This course will examine the theories and practical realities of police regulation, exploring assumptions about the police function, policy implications for criminal law, empirical evidence supporting or refuting the effectiveness of police regulation, policing generally, and the balance between police power and constitutional protections. Specialized topics will include institutional design of policing, police training and management, maintaining order, police discretion, use of force, racially selective enforcement, oversight, transparency, civilian review, litigation and consent decrees, and the rise of private policing. Students will analyze case studies and propose police reform or defend existing policies, based on empirical data, constitutional rights, and public policy. In addition to examining the causes and effects of police misconduct and abuse of power and oversight of police functions, students will be required to draft a policy paper, which will address police misconduct issues relating to the use of force for the executive branch of a simulated jurisdiction.

This upper-level seminar course will involve a mix of lecture, robust discussions, in-class group presentations, and a final paper where students are expected to seek individual guidance.

Recommended for the Following Professional Pathways: Civil Rights/Civil Liberties; Criminal Prosecution; Criminal Defense; Family Law; Government/Public Sector; Immigration; General Practice – Litigation/Dispute Resolution

2 Credits