Category: CRJ101 Intro CJ

Over a dozen current and former officers say they believe MPD’s Katie Blackwell perjured herself during Derek Chauvin trial

Fourteen current and former MPD officers say they believe MPD Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell perjured herself during Derek Chauvin’s trial.
— Read on alphanews.org/over-a-dozen-current-and-former-officers-say-they-believe-mpds-katie-blackwell-perjured-herself-during-derek-chauvin-trial/

KUOW – Seattle Community Police Commission seeks to regroup from internal turmoil, influence crowd control ordinance

Seattle’s Community Police Commission was created to amplify the voices of communities affected by policing and weigh in on police reform. But internal conflicts, vacancies, and turnover have frustrated that mission in recent years, according to an outside review.

Now members say they’re trying to move forward in time to influence the city’s latest ordinance governing crowd management and less-lethal weapons.

Seattle’s Community Police Commission was created as part of the city’s 2012 consent decree with the U.S. Justice Department, after federal officials found a pattern of unconstitutional excessive force by police.
— Read on www.kuow.org/stories/seattle-community-police-commission-seeks-to-regroup-from-internal-turmoil

ACLU-KY Files Brief Supporting Us DOJ Consent Decree | ACLU of Kentucky

The ACLU of Kentucky, on behalf of itself and 14 other community organizations, on Friday filed a “friend of the court” brief in support of the negotiated consent decree the US Department of Justice entered with Louisville Metro Government last month.  
— Read on www.aclu-ky.org/en/press-releases/aclu-ky-files-brief-supporting-us-doj-consent-decree

Episode 5: Procedural Justice

Police In-service Training Podcasts

This is an interesting and straightforward discussion on Procedural Justice. More of an overview on Procedural Justice. The host Dr. Scott Phillips is a great guy that I know personally. The guest Dr. Justin Nix is a excellent professor that I follow on Twitter. Check out Nix’s website.

Procedural Justice is more than a simple buzzword.  It is related to police legitimacy, de-escalation, hot spots policing, and organizational justice.This week we talk with Dr. Justin Nix, a Distinguished Associate Professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University…
— Read on www.buzzsprout.com/2413505/episodes/16416693-episode-5-procedural-justice

Attorney for victim’s family in fatal Spokane Police shooting slams department after release of body camera footage

The Spokane Police Department released excerpts of body camera footage from the fatal police shooting of an unarmed 35-year-old man, David M. Novak, earlier this…
— Read on www.inlander.com/news/attorney-for-victims-family-in-fatal-spokane-police-shooting-slams-department-after-release-of-body-camera-footage-18356706

Old Saybrook Releases Damning Outside Investigation of Police Chief Michael Spera, Workplace Practices – CT Examiner

A long-anticipated study by the Police Executive Research Forum concluded that the high rate of turnover in the Old Saybrook Police Department was the result of a toxic and “unpleasant” workplace characterized by mandatory overtime, fear of retaliation, unfair promotions and an overall poor organizational climate. 

“In interview after interview, employees described an unhealthy work environment filled with stress and paranoia,” the report read. 

The study was prompted by persistently high levels of turnover in the department. In July 2023, with a staffing level of only 17 officers, Police Chief Michael Spera requested that the town increase officer pay and benefits to incentivize more officers to stay. But First Selectman Carl Fortuna said he wanted to be sure that increasing benefits would reduce the turnover, and asked for an organizational study of the department. 

Residents overwhelmingly voted in January 2024 to approve the study. 
— Read on ctexaminer.com/2025/01/08/old-saybrook-releases-damning-outside-investigation-of-police-chief-michael-spera-workplace-practices/

Get a copy of the report HERE