Law Enforcement Defense Attorney
Technology has brought about much advancement to our society. It has changed how we live and how we interact with each other. Technology has changed how we shop and how we entertain ourselves. It has also changed the way that the public interacts with law enforcement.
Cell Phone Technology And Law Enforcement
Every day law enforcement officers face many challenges. They are asked to place themselves in dangerous situations to protect the public from harm. Many of these events may not even start out dangerous, but they quickly escalate due to unforeseen factors such as drug or alcohol involvement or very high emotional states. It is during these types of situations that the actions of law enforcement officials can be incorrectly defined.
The general public, as a whole, loves to record everyday events. Sadly, many of those recordings involve a law enforcement officer making an arrest. While the arrest may seem reasonable and handled within the guidelines of the law to the enforcement officer, many of these videos are seen differently in the eye of the public.
When the public sees a video of an arrest that they feel was too harsh or unfair, the public outcry can quickly become unreasonable. Charges against the officer may follow, and a public demand for their job resignation may follow. The media loves to jump into these situations as well since they sensation of the subject matter helps their own causes.
When this type of event occurs, it is crucial for the individual being accused to seek legal representation from a law enforcement defense attorney.
Videos Only Show One Angle Of A Story
Law enforcement officers have a duty to protect the public and themselves from harm during any situation. This includes an arrest. If a person is unruly and a potential danger during an arrest, it is necessary for an officer to take extra precautions and possibly use force to subdue this individual.
The officer does not know the person they are arresting. They do not know their intentions or their thought process. The officer does not know if the individual has hidden weapons. With all of these factors in mind, a law enforcement officer needs to get a suspect in a position that ensures the safety for all of those in and around the scene of the event.
However, videos do not show all of this information. They simply show what is happening at that moment from one angle and generally without any sound. The video may show an officer wrestling someone to the ground, but it does not show why or what led to that moment or what wrestling them to the ground prevented. It does not record any threats made by the suspect, the removal of a weapon, or the overall stopping of an event that could have led to significant harm.
It is because of these reasons that law enforcement defense must be handled very delicately. The law enforcement official must be able to be defended based on the truth and not just a biased piece of videotaped evidence.
Other Legal Issues For Law Enforcement
Law enforcement officers may also find themselves subjected to other types of charges as well. Accusations of tampering with evidence, excessive force, false arrests, sexual misconduct, and theft have all been made against officers in the past. All of these are very serious charges and could have life-changing and career-ruining consequences if convicted.
Any officer facing these types of charges will need legal representation that understands law enforcement and the issues that they face. The law enforcement defense must be able to address specific issues that are only experienced by law enforcement officers and use this information to build a solid case.
Why Your Choice Of An Law Enforcement Defense Attorney Really Matters
When it comes to allegations against law enforcement officers, it is quite common that these charges are based on wild exaggerations and misconceptions. Many of the charges placed against these officers for brutality or excessive force are based on a single shot of a video caught by a bystander and not by the facts of the arrest. The information becomes dramatized through the media, and then these officers are charged.
A defense attorney is going to go beyond this video clip and build a case based on the facts of the event. The defense will dismantle the video and force the prosecution to build a case on the true evidence, not misleading footage that only shows one angle of an event.
Additionally, your defense attorney is going to show that the main witness or witnesses to the event have a very biased reason for making these claims against the officer. These witnesses are generally the person who was involved in the event or their close family member. This can lead to a lot of speculation on the validity of the claim.
It is very important for anyone facing criminal charges to understand that having charges placed against you does not mean that you have been convicted of a crime. Working with an attorney can help you fight these charges and prove your innocence by showing the court the full story behind any alleged event. Everyone is entitled to a fair trial.
As a law enforcement officer that is facing criminal charges, you are encouraged to work with an attorney that understands your profession. You need an attorney who knows that the skills you have acquired and the judgments that you make during a dangerous situation are based on experience and knowledge. You need someone who knows that your training comes more from everyday work than from books or lectures. As a law enforcement official, you need legal representation from a firm that respects your position.
Proving your innocence is essential to your career. There is no reason to take any unnecessary risks when you are preparing your legal defense for any charges that have been placed against you. Select a law firm that is dedicated to helping those who serve and protect the public.