Risk Management in Law Enforcement: Discussions on Identifying and Mitigating Risk for Officers, Departments, and the Public

In the course of executing their duties, law enforcement agencies are vulnerable to costly lawsuits by officers and community members for claims of misconduct, harm, or violation of rights - lawsuits that can undermine not only the financial security of the agencies but also the well-being of the officers and the public they serve. To help law enforcement identify and minimize these risks, the COPS Office and Strategic Applications International (SAI) convened a forum that included representatives of labor unions, local government, law enforcement agencies, and the community. This report, which details the discussions of that forum, covers all aspects of this critical subject, including departmental leadership's role, recruitment policies, and police-community relations. Readers will also find tools for sharing risk management and a description of the roles and responsibilities of government, risk managers, insurers, unions, and the community in this effort. The appendices provide a summary of the forum's recommendations and a list of resources for risk management.

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Author: Colleen K. Copple, James E. Copple

Federal Sponsor Agency: COPS Office

Publication Date: October 2018