Fundamentals of the First Amendment: Police Liability

This course provides law enforcement officers with a foundational understanding of First Amendment principles as they relate to their daily duties and interactions with the public. Taught by an attorney with nearly 20 years of experience defending police officers in civil rights claims, the course aims to help officers make informed, split-second decisions regarding constitutional issues and understand the consequences of their actions in First Amendment scenarios. Key topics include police liability in civil rights lawsuits (42 USC Section 1983, personal liability, damages), qualified immunity and judicial precedent, the fundamentals of protected speech (including expressive activity and relevant Supreme Court cases like Snyder v. Phelps and Clark v. Stone), forum analysis (traditional, limited, and non-public forums), content neutrality, time, place, and manner restrictions, and specific considerations for interacting with First Amendment auditors.