DIFFICULT ISSUES FACING LAW ENFORCEMENT:

DEALING WITH THE MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY DISABLED AND COGNITIVE AND DEVELOPMENTALLY CHALLENGED AND THE ROLE OF TITLE II OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT IN LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES

Law enforcement is faced with ever-increasing and complex challenges involving community members with a variety of needs related to mental health, cognitive and/or developmental issues, and physical disabilities.  These situations are also prone to gain the attention of media on the local, state, and even national level, and are of increasing concern for communities throughout our nation.  AMRRP encourages attendance at this presentation which will focus on the legal and policy aspects of law enforcement interaction with persons fitting these diverse categories.

This presentation is aimed at preparing command staff and training officers to provide instruction to their sworn personnel on issues, including:

• Legal and policy implications in dealing with persons suffering from mental illness or challenged by cognitive or developmental disabilities;
• How issues involving these segments of the population result in litigation, and what a typical lawsuit in this area looks like;
• Understanding how Title II of the ADA applies to law enforcement activities and how the courts assess law enforcement liability under the ADA.

Course content is approved by AZPOST for credit for sworn attendees.

PRESENTED BY:

Jim Jellison.  Managing attorney for Jellison Law Offices providing police legal advice, and training and litigation services in the areas of law enforcement liability, constitutional law and general government liability. Routinely litigating cases in the federal courts, Jim has experience handling ADA-based discrimination and retaliation lawsuits, at trial and on appeal, against governmental entities, their agencies, and departments.

Eric Edwards and Bill Amato.  Together, Eric Edwards and Bill Amato make up the firm Edwards & Amato, P.C. Eric and Bill have extensive experience as police legal advisors and trainers on law enforcement legal issues.  Their firm represents over 20 police departments in Arizona, with the primary mission of providing high quality legal services, law enforcement policies, and training across the spectrum of legal issues faced by police.  The firm also provides representation to the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police.