fourth amendment fifth amendment sixth amendment fourteenth amendment L a w

fourth amendment fifth amendment sixth amendment fourteenth amendment L a w

 

PART 1

One of the best ways to learn about the application of constitutional amendments in policing is by looking at specific examples and analyzing the way situations were handled. In each module of this course you have engaged in this method of learning through the scenario assignments and discussions. In this final major assignment, you are going to use this method to create a training series for police officers about the application of constitutional amendments to policing.

ASSIGNMENT Portfolium Icon

For this assignment, you will create four mini trainings that will be introduced at a department’s roll call over the course of a month (one training per week on a day you choose). The trainings should be able to be delivered in 10 minutes so it is important that the information presented be thorough enough to get the information across but succinct enough as to not lose the attention of the officers.

The trainings should focus on the four amendments that have been covered in this course:

Fourth Amendment

Fifth Amendment

Sixth Amendment

Fourteenth Amendment

There are three parts required for each training.

  • Part A
  • Create a scenario similar to the ones that have been in the course.
  • Your scenario can be something you have experienced in your career, something you are aware of elsewhere, or something that you make up. Anonymize any names to protect the privacy of everyone involved. It is suggested that you model your scenario after the other scenarios in this course but if there is a format that you believe works better for your training, you are welcome to use that method.
  • Part B

The most important aspect of the training is that each scenario covers one of the amendments from the course. Identify the specific amendment that applies to your short scenario and provide relevant case law to support it.

Part C

This section is where you should strive to put together everything you have learned in this course to help officers understand the constitutionality of their actions. Collectively, your trainings should answer the following questions:

What are the potential consequences of not not following the Constitution in policing?

What are some potential mistakes that were made by the characters in your scenario?

What are some common pitfalls faced in everyday policing that could lead to constitutional issues?

What is the prosecution looking for in an officer’s actions?

What is the defense looking for in an officer’s actions?

What things do I need to make sure I am cognizant of on my end to preserve justice?

Is there any way that an officer’s actions could lead to a suspect getting off or getting a sweetheart plea deal?

You can choose the method you want to use for your training.  You can do bulletins to be delivered at briefings, PowerPoint, or what ever means you think would be the most effective, you do not have to use the same method for them all, some material may be better suited for one method over the other.  Think about how you would like to receive the training and create it accordingly.

PART 2 – Create a journal that will be shared with your instructor

  • Part 1 – Prompts related to the content of this module
  • There is only one prompt for this reflection that is related to the course as a whole:
  • What role do you see courses like this one playing in criminal justice reform and preparing practitioners for avoiding situations like Michael Slager and Chauvin?
  • Part 2 – General thoughts about the module
  • Below are some examples of the types of things you should include in your journal:
  • How did the assignments in the module benefit you?
  • Was there anything you struggled with in the module?

What did you learn in this module? (A brief summary would be appropriate)