You and your partner are on surveillance at a local
Scenario: You and your partner are on surveillance at a local office supply store. A confidential informant provided a tip that the store might be robbed shortly after closing time. Further information reveals that the informant received the tip from an acquaintance of his and that she is a known drug addict and therefore, you must take it for what it is worth. However, several office supply stores have been robbed in a similar fashion in neighboring counties. You receive a sketchy description of two Asian men who might be involved in the other robberies. The dispatcher notifies you that a citizen at a nearby strip mall heard what she thought was gunfire in the parking lot. Since you were close by, you and your partner head over to the shopping center.
Upon your arrival, the witness tells you that she “might have” heard gunfire and saw what appeared to be an Asian male walk into one of the stores while possibly carrying a gun in his back pocket. Shortly afterwards, an Asian man walks out of one of the stores and proceeds to the parking lot. You and your partner draw your weapons and order the man to get on the ground with his hands above his head. An Asian female gets out of a car located close to the suspect and starts yelling at you and your partner, wanting to know why her husband is on the ground. Following procedures, your partner orders the female back into the car, but she becomes hysterical and has to be restrained. Seeing what is happening to his wife, the suspect becomes agitated and tries to get up to help his wife. He is subdued and placed in handcuffs. He is arrested for resisting arrest as well as other charges. Several days later your chief notifies you that the man has filed suit for violation of his civil rights.
Assignment Guidelines
Address the following in 750–1,000 words:
What are the primary components of a typical police report?
Describe the primary components and then identify what information you would provide for each component based on the above scenario.
Did you and your partner have sufficient cause to be on stake out at the office supply store? Defend your answer.
Did you and your partner violate the Asian man’s civil rights? Why or why not?
Hypothetically speaking, what if his rights were violated? Would you support (as the chief of police) some form of disciplinary action against the officers involved? Why or why not?
Should the man’s wife be entitled to collect damages? Why or why not?
Do you believe that you and your partner engaged in racial profiling? Explain your answer. Assume that this case led to a public outcry for a citizen review board to examine questionable police activities and recommend disciplinary and policy actions.
Would you support the creation of such a board? Why or why not?
Be sure to reference all sources using APA style.