Course Title: LETHAL USE OF FORCE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS -Response, Investigation, Presentation, and Adjudication-
Length of course: 12 Hours
History and Purpose: The use of lethal force by a police officer is the most serious act a law enforcement officer will experience. Law enforcement officers have an affirmative duty to protect themselves and the public by the use of deadly force. At the same time they must be guided by a reverence for human life. Each time a law enforcement officer uses deadly force their conduct is closely examined and scrutinized by the media, the public, their particular agency, prosecutor’s and oftentimes civilian oversight. The investigation must be objective, comprehensive, and competent to ensure the public’s trust. The final adjudication must be fair, impartial, and just. This course provides an in-depth examination of lethal force incidents from the initial response to the final judgement. The course will provide the student with knowledge to handle these serious incidents from inception to resolution.
Participants: This course is designed for all law enforcement professionals including first responders, investigators, managers, and policy makers.
Course Composition
1.1 Introduction and Course Overview....................0.5 hrs
1.2 First Responders...........................................2.0 hrs
1.3 Investigation & Interviews..............................4.0 hrs
1.4 Legal Issues, Oversight, & Labor......................1.0 hrs
1.5 Media.........................................................0.5 hrs
1.6 Traumatic Stress Reaction..............................0.5 hrs
1.7 In-Custody Deaths........................................1.0 hrs
1.8 Presentations & Adjudication...........................2.5 hrs
1.9 Summary/Critique/Graduation...........................0.5 hrs
Course Goals
Upon completion of this seminar, the participants will be able to:
- Respond to a police lethal force incident and effectively secure the scene, protect the evidence, and maintain appropriate incident command and control.
- Conduct a comprehensive investigation ensuring the proper collection of evidence, effective interviews, successful handling of the media and proper investigative management.
- Create a presentation that effectively illustrates all of the salient factors associated with the incident for proper adjudication.
- Evaluate the necessary factors involved in the use of lethal force to arrive at a just finding based upon the totality of the evidence.