The information presented in this article is for discussion purposes only. It is not legal advice no actions should be taken based on it. You should consult with your department's legal counsel for guidance. The United States Supreme Court (USSC) has recently made a ruling on the legality of police officers shooting at suspects fleeing in motor vehicles. The case is Mullenix … [Read more...]
Moore v. Pederson – Warrantless Arrests Inside the Home
The information presented in this article is for discussion purposes only. It is not legal advice. You should consult with your department's legal counsel prior to taking any action. On September 16, 2015 the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals decided the case of Moore v. Pederson. The case involves the warrantless entry into a private residence to arrest an offender … [Read more...]
Montoute v. Carr – Officer Involved Shooting
The information in this article is presented for discussion. It is not legal advice and no actions should be taken based on it. You should contact your department's legal team for guidance. In 1997 the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in the case of Montoute v. Carr, involving a police officer shooting a person armed with a sawed-off shotgun who had not pointed the … [Read more...]
A Duty to Intervene – Salvato v. Miley
The information presented in this article is for discussion purposes only. It is not legal advice. You should consult with your department's legal team prior to taking any action. When an officer swears the oath of office they are making a solemn promise to uphold the U.S. Constitution, their State Constitution, and the laws of their jurisdiction. In most circumstances this … [Read more...]
Supreme Court Limits K-9 Sniffs at Stops
Information presented in this article is for discussion purposes only. It is not legal advice. You should consult with your department's legal counsel before doing anything. The United States Supreme Court has ruled on another use of K-9 units at traffic stops that will have significant impact on the way law enforcement can use this vital tool in the detection and … [Read more...]
United States v. Webster – Patrol Car Confessions
Information presented in this article is for discussion purposes only. It is not legal advice. You should consult with your department's legal team prior to taking any actions. We've all been there before. You're investigating a suspected crime, and to help control the scene you place a suspect in the back of your patrol car. The thug is a tough guy at the scene and isn't … [Read more...]
Police Pursuits and Use of Force
The information in this article is presented for discussion only. It is not legal advice. You should consult with your department's legal team before taking any actions. On April 15, 2015, the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals decided the case of Mobley v. Palm Beach Sheriff Dept. et al. At question was the reasonableness of force used by deputies while apprehending a … [Read more...]
United States v. White (2015): Searches and Parolees
The information presented here is for discussion only. It is not legal advice and should not be used as such. You should talk to your department's legal team prior to taking any action. The United States 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has recently decided the case of United States v. White (2015), which will provide significant guidance to law enforcement officers dealing with … [Read more...]
United States v. Fermin – Building a Case on Reasonable Suspicion
The information presented in this article is for discussion purposes only. It is not legal advice. You should contact your department's legal counsel for guidance on the topics presented by the author. On November 14, 2014 the U.S. 1st Circuit Court of Appeals decided an appeal to a case involving the reasonable suspicion investigation of officers assigned to a High … [Read more...]
Stiegel v. Collins: Officer Pointing Gun During Terry Stop Reasonable
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The BlueSheepDog Crew strives to present precedent-bearing cases from the Federal Courts, or State Supreme Courts to help officers education themselves on the latest interpretations of laws and Constitutional actions. However, we do not present ourselves to be legal representatives in any way, and offer these Court decisions for informational purposes only. … [Read more...]