ABSTRACT
While the majority of complaints will be processed in a standard manner, some cases will require special handling due to the size and breadth of the investigations, timeline concerns, unique issues encountered in law enforcement, or complicated legal factors. Chapter 5 presents examples of matters that could possibly require special assignment or handling, which include: cases in which the investigative office has concurrent jurisdiction with another agency, complaints resulting from alleged civil rights or Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) violations, complaints involving criminal allegations, allegations of biased policing, cases implicating officers’ First Amendment rights, investigations resulting from large demonstrations or events with multiple related complaints, and misconduct allegations growing out of critical incidents. Innovative and responsive strategies used by law enforcement agencies in New Orleans and New Jersey to teach officers peer intervention and proper treatment of LGBTQ+ persons are highlighted in this chapter. There is also a discussion of issues to consider as law enforcement utilizes and responds to new technologies and use of video/audio recordings. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the impact of video/audio recordings in the investigation of the shooting death of Laquan McDonald in Chicago.
