Creating and Administering Policy

Course Duration

2 Days (16 hours)

Target Audience

Public safety supervisors and administrators from police agencies, correctional facilities, fire departments, EMS organizations, and government social service agencies.

“The Why”

Every lawsuit against a police agency begins with the same question:

“What did the agency’s policy require?”

When the answer is unclear, outdated, or poorly written, the risk shifts directly to the chief and the organization.

Across the United States, civil litigation against law enforcement continues to rise. Federal court records show thousands of civil rights lawsuits filed against public safety agencies each year. Many of those cases center on claims of negligent policy, failure to train, or failure to supervise.

If policy is absent, vague, or inconsistent with law, the agency’s exposure grows rapidly.

For small and mid-sized departments, the challenge is greater.

Many chiefs lead agencies with:

• Limited legal support
• No dedicated policy unit
• Policies written years ago
• Expanding operational responsibilities
• Increasing public scrutiny

This course provides public safety leaders with a structured method to build policy systems that protect the agency, support employees, and reduce civil liability.

At the end of this course, leaders leave with something many agencies lack:

A clear framework for writing, implementing, and maintaining defensible policy.

Because in modern policing, policy is not paperwork.

POLICY IS PROTECTION.

By the end of this course, participants will:

• Understand civil liability risk tied to agency policy and operational decisions.
• Recognize negligence exposure created when policy is outdated, unclear, or not followed.
• Explain the legal standards governing agency liability, including doctrines established in Monell v. Department of Social Services and officer protections addressed in Harlow v. Fitzgerald.
• Understand Labor Relations and Employee Rights considerations during policy development and enforcement.
• Synthesize Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology Policy for Public Safety
• Distinguish the difference between constitutional law, accepted professional practice, and departmental policy requirements.
• Identify key stakeholders affected by policy systems, including officers, supervisors, agency leadership, courts, and the community.
• Develop clear, standardized policy formats that support consistency and accountability.
• Incorporate legal precedent and operational realities when drafting policy language.
• Address policy considerations involving vulnerable populations, including juveniles, individuals with disabilities, and persons experiencing mental health crises.
• Recognize supervisory responsibility and liability when policy violations occur.
• Implement policy effectively through training, supervision, and performance management.
• Design policy solutions that reduce operational risk in high-liability areas.
• Produce a defensible policy document using a structured policy development framework.