Qualified Immunity

Hint: It starts with key legal terms and solid legal representation

Court also rejects lower court use of freeze-frame “screen shots,” ruling that it amounts to “20/20 hindsight and second-guessing” of officer split-second decision to shoot

A look at some of the reforms police agencies and cities have implemented

More than 20 states have considered bills this year to share disciplinary records of police officers, while about 20 states still largely prohibit their release

Qualified immunity is not dependent on the officer using the best tactic and when applied, does not mean the officer is immune from criticism

Local governments and law enforcement leaders lobbied aggressively against the legislation

If H.R. 1280 becomes law, the defense of qualified immunity for law enforcement officers will be abolished

Many departments strongly discourage shooting at moving vehicles to disable the car

While the 2019 U.S. Supreme Court term was a quiet year for police-related cases, Justice Clarence Thomas continued to express concern with qualified immunity

In a year that brought relentless challenges, these are the five events the P1 team and our readership viewed as having the most significant impact

Officers are frequently cautioned to slow down in approaching dangerous situations. Pause, take a moment to think when there is discretionary time

The long-stalled bill will create a certification system for officers but backs off on changes to qualified immunity

Where discretionary time and tactical circumstances permit, giving a warning before using force is essential

Justice Barrett is protective of privacy rights and has authored two 7th Circuit opinions wherein she held for the defendant in search and seizure cases

While it is technically ‘possible’ that an individual officer could face personal liability, the odds are pretty slim