats, officers can use discretionary time to set the conditions for effective de-escalation
