MICHAEL L. RAINS, ESQ. Principal Rains Lucia Stern, PC At the PORAC Conference last November, I presented a class on issues relating to social media postings by police officers, and discussed a number of cases where officers had been severely disciplined or fired for social media posts. One of the […]
Category: PORAC LDF News
ANDREW M. DAWSON Partner Dawson & Riley, LLP A night of celebration resulted in a traffic accident and unwarranted suspension for an off-duty Inglewood police officer (“appellant”). The appellant was responsible and took all of the proper precautions when he went out to celebrate with friends for his birthday. After […]
Posted by ZACHERY A. LOPES, ESQ. Associate Rains Lucia Stern, PC ZACHERY A. LOPES, ESQ. Associate Rains Lucia Stern, PC In Mullenix v. Luna, 577 U.S. ___ (2015), decided by the United States Supreme Court on November 9, 2015, the Supreme Court further defines and seemingly expands the reach of […]
You’ve heard the common admonishment: “Don’t discuss this investigation with anyone other than your representative, the Department’s administration or Internal Affairs.” However, imagine the Department disciplining an officer for doing just that — consulting with his POA union representatives. This is a right you are constitutionally entitled to under the […]
On December 2, 2015, Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Pauline Maxwell dismissed the Penal Code § 149 (assault under color of authority) allegations against former County Custody Deputies Chris Johnson and Robert Kirsch — charges that stemmed from the same facts that resulted in their acquittals in federal court […]