Representation of Law Enforcement Officers.
Police, Sheriff, Corrections and Related Professions!
Accepting Many Plan Coverages!
Representing the men and women in law enforcement throughout Colorado, with first-hand knowledge of police procedures and protocol.
| Legal representation of law enforcement officers and related personnel for on-duty and off-duty incidents. Knowledge and experience regarding police investigations and civil liability of police, sheriff, and other law enforcement officers. | |
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Attorney David C. Colt |
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Serving Law Enforcement
Officers in |
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| Hey Officer, Do You Have A Critical Incident Plan? Here Are a Few Suggestions ... | |
| 1. Create a personal plan to implement if you're involved in a critical incident. Your department has a plan for its response in an officer-involved shooting. Your district attorney's office has a plan to determine whether criminal charges may be applicable. Even your county or city attorney has a plan to address the civil liability issues involved in such situations. Keep in mind that their plans primarily address their interests and needs -- not yours. I encourage you to form your own plan (making sure it attends to your employer's plan) on how you'll act at scene, what you'll say or not say, and how you'll ultimately proceed after the incident. | 3. Have a legal plan that provides you with counsel 24-7. Many of the plans which provide legal counsel for officers in critical incidents, subsequent internal investigations and resulting civil or criminal liability are a cheap form of insurance. While attorney representation or assistance can cost thousands of dollars, these plans usually provide certain benefits for about the cost of one good meal per month. Be sure to inquire into the benefits of any plan you're considering since the benefits vary. |
| 2. Don't tell everyone that shows up on scene what happened. Be aware that everyone you talk to involving a deadly force encounter will be a witness – possibly against you -- and will most likely report what you said. Even if your statements are consistent, the more people who report your statements increase the likelihood of different versions being recorded. This makes it look like you told a different version of what happened. It's tempting to tell the first backup officer to arrive on scene what happened, then the corporal when he arrives, then the sergeant when she arrives, then the commander, the chief, etc. Don't do it! Keep your statements to a minimum and speak with legal counsel first before making a full statement. | 4. Make sure you can contact legal counsel for assistance 24 hours a day. When developing your plan I recommend finding an attorney who's available whenever the need arises. Many attorneys are accessible only during normal business hours but most officer-involved shootings happen at inconvenient hours, i.e. early Sunday morning as bars are closing. Make sure you carry the after-hours phone number for an attorney in case you need it. I'd also include numbers for family notification and counseling. Remember, if you're involved in a critical incident your plan should focus on your best interests while being aware it needs to mesh with your employer's and agency's procedures too. I hope this basic list will get you started. |
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Mr. Colt, a
former law enforcement officer and
criminal investigator, is familiar
with police protocols and procedures,
internal affairs investigations, and
civil
and criminal liabilities involved
with being a |
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Legal Disclaimer and Warning:
The information that you obtain at this website is not legal advice. You should speak directly to an attorney regarding your specific legal situation. We invite you to contact us, by telephone or email; however, merely contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send us any confidential information until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established. Attorney David Colt does not represent you for your claims unless there is a written agreement between him and you confirming that he does represent you for your case. |
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| Location: | |
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Colt
Law
Firm,
PC |
| Telephone: | |
| 303-355-1800 | |
| Email: | |
| attorney@coltlawfirm.com | |
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