JLST 10
Policing the Police Winter 2024

Recent high-profile killings of civilians by the police, including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Tyree Nichols, have led to increased public scrutiny of law enforcement. Police departments are also facing unprecedented challenges in hiring and keeping officers. In this course, we will analyze current doctrines addressing police misconduct and potential avenues for future reform by using films, articles, podcasts, and case law. We will examine customary responses to police misconduct, including internal affairs investigations and criminal prosecution of individual officers, as well as present appeals for structural reform. Topics will include bias in policing and the intersection of law enforcement and mental health. Class will meet twice per week, and students will choose an aspect of the issues engaged with as a subject for their final research paper.