If You Don’t Step In, Your Career Could Be Over

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🗓️ Inside This Issue: What You Need to Know

• Duty to Intervene: Policies, training, liability

• Last Week in Policing: Key takeaways from major news and line-of-duty events (Feb 3–Feb 9, 2025).

• Legal Update: What the courts say regarding Duty to Intervene

• Jiu-Jitsu for Law Enforcement: Control, Confidence, and Preparedness

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🗳 Duty to Intervene
What You Need to Know Now

Bottom line up front: Your department is shifting liability to YOU if you don't stop misconduct. Failing to intervene = career killer.

What this means for your job:

• You must stop excessive force/misconduct by other officers

• No excuses - "I didn't know" won't save you in court

• Always document everything when you step in

💡Remember
In the George Floyd case, not only was Officer Derek Chauvin charged, but even the assisting officers faced consequences.

Quick tips to protect yourself:

1. Read your department policy today

2. Use these words to step in: "Let's take a step back" or "We got this"

3. Write detailed reports after any intervention

Worth noting: Small stuff matters too. If you see a colleague struggling or acting unprofessional, a private conversation now could prevent bigger problems later.

 📚 Weekly Law Enforcement Recap: News & Fallen Officer Tributes (Feb 3–9, 2025)

🛑Albuquerque Officers Guilty
Two former officers plead guilty to racketeering and bribery for allegedly letting DWI arrestees evade conviction. Read More

📊 New Public Safety Report
A report finds 76% of U.S. officers spend over half their shifts on paperwork—with 70% using overtime and 80% relying on mobile phones. Read More

🚔 Bonus Boost Amid Staffing Shortages
Facing staffing challenges, Florida has offered $5,000 signing bonuses to over 5,400 new officers since 2022. Read More

⚖️ Call to Action on 1991 Trooper Shooting
The National Police Association urges supporters to email Connecticut officials about the unresolved fatal shooting of Trooper Russell Bagshaw. Read More

📖👮‍♂️ Weekly line of duty deaths: 2

 💪🏽 Training
Why Every Officer Should Train Jiu-Jitsu

The video below shows an officer who lost control in a confrontation by relying too much on his Taser. Instead of using grappling to control the situation, he attempted a Drive Stun while still holding the Taser—letting the suspect slip away.

🚨 The Problem:

• Tasers fail 40% of the time—what’s your plan when that happens?

• Losing control gives the suspect a chance to escape or counterattack.

✅ The Solution:

• Train in realistic, law enforcement-based jiu-jitsu that goes beyond basic defensive tactics.

• Programs like Gracie Survival Tactics (GST) and Effective Fitness Combatives (EFC) can sharpen your grappling skills for real-world encounters.

💡 Why It Matters:
✔ Better control means fewer excessive force incidents.
✔ Confident officers make smarter decisions under pressure.
✔ Gaining a dominant position stops escalation before it turns dangerous.

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🏛 Legal Update:
When Silence Isn’t an Option: Landmark Cases on Your Duty to Intervene

Understanding the legal background of our duty to intervene can help protect both the community and your career. Here’s a closer look at three key cases:

🔹 O’Neill v. Krzeminski
In this case, an officer’s failure to act when a citizen’s rights were being violated led to a ruling that personal intervention is mandatory. The court made it clear: protecting constitutional rights isn’t just the department’s job—it’s yours too.

🔹 Figueroa v. Mazza
This ruling came after an officer watched a colleague use excessive force during an arrest without stepping in. The court held that the inaction could make the officer personally liable, stressing that ignoring misconduct can have serious legal consequences.

🔹 Anderson v. Branen
Here, the court confirmed that every officer must act to stop civil rights violations by peers. The decision reinforces that individual responsibility is essential for upholding the law and maintaining public trust.

These cases reinforce that the legal system places the responsibility on the individual officer—not just the department—to prevent excessive force or constitutional violations.

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