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Point of Law

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Articles

Point of Law: The Limits of Electronic Searches

Can an individual be prosecuted for despicable criminal conduct based on evidence obtained in violation of the United States Constitution? Ultimately, the Ninth Circuit judges wrote, “In the circumstances of this case (United States v. Holcomb, 23-469 (9th Cir. 2025)), respect for the Constitution and the rule of law requires an answer of “no.”

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Articlesby Devallis RutledgeApril 14, 2011

Impound Inventory

When a suspect's vehicle is lawfully impounded (such as when the driver is arrested where the vehicle cannot be safely parked and locked, and there is no sober, licensed driver to take custody of it), it is usually permissible to conduct a standard inventory of the vehicle and its contents.

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Newsby Staff WriterApril 13, 2011

Video: Illinois Officers Use Force In Booking Room

The video shows Sgt. Brad McCaslin using a stun gun twice to the back of an arrested and handcuffed woman's neck after she refused to sit down in the booking room. Interim police Chief Tom Fearn then entered the room and shook the woman by the neck several times, after she appears to yell at him.

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Newsby Staff WriterApril 12, 2011

LAPD Officers Who Alleged Ticket Quotas Awarded $2 Million

A pair of Los Angeles Police officers were awarded $2 million by a jury for their allegation that supervisors retaliated against them after they complained about ticket quotas.

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Articlesby Dean ScovilleApril 12, 2011

Shots Fired: Clackamas County, Oregon, 12/05/2005

Seemingly as insensate to his own pain as that he inflicted on others, Donald Graham also possessed a reputation as a man who backed his words. And no promise meant more to him than the one he'd made his wife that he'd never go back to prison. He'd do what he had to do.

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Newsby Staff WriterMarch 29, 2011

Florida Agency Using Skype To Obtain Warrants

Cpl. Darin Morgan came up with an idea to save time when obtaining blood search warrants from judges in cases involving impaired drivers. Using Skype can shave hours off police time spent traveling and waiting to meet judges in person.

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Articlesby James HarbisonMarch 28, 2011

Safe Searching: The Standing Basic Search

We search people in a variety of field situations and legal circumstances. As far as officer safety skills are concerned, I believe pat search techniques to be one of the most critical skills given too little emphasis in training, and therefore worthy of analysis.

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Newsby Staff WriterMarch 18, 2011

California Woman Shook Off TASER, Advanced on Officer with Weapon

The woman who first attacked a man then advanced toward a Long Beach (Calif.) Police officer with a sharp object has died from wounds suffered after the officer fired to stop her.

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Newsby Staff WriterMarch 16, 2011

LAPD Officer Cleared In Shooting of Day Laborer

The Los Angeles Police officer who fatally shot a Guatemalan day laborer threatening people with a knife that led to public unrest and riot control response has been cleared in the shooting.

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Articlesby David GriffithMarch 15, 2011

Less-Lethal Launchers: Reaching Out and Punching Someone

Today, police have a wide variety of tools and munitions for exerting less-lethal force on individuals at greater and greater distances. Extended range less-lethal impact weapons have been refined to the point that they are both accurate and extremely effective when deployed correctly.

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Photo Galleriesby Staff WriterMarch 11, 2011

Safe Pat-Down Searches

Searching people in a standing position is something deputies and officers do every day. As such, officer safety is a primary concern. View this photo gallery for a step-by-step approach to help you safely conduct a pat-down or Terry search for weapons. Read the full article, "Safe Searching: The Standing Basic Search." Photos courtesy of Sgt. James Harbison.

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