The Responding to First Amendment-Protected Events—The Role of State and Local Law Enforcement Officers videos are designed to assist law enforcement personnel in:
- Understanding their roles and responsibilities as they prepare for and respond to a First Amendment-protected event
- Protecting the privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties of persons and groups participating in a First Amendment-protected event
- Reinforcing fundamental concepts learned at law enforcement training academies and during in-service programs.
When responding to First Amendment-protected events, whether a planned demonstration or a grassroots-developed protest, law enforcement officers must understand their roles and responsibilities. The Bureau of Justice Assistance, with the support of the Global Justice Information Sharing Initiative and the Criminal Intelligence Coordinating Council, developed the Responding to First Amendment-Protected Events—The Role of State and Local Law Enforcement Officers videos to assist agency leadership in providing training to officers and agency personnel as they prepare for and respond to a First Amendment-protected event, in a manner that diligently protects the privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties of persons and groups.
Versions
There are two versions of the video.
Training Video: The longer training video (9 minutes in length) is designed to provide an overview to help law enforcement personnel prepare for and respond to a First Amendment-protected event and understand the privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties issues associated with a First Amendment-protected event. At the end of the video is a short quiz, with the option to print a certificate of completion.
Line Officer Roll Call Video: The shorter line officer roll call video (4 minutes in length) provides an introductory overview of law enforcement personnel's roles and responsibilities at a First Amendment-protected event. This version is designed to be used during roll call and pre-event briefings.
Additional Resources
In addition to this training video, BJA, with the support of Global, has released numerous resources to assist agencies in the ongoing protection of privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties.
- Recommendations for First Amendment-Protected Events for State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies
- The Role of State and Local Law Enforcement at First Amendment Events Line Officer Reference Card
- Privacy, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties Policy Development Guide for State, Local, and Tribal Justice Entities
- The Importance of Privacy, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties Protections in American Law Enforcement and Public Safety Line Officer Training Video