Officer-Involved Shootings and Use of Force

Officer-Involved Shootings and Use of Force: Practical Investigative Techniques, Second Edition continues to provide sound and sober models, protocols, and procedures to handle the highly charged fall-out from officer involved shootings. Written by cops for cops, it is designed to address the needs of the agency, the rights of the employee, and the concerns of the public, and give law enforcement the policies and tools to properly investigate and document this high profile area.

Updated and expanded, the second edition welcomes contributions from Randy Dickson, one of the nation’s leading experts, who presents new recommendations for post-incident support and the emotional aspect of these traumatic events, including the potential for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder suffered by the officer. Other new chapters include a study of incidents involving less lethal weapons, such as Tasers, a model policy for documenting these incidents, and the latest findings on positional asphyxia and Excited Delirium Deaths. The book also includes additional information on report writing and the proper handling of media and public information policy. The author offers expert tips on procedures including handling suspects, interviewing witnesses and employees, and investigating the scene, as well as critical points for working with assisted suicides. New, up-to-date case studies illustrate and explain the need for consistent, reliable protocols to protect the agency, the officer, and the public from unnecessary litigation, public distrust, media frenzy, and harm to either the agency’s or the officer’s reputation.

Applicable to all levels including city, county, state, and federal law enforcement, thisSecond Editioncontains an “outstanding presentation of guidelines, authority, and assignment responsibility to establish the best organizational team structure to investigate [officer-involved] shootings,” says Larry Moore, Certified Emergency Manager, Knoxville, Tennessee.

Randy Dickson, David E. Hatch