Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to show that claims filed against law enforcement agencies alleging the violation of constitutional rights continue to plague police administrators, officers, agency trainers, and risk managers. This technical paper seeks to report on the analysis of 151 police and sheriff departments' claims, losses, and litigation in order to assess the trends, costs, and nature of these claims.

Design/methodology/approach – Using official records of a risk management entity in Michigan, 15 years of incidents were analyzed in order to identify the trends in third-party claims, liability, and losses of police and detention centers.

Findings – The general findings of 11,273 claims are provided as well as a detailed analysis of 2,929 claims, representing 25 common categories in police work and detention facilities. The findings illustrate the current trends in police liability and reveal important managerial concerns which can direct administrators in revising policy and procedures, in focusing training endeavors, and incorporating risk management strategies in order to reduce the risk of police liability.

Originality/value – The findings will be useful for police trainers in structuring their training efforts. Suggestions for future research which examine successful risk management practices and avert liability are also discussed.