In May of 2018 a Lawrence, Kansas Police officer conducted a traffic stop on a Ford Excursion after the officer observed the driver operating the vehicle without using his seatbelt. The driver immediately begins arguing with the officer and refusing to produce his driver's license. Despite remarkable control of emotions, and a very logical and sympathetic explanation of the … [Read more...]
U.S. 10th Circuit: Taser Drive-Stuns Can Be Excessive Force
The United States 10th Circuit Court of Appeals has recently decided the case of Perea v. Baca and City of Albuquerque. The result will likely have widespread impact on officers across the country. The excessive force lawsuit against Albuquerque, New Mexico police officers was based on the officers use of a TASER, mostly in "drive-stun" mode, during their attempt to subdue a … [Read more...]
Officer Safety Video: Ohio Frisk Turns Deadly!
On March 29, 2016 at around 1725 hours Glendale, Ohio police officer Josh Hilling responded to a pedestrian walking down a very busy Interstate 75 highway. Glendale is only a village of about 2150 people, but it is a part of the suburban sprawl of Cincinnati. In the few minutes of contact, Officer Hilling is trying to determine where the man came from, where he is going, and … [Read more...]
Police Executive Research Forum: Misguided Guidelines (UGLY)
The Part I - The Good. However, many of the PERF Guidelines were counter-productive, and are simply catering to the latest media trends in coverage. These applications are covered in Part II - The Bad. This article will cover the most outrageous and misguided Guidelines that PERF presented. They are so bad, their implementation would endanger human lives - both officers … [Read more...]
Police Executive Research Forum: Misguided Guidelines (BAD)
Recently the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) published 30 Guidelines identifying its recommendations for every American law enforcement agency to better handle the highly volatile topic of police use of force. In our first article, Part I, we discussed the guidelines that made sense and actually can assist law enforcement in effective interactions with the public in … [Read more...]
Police Executive Research Forum: Misguided Guidelines (Good)
The Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) recently published "30 Guiding Principles" the organization feels every American law enforcement agency should adopt to better handle the extremely controversial aspects of police use of force. We will closely examine the 30 Guiding Principles presented by PERF. Some are very good recommendations, but others appear horribly … [Read more...]
BSD Training Video – Control Your Suspects!
Here at BlueSheepDog we are committed to providing our readers timely and pertinent information that will help them serve their communities better. We are active and retired police officers ourselves, and we fully understand and appreciate the need to be constant students of our art. In this video, an officer stops a motorist that he is familiar with from previous contacts. … [Read more...]
Bailey v. Vinson – Are SWAT Teams Excessive Force?
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. On June 23, 2015 the United States 5th Circuit Court of Appeals considered the use of a SWAT team to execute a search warrant, as it relates to the people's right to be free from … [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...]