DANGEROUS CROSSROADS AND STRATEGIES FOR POLICING MASS GATHERINGS
Course 1: Dangerous Crossroads Ahead: The Intersection of the First & Fourth Amendments - Time: 8:00am - 11:30am
Officers in the field are increasingly encountering citizens boldly asserting what they think are constitutional rights guaranteed by the First and Fourth Amendments. This course examines the crossroads where these two constitutional principles intersect and provides practical tips for dealing with people who may be legitimately exercising constitutional rights, and others who are actively trying to bait officers into overreaction.
Topics to be explored include refusal to identify, refusal to answer questions, dealing with bystanders, profanity towards officers, filming of police activity and police facilities, related officer safety concerns, weapons pat downs, and the seizure of cameras or cell phones that have recorded police activity.
Course Instructor: Scott MacLatchie is a Charlotte-based attorney who defends officers and agencies in civil rights litigation. Drawing from his years of experience in the courtroom and on patrol conducting saturation enforcement for a major California agency, Scott has develped this half-day training program to assist officers in navigating the "dangerous crossroads" of the First and Fourth Amendments. Scott has taught at police academies around the country, and holds a criminal justice instructor certification from the country, and holds a criminal justice instructor certification from the State of North Carolina.
Lunch is on your own from 11:30am - 1:00pm
Course 2: Strategies for Policing Mass Gatherings and Protests - Time: 1:00pm - 3:00pm
With protests increasing in frequency and intensity, every officer should be prepared for such an event. This training examines laws affecting mass gatherings and protest, how the wrong response may interfere with your mission (as well as lead to lawsuits,) and it offers pratical tips and guidance for officer response.
Patricipants of this session will learn:
- Differentiating between lawful and unlawful protests
- Use of force on protesters
- Protest detentions and arrests
- Restrictions affecting crowd dispesal
- Defense of property
- Defense of others
- Pre-planning for a mass gathering or Protest
Course Instructior: Adam Peoples is an attorney based in the Asheville, North Carolina office of Hall Booth Smith, P.C. Before joining Hall Booth Smith, Adam served for two years as law clerk to current Chief Judge in the United States District, Court for the Western District of North Carolina. In that role, Adam handles a variety of masters involving freedom of speech, searches, seizures, and use of force. Since entering private practice, Adam has dedicated himself to defending law enforcement officers and other professionals against all manner of civil claims. Adam is licensed to practice law in North Carolina and Georgia. His class Strategies for Policing Mass Gatherings and Protests, is the second of a series examining the liability minefield where rights of the Frist and Fourth Amendments intersect. In this course, Adam explains the laws affecting mass gatherings and protests, how the wrong response may intefere with a law enforcement officer's mission (as well as lead to lawsuits), and he offers practical tips and guidance for officer response.
Cost: Free for members of the NCLM Workers’ Compensation & Property & Liability Trust; $60 for others, plus applicabe tax
Date/Location:
October 4, 2022
Gaston College
East Campus Kimbrell Building
Auditorium
7220 Wilkinson Blvd
Belmont, NC 28012
Any questions should be directed to Matthew A. Selves, Public Safety Risk Management Consultant, mselves@nclm.org or 704-902-2692. If you have registration questions, please contact events@nclm.org