NCJ Number
207857
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 52 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2004 Pages: 110-112
Editor(s)
Ed Sanow
Date Published
October 2004
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article describes the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s model policy on officer-involved shooting (OIS).
Abstract
After conducting an internal study on the use of force, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) determined that a standard use of force review process was needed. The LVMPD policy has become a model for the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s (IACP) National Law Enforcement Center. The policy requires three investigations. First, a criminal investigation which is handled by the homicide division must occur. The second investigation is an administrative investigation to allow for corrective matters to be taken. Lastly, a civil investigation, if it occurs is covered by the department’s legal counsel. When an OIS occurs, everyone from the shooting officer to the sheriff plays a vital role in the investigation of the incident. The LVMPD policy stresses officer safety as being a greater concern than the safety of a suspect. The policy is used as a protocol by the IACP and shows the department’s ongoing effort to maximize its investigative procedures and bring new insight to other departments.