Investigating Officer Use-of-Force Allegations
Course Description:
There are numerous rationales for an agency’s investigation of its officers’ use-of-force. This course will review best practices related to investigating officer use-of-force by examining first whether the officer used force lawfully. Then, attendees will learn how to determine whether the use-of-force was within agency policy.
Attendees will engage in practical application exercise via a case study. The case study will focus on the allegation of an officer’s alleged use-of-force against a student at a post-secondary institution. Attendees will be provided with a case study and will be guided through a series of questions that require them to draw on the culmination of information gleaned throughout the course. Opportunities will be provided for attendees to work in small groups to discuss various portions of the case study. The case study will conclude with attendees presenting their investigative plan, interview strategy, and key procedural questions they must address in their investigation.
Some of the key topics that will be covered include:
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- Understanding the legal landscape and public perceptions of police use-of-force;
- Review of pertinent case law related to use-of-force as well as key cases in the media;
- Identifying key elements of and considerations for departmental use-of-force policies;
- Review of administrative investigative process; and
- Application of law, policy, and procedures to an incident involving police officer use-of-force.
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Audience: Campus Police and Public Safety Command Staff and Supervisory Personnel
This course will be taught by higher education experts who have a background and expertise in investigating use-of-force allegations in their Public Safety and Law Enforcement agencies on college campuses.
If you would like to obtain a scope of work to bring this class to your institution, contact Dolores Stafford at dolores@dstaffordandassociates.com or (302) 344-5809.