Chief's Counsel Archives

Chief's Counsel

Police Chief Magazine|Columns|Chief's Counsel

Chief’s Counsel: Are After-Action Reports Privileged?

In 2011, this author wrote an article for the Chief’s Counsel section of Police Chief magazine titled “Critical Incident Review Board: Creation and Refinement.” The purpose of the article was to “draw attention to the benefits of a CIRB [critical incidence review board] process and to provide practical tips and guidance to creating or refining one.”¹

Chief's Counsel

Chief’s Counsel: Immigration Enforcement by Local Police

Immigration enforcement in the United States is generally a civil matter, handled exclusively by federal agents working for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or Customs and Border Patrol....

Chief's Counsel

Chief’s Counsel: The Algorithm Trap

Imagine this: a qualified applicant submits a résumé for a position in a department. Before anyone on the team lays eyes on it, an artificial intelligence (AI) system screens them out. No interview....

Chief's Counsel

Chief’s Counsel: Beyond Law Enforcement and Guardians

Words matter. The terms used to describe police work—law enforcement, public safety, guardian, protector, or warrior—do more than signal a philosophy. They define the profession’s purpose, s...

Chief's Counsel

Chief’s Counsel: SCOTUS Affirms Totality Standard in Use-of-Force Cases

On May 15, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark decision in Barnes v. Felix, fundamentally altering the legal evaluation of excessive force claims under the Fourth Amendment. The ruling reje...

Chief's Counsel

Chief’s Counsel: Investigating Transnational Pig Butchering

In 2025, “pig butchering” does not necessarily result in pork chops and bacon. The term now describes a sophisticated cybercrime that combines long-term psychological manipulation with fraudulent ...

Chief's Counsel

Chief’s Counsel: Challenges to DEI Programs in Policing

In light of the recent U.S. government actions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), it is important for police leaders to be mindful of their ongoing obligations to comply with state and...

Chief's Counsel

Chief’s Counsel: Going Beyond Face Value

Facial recognition technology (FRT) emerged 50 years ago from experiments that measured facial attributes to search for matches on a semi-automated system.1 Modern FRT is an electronic system that us...

Chief's Counsel

Chief’s Counsel: Investigating Liability

The Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution requires that criminal defense attorneys provide a minimum quality of service to their clients.1 The attorney need not be perfect but must at least be com...

Chief's Counsel

Chief’s Counsel: Peer Wellness Programs and Confidentiality

Many police agencies already have or are looking into peer-to-peer counseling programs to assist first responders in dealing with the trauma that accompanies critical incidents. While these programs m...

Chief's Counsel

Chief’s Counsel: Using an Early Intervention System to Promote Wellness

Recent surveys and studies indicate a notable percentage of police officers experience and are affected by job-related stress and anxiety, in addition to stress stemming from personal matters. These s...