NCJ Number
106232
Date Published
1987
Length
0 pages
Annotation
Experts from the legal, medical, and insurance fields present guidelines for police officers in dealing with injured persons that allow officers to carry out their duties but not expose themselves to a civil liability lawsuit.
Abstract
The videotape first examines three common situations involving a police officer and an injured person: the individual is obviously injured, but not dead; the injured individual is neither obviously dead nor obviously alive; and a suspect who is injured by the arresting officer. In all cases, the officer's first duty is to summon medical assistance, while the second is to protect the scene of the crime. Medical and legal experts discuss recent advances in trauma treatment and emphasize that medical help should be summoned if there is any doubt about the condition of an injured person. With regard to first aid or CPR, the experts caution that department policy and State laws govern provision of direct medical assistance by police officers and note that negligence is failure to use common sense. The videotape also discusses actions that officers should take if an innocent bystander is injured by a police car in pursuit and if a person in custody complains of pain and cites a history of medical problems. Again, the advice is to call for medical assistance to avoid liability and to follow regulations established by department policy or State law.