Investigation and Prevention of Officer-Involved Deaths

ISBN-13: 9781420063745 / Angielski / Twarda / 2010 / 229 str.

Cyril H. Wecht;Henry C. Lee;D.P. van Blaricom

Opis

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.

Spis treści

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

O autorze

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.