LAW-5037: Police Law, Policy & Practice

This course studies how the police and other government agencies "police" society and investigate crimes. It deals with fundamental issues concerning the relationship between the state and the individual, and raises critical concerns about surveillance, force, racial justice, and basic civil liberties. Topics include police stops, frisks, searches, uses of force, predictive policing, and police informants and undercover operations. Much of the relevant law has been constitutionalized; thus, the primary focus of the course is on the Fourth and Fifth Amendments, although we also will pay attention to state constitutions and some relevant statutory law. This course is essential starting ground for anyone interested in practicing in the criminal justice space, be it direct services or law reform, but will be of interest to anyone concerned about some of the paramount issues of the day: community policing, the policing culture, police strategy and tactics, municipal liability, excessive force cases, and qualified immunity. If you are taking this as an experiential learning course, this course will integrate legal doctrine with skills needed for competent and ethical participation as a member of the legal profession by requiring two writing assignments involving interviewing skills and document drafting and developing trial practice skills by participating as an attorney and witness in a civil rights trial. Students will be provided multiple opportunities for performance and for self-evaluation.