1st Edition
Investigation and Prevention of Officer-Involved Deaths
Each year, too many law enforcement officers die in the line of duty and too many people are killed by the police. Yet, can any of these deaths be avoided? To answer this we must investigate the nature and causes of these deaths in an unbiased and objective manner to highlight and expose weaknesses in policy that can be amended through more rigorous, enlightened, and culture-sensitive training.
Examining hypothetical cases drawn from the most prevalent and typical officer-involved deaths in recent years, Investigation and Prevention of Officer-Involved Deaths reviews the circumstances, relevant discussions, and critical issues for each case type wherein law enforcement officers have had to respond outside of their usual and trained experience and where the final outcome was the death of either the suspect, an innocent bystander, or the officer.
With a focus on crime scene investigation and the collection and preservation of the relevant forensic evidence, the book outlines appropriate crime scene procedures for each situation and lists potential categories of forensic evidence to be searched for, collected, and submitted to the forensic laboratory for analysis. The authors discuss postmortem protocols, including autopsy reports, toxicological analyses, and other appropriate investigative findings. They then examine policy and training protocols for each, look at the use and potential benefit of less-lethal weapons, and pose the critical question of "what would you do if you were the police officer."
Through the serious study of each of the categories presented in this book, police officers and other groups of law enforcement officials can more fully comprehend and appreciate the societal significance of such cases. The more aware, sensitive, and well-educated are officers of the law, the more dignified, humane, and safe are the communities they are sworn to serve.
Reducing and Preventing Deaths by Training and Policy Guidance
High-Risk Business
Civil Liability
Negligence
Civil Rights
Law Enforcement Training
Contemporary Law Enforcement Training
Basic Recruit and In-Service Training Programs
The Field Training Officer Program
Job Task Analysis and Training
The Need for Change and Leadership
Training to Prevent Mistakes and Liability
Focused Training on Authority to Use Force
Focused Training on Preemptive Action
Policies Can Reduce Deaths
Supreme Court Decisions on the Use of Force
Policy Guidance and Domestic Violence
The Exercise of Discretion
Prevention of Illegitimate Exercise of Discretion
National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice
Standards and Goals
Variables
Policies and Procedures
The National Law Enforcement Policy Center
Police Policies and Official Immunity
Identification of Areas in Which Policy and Procedure
Guidance Is Needed
Summary
Endnotes
Less-Lethal Weapons
Reducing Injury and Death
Types of Incidents
Less-Lethal Not Required by Law
The Ideal Less-Lethal Weapon
The National Law Enforcement Technology Center
Capture Devices
Impact Weapons (Beanbags)
Conducted Energy Devices (CEDs)
Operational Success of CEDs
Scenario
How Would You Have Handled the above Scenario?
Summary
Endnotes
Officer-Involved Shootings (OISs)
What Would You Have Done?
Best Practices
Crime Scene Investigation
Preliminary Reconstruction
Releasing the Scene
Laboratory Analysis and Reconstruction
Cartridge Cases / Shells
Weapon Examination
Gunshot Residues (GSR)
Examination of Ricochet Bullets
Bloodstain Pattern and Tissue Examination
Reconstruction
Pathology / Medical Examination
Endnotes
Appendix: IACP National Law Enforcement Policy Center
Concepts and Issues Paper Titled "Investigation of
Officer-Involved Shootings" (August 1999)
Notes
Emergency Vehicle Operations
What Would You Have Done?
Investigation of Accidents
Crime Scene Investigation
Best Practices
Pathology
Autopsy Report of Police Shooting during Pursuit
Endnotes
Appendix: IACP Vehicular Pursuit Policy
Excited Delirium
What Would You Have Done?
Best Practices Based upon What We Know
Investigation of the Scene
General Crime Scene Procedure
Collection, Preservation, and Packaging of Physical Evidence
Preliminary Reconstruction
Releasing the Scene
TASER and Excited Delirium
Endnotes
Suicide-by-Cop (SbC) Incidents
Indicators of Suicide-by-Cop
A Typical SbC Scenario
What Would You Have Done?
SbC Resolution Tactics
Investigation at the SbC Scene
General SbC Scene Procedures
Crime Scene Search
Assignment of Responsibility
Preliminary Reconstruction
Releasing the Scene
Summary of Crime Scene Procedures
The Future
Endnotes
Positional Asphyxiation
What Would You Have Done?
Best Practices
Crime Scene and Forensic Evidence
General Procedures
Documentation of the Crime Scene
Preliminary Reconstruction
Autopsy Report —Positional Asphyxia Death
Sample Report of Opinions of a Coroner’s Office
Summary
Endnotes
In-Custody Deaths
What Would You Have Done?
Example—Pathological Examination
Gross Description
Medical Treatment of Prisoners
Best Practices
Endnotes
Emotionally Disturbed Persons
What Would You Have Done?
Best Practices
Crises Intervention Teams
Crime Scene and Forensic Evidence
General Scene Procedure
Crime Scene Investigation
Preliminary Reconstruction
Releasing the Scene
Laboratory Analysis
Cartridge Cases/Shells
Weapon Examination
Gunshot Residues
Examination of Ricochet Bullets
Bloodstain Pattern and Tissues Examination
Reconstruction
Endnotes
Index
Biography
Cyril H Wecht, M.D. Cyril H. Wecht Institute of Forensic Science & Law, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Dr Henry C Lee, DP Van Blaricom Chief of Police (Retired), Bellevue, Washington, USA. Mel Tucker Raleigh North Carolina, USA.