Law enforcement leaders are entrusted with the job of minimizing liability in hiring, training, supervision, and discipline, without forgetting the core mission of crime prevention through proactive policing. In fact, the first law enforcement principle articulated by Sir Robert Peel, the founder of modern policing in 1829, asserts that the role of the police is to prevent crime and disorder. A failure to follow this guiding principle, in the name of limiting liability by any possible means, poses a fundamental threat to police operations, officer morale, and public trust.

It is vital to agency operations that police leaders continuously consider the ramifications of their leadership decisions in the context of liability and risk management. Lawsuits alleging officer misconduct bring with them financial costs, organizational stress, and potential damage in the court of public opinion. But law enforcement is, by its very nature, a high risk and high liability profession. Unfortunately, some of the easiest ways to limit liability are found in de-policing or a “no contact, no complaint” approach to policing that undermines a law enforcement agency’s core mission. It is critical that police leaders pursue a balanced and thoughtful approach to liability without sacrificing proactive policing strategies that make communities safer.

In this training, Attorney Matt Dolan will discuss strategies for law enforcement leaders who are focused on minimizing liability as a way of maintaining organizational standards while also protecting the public trust. But, just as importantly, these strategies will be considered in a broader context that distinguishes between acceptable versus unacceptable liability risks.