Chief’s Counsel: Law and Liberty: The Guaranteed Freedoms in the United States Bill of Right

Every member of law enforcement has probably been asked for his or her take on the recent controversial issues and events involving law enforcement. When the opportunity arises, a chief of police wants to respond to the public and his or her officers with a wise, ethical answer that will calm the situation and defuse any internal or external rising tension. But how does a chief do that? This can be one of the most vexing problems chiefs face, and it often comes during the most stressful times of their careers.

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Investigations
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Failure to understand the distinction between so-called immigration warrants issued by an immigration judge or traditional arrest or search warrants issued by a federal court judge can lead to liabili...
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For today’s police officers, the first sign of a serious threat increasingly appears not on a street corner or in a call for service, but on a screen. Posts, comments, livestreams, group chats, and ...
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The practice of placing officers "on call" raises questions concerning a municipality’s obligation to pay officers, as well as the ability to restrict such officers’ activities while on an "on-cal...
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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 ...
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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....
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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....
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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...
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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...
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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 ...
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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...