What It Is Qualified immunity is a legal doctrine established by the U.S. Supreme Court that shields government officials, including law enforcement officers, from personal lawsuits seeking monetary damages unless they violate “clearly established” constitutional or...
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Police Law in a Nutshell: The New Law Limiting State and Local Support of Immigration Enforcement
Introduction LD 1971, “An Act to Protect Workers in This State by Clarifying the Relationship Between State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies and Federal Immigration Authorities,” takes effect in mid-July 2026 (specifically, 90 days after the current legislative...
Police Law in a Nutshell: Deadly Force Review Panel
By Brian MacMaster The creation of the Deadly Force Review Panel was the result of legislation passed in 2019. The original bill, introduced by Rep. Jeffrey Evangelos of Friendship, called for an independent board to review investigations of all officer-involved...
Police Law in a Nutshell: Some Retrospective Observations from Over 50 Years of Policing
While the tools and procedures have evolved, the principles of diligent, thoughtful policing and the importance of clear communication have remained constant. Having been in law enforcement for 55 years, I have often been asked about the differences in policing...
Police Law in a Nutshell: Vehicle Stops – When Does the Seizure End?
By Brian MacMaster Vehicle Stops Constitute Seizures Vehicle stops make up a significant part of any patrol officer’s duties. The law surrounding vehicle stops, especially the extent of an officer’s permissible actions and the authorized duration of a stop, is not...
Police Law in a Nutshell: Guidelines for Release of Information
GUIDELINES FOR THE PUBLIC RELEASE OF INFORMATION IN CONNECTION WITH AN INVESTIGATION, INCIDENT, OR CRIME The release of intelligence and investigative information is governed by the limitations outlined in 16 M.R.S. § 804. Releasing such information requires...
Police Law in a Nutshell: Home Searches (Part 3) – Warrant Searches
There are only three lawful ways to enter a home: with consent, exigent circumstances, or with a warrant. This installment of Police Law in a Nutshell offers a brief explanation of warrant searches. Previous installments covered consent and exigent circumstances...
Police Law in a Nutshell: Home Searches (Part 2) – Exigent Circumstances
There are only three lawful ways to enter a home: consent, exigent circumstances, or a warrant. This installment of Police Law in a Nutshell will briefly explain exigent circumstances. A previous installment covered consent searches, and a future post will discuss...
Police Law in a Nutshell: Home Searches (Part 1) – Consent
There are only three ways to lawfully search a home: Consent, Exigency, or Warrant. This installment of Police Law in a Nutshell will briefly explain Consent, while future posts will cover Exigency and Warrant separately. Home Searches 1 - Consent Consent must be...
Police Law in a Nutshell: Asserting Right to Silence or Right to an Attorney
Officers know when to advise suspects of their Miranda rights, but are sometimes unsure what actions to take if a suspect invokes the right to silence or the right to an attorney. Let’s try to grasp it all in a nutshell. First of all, just a quick refresher that...