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Resources To Help Develop Written Policies - October 2000

A variety of resources exists to help policy writers. Several key legal reference books and periodicals ought to be part of the policy library, and a few states have developed model policies or sample directives. The following list includes references to help build a useful library on developing written administrative guidance. This list is not all-inclusive but represents many useful sources. For the administrator who is just beginning to acquire a library of policy-related materials, resources listed below that are marked with an asterisk (*) are recommended "foundation" documents.

Books and Periodicals

*Legal Guide for Policy: Constitutional Issues, by John C. Klotter, 5th edition, 1998, Anderson Publishing Company, PO Box 1576, Cincinnati, Ohio (1-800-582-7295), www.andersonpublishing.com.

*Deadly Force: What We Know--A Practitioner's Desk Reference on Police-involved Shootings, 1992, PERF. Published by PERF (Police Executive Research Forum), 1120 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 930, Washington, DC 20036, 202-466-7820 or 888-202-4563), www.policeforum.org .

*Police Pursuits: What We Know, by Geoffrey Alpert, Dennis Kenney, Roger Dunham, and William Smith, 2000. Published by PERF (see above).

Section 1983 Litigation in State Courts, 1987 (last updated 1999; normally updated semiannually), by Steven H. Steinglass. published by Clark Boardman Callaghan, 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, 212-929-7500, or 800-328-4880 (customer service), www.cbclegal.com. The same source publishes a periodical,
Police Misconduct and Civil Rights Law Report, a bi-monthly widely read by plaintiffs' attorneys in litigation against law-enforcement agencies. Highly recommended for its analyses of police misconduct cases.

Police Civil Liability, by Isidore Silver, 1988 (updated regularly). From Matthew Bender Co., Inc., 11 Penn Plaza, New York, New York, 10011, 800-833-9844, www.bender.com/bender/open/ . Also from the same publisher: Employment Screening, by Lex K. Larson, Theodore F. Shults (1988, updated periodically). Probably the best survey of law (both federal and state-by-state) regarding aspects of employment, from polygraphs to hiring the handicapped. Most of the book affects private industry primarily, but contains much useful information for public employment. Other useful, related titles by the same publisher:
ADA Compliance Manual for Employers, second edition, 1997, by Maureen F. Moore;
Employment Discrimination, second edition (updated periodically), by Lex K. Larson.

Publications of The Traffic Institute (Northwestern University, PO Box 1409, Evanston, Illinois 60204, 1-800-323-4011), www.northwestern.edu/nucps/ .

• Policy and Administrative Guidance, 2nd edition, 1986, Order # PN900.
  
  
• Legal Aspects of Discipline by Police Administrators, 1990, Order # PN703
  
  
• Legal Aspects of Videotape and Motion Pictures in Law Enforcement, 1991, Order # PN204
  
  
• Current Issues in Police Discipline: An Update, 1994, Order # PN705
  
  
• The Law of Criminal Investigation and Civil Liability: A National Survey, updated annually, Order # PN206
  
  
• Impounding, Towing, Search and Inventory of Vehicles, 1989, Order # PN200

Police Use of Force: Official Reports, Citizen Complaints, and Legal Consequences, by Anthony Pate and Lori Fridell, two volumes, 1993, Police Foundation, 1201 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington D.C. 20036, 202-833-1460), www.policefoundation.org .

Guide to Developing and Managing an Emergency Service Infection Control Program, United States Fire Administration, 1992. Available at no cost from the USFA, PO Box 70274, Washington, DC 20024, www.usfa.fema.gov/search/. Also of interest:
Developing Effective Standard Operating Procedures for Fire & EMS Departments. Both documents can be downloaded from the website.

Rural Initiatives for Traffic Safety: A Guide to the Office of Sheriff and Other Law Enforcement Officials in Rural Communities, National Sheriffs' Association/U.S. Department of Transportation, 1994, www.nhtsa.dot.gov . This website, administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, allows the user to download the document. NHTSA sets and enforces safety performance standards for motor vehicles, among other things. Toll free 888-327-4236.

A Study of Domestic Violence Policies in Virginia's Law Enforcement Agencies, Department of Criminal Justice Services, Commonwealth of Virginia, 1993. Out of print, but can be copied on request.

Police Officer Selection: A Handbook for Law Enforcement Administrators, by Anthony R. Moriarty and Mark W. Field, Charles C. Thomas, 1994, 800-258-8980, www.ccthomas.com . Also from the same publisher: The Assessment Center Handbook for Police and Fire Personnel, Charles D. Hale, 1999.

*Law Enforcement Legal Defense Manual, 421 Ridgewood Avenue, Suite 100, Glen Ellyn, Illinois 60137-4900, 630-858-6392, home.xnet.com/~lelp/. The Manual is a quarterly publication for prosecutors, municipal attorneys, county counsel, police and sheriffs' personnel who have an interest in civil litigation involving state, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies. The Manual is written from a pro-law enforcement perspective. Its purpose is to aid law enforcement agencies and personnel to carry out their duties in a manner consistent with legal requirements and sound management principles.

Defensive Tactics Newsletter, ISC Division of Wellness, PO Box 8798, Lakeland, Florida 33806, 813-686-8934, no web site. This periodical is written by defensive tactics instructors and articles tend to be technical.

Articles

"Written Rules and Regulations, Are They Necessary?" by Gary W. Cordner, Ph.D., FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, July 1989.

"Practical Written Directives," by Alan Chertok, FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, June 1994.

"Liability Implications of Departmental Policy Violations," FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, April 1997.

Model Manuals and Standards

*Professional Standards of the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission, the foundation of Virginia's accreditation process, jointly managed by sheriffs and police chiefs. To download a copy of the standards or to obtain more information about the process, see www.dcjs.virginia.gov/accred/.

*Standards for Law Enforcement Agencies. Purchase a copy of the current edition in printed or electronic form from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., 10306 Eaton Place, Suite 320, Fairfax, VA 22030, 703-352-4225 or 1-800-368-3757, www.calea.org .

*Sample Directives for Virginia Law-Enforcement Agencies, 4th edition 1999. Contact Gary Dillon, Department of Criminal Justice Services, 202 North Ninth Street, Richmond, VA 23219, 804-786-8421. The manual (formerly titled Model Manual of Law Enforcement Rules, Regulations, and General Orders) is available on the DCJS web site at www.dcjs.virginia.gov/cple/sampleDirectivies/index.cfm. The web site also features the "Policy in Action" essay on some aspect of policy, of which this resource list is an example. DCJS also maintains a considerable library of sample policies and policy-related materials.

*The Model Policy series published by the National Law Enforcement Policy Center, located at the headquarters, International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), 515 N. Washington St., Alexandria, Virginia 22314-2357, 1-800-THE-IACP, www.theiacp.org. For a nominal subscription fee, an agency can obtain model policies on diverse law-enforcement topics, each accompanied by a concept paper which discusses pertinent background information. By subscription, also, an agency can obtain the quarterly Policy Review newsletter. In addition, the Center maintains a large library of policies from many agencies to support the technical assistance it provides.

Model Policy and Procedures. Available from the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, 47 Memorial Drive, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts 01545, 800-322-3703, www.masschiefs.olm.net . While the policies can be accessed online, a password is required. Contact MCPA.

Model Law Enforcement Operations Manual for Georgia law enforcement agencies, Georgia Department of Community Affairs, 1200 Equitable Building, 100 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, 404-656-3836. The manual is available online at www.dca.state.ga.us/planning/law/law.html.

New Jersey Law Enforcement Guidelines. Available in diskette form or online from the Police Services Section, New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, 25 Market Street, CN 085, Trenton, New Jersey 08625-6500, 609-984-7301, www.state.nj.us/lps/dcj/lawes.htm . Another document from the same source, also available online: New Jersey School Search Policy Manual and Companion Reference Guide.

The Supervisor's Field Manual Checklist, 1995, a manual covering incidents that supervisors must respond to in the field. Each incident lists activities that supervisors must address at the site to minimize liability exposure and ensure that the incident is managed properly. Available on diskette for purchase from The Gallagher-Westfall Group, Inc., P.O. Box 60, Indian Valley, VA 24105, 540-789-4056, www.gallagher-westfall.com/checklist.html.

*National Center for Rural Law Enforcement exists to strengthen law enforcement in small cities and rural areas through research, education, information, and technical assistance. NCRLE can be found at www.ncrle.net, 501-570-8000. Their model policies and procedures, available for purchase, include the following titles:

• Police Model Policies and Procedures Manual
• Sheriff Model Policies and Procedures Manual
• Detention Facility Model Policies and Procedures Manual
• Dispatch Model Policies and Procedures Manual

To comment on the Policy In Action topics or to request further information, send an e-mail to Tim Paul.

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