Upcoming Events
Shield Thursdays: March 26, 2026 - The Fourth Amendment & Emerging Technologies
March 26, 2026
Noon PST | 3:00 PM EST
Presented by Jeb Brown, Esq.
Artificial intelligence. Geofence warrants. Cell-site simulators. Facial recognition. License plate readers. Body-worn camera analytics.
Emerging technologies are redefining investigations — and reshaping Fourth Amendment doctrine.
In this focused, one-hour Shield Thursdays webinar, we examine how courts are applying constitutional search-and-seizure principles to modern investigative tools. Participants will receive a practical analysis of Supreme Court precedent, federal circuit trends, and operational risk considerations for agencies deploying advanced technology.
Participants Will Learn:
How Carpenter, Riley, and related precedent apply to emerging technologies
The constitutional implications of AI-assisted investigations
Warrant requirements in digital privacy cases
Litigation exposure and civil liability trends
Policy drafting and training strategies to mitigate risk
This program is designed for chiefs, command staff, supervisors, investigators, public information officers, and municipal attorneys responsible for ensuring constitutionally sound deployment of technology.
Shield Public Safety Training delivers legally grounded, operationally practical instruction for modern public safety leaders.
Shield Thursdays: April 30, 2026 - Less Lethal Options
Less Lethal Munitions: What They Are — and When to Use Them
April 30
Noon PST | 3:00 PM EST
Presented by A. David Berman
Less lethal munitions are critical tools in modern law enforcement — but their effectiveness depends on lawful deployment, proper selection, training, and clear policy guidance.
In this one-hour Shield Thursdays webinar, A. David Berman provides a practical, legally grounded overview of commonly deployed less lethal systems and the constitutional standards governing their use. This session will bridge tactical decision-making with use-of-force jurisprudence, risk management, and policy development.
Participants Will Learn:
The major categories of less lethal munitions (impact projectiles, chemical agents, specialty rounds, and more)
When deployment is tactically appropriate — and when it is not
Fourth Amendment reasonableness standards governing less lethal force
Crowd-control considerations and evolving case law trends
Policy drafting essentials and training documentation strategies
Civil liability exposure and risk mitigation best practices
This program is designed for chiefs, command staff, supervisors, use-of-force instructors, tactical team members, and municipal attorneys advising law enforcement agencies.
Shield Thursdays delivers focused, operationally practical, legally defensible training for today’s public safety professionals.
If your agency deploys less lethal tools — or is considering expanding its capabilities — this webinar is essential.
Shield Thursdays: May 28, 2026 - Current State of Qualified Immunity
The Current State of Qualified Immunity
May 28
Noon PST | 3:00 PM EDT
Presented by Neil Okazaki, Esq.
Qualified immunity remains one of the most significant — and most debated — doctrines affecting law enforcement officers and the agencies they serve. Courts continue to refine its contours, while legislatures across the country evaluate statutory reforms that may expand, limit, or eliminate its protections.
In this focused, one-hour Shield Thursdays webinar, Neil Okazaki, Esq. provides a clear, practical explanation of qualified immunity, how it operates in federal civil rights litigation, and how recent judicial and legislative developments are reshaping the landscape.
Participants Will Learn:
The legal foundation and purpose of qualified immunity
How the “clearly established law” standard is applied in use-of-force and arrest cases
The two-step analysis courts use in §1983 litigation
Recent federal circuit and Supreme Court trends
State-level statutory changes affecting officer liability
Practical implications for policy, supervision, and risk management
This session is designed for chiefs, command staff, supervisors, internal affairs investigators, municipal attorneys, and risk managers who must understand how qualified immunity impacts operational decision-making and civil exposure.
Shield Thursdays delivers concise, legally rigorous training for public safety leaders navigating an evolving liability environment.
If your agency is concerned about litigation risk, officer protection, or evolving accountability standards, this webinar is essential.
July 13-15, 2026: Cutting Edge Issues on Use of Force
Join us at Fox Valley Technical College in Wisconsin for our 2.5-day live training: Cutting Edge Issues on Use of Force (Trends, Technology, and the Law)
With speakers Jeb Brown, John Peters, & TBD
WHEN: July 13-15, 2026
WHERE: TBD
Why This Training Matters: Use-of-force decisions are now evaluated through intense legal, technological, and public scrutiny. This advanced, in-person seminar helps law enforcement agencies reduce liability, protect officers, and improve decision-making by aligning policy, training, and tactics with current constitutional standards.
Topics Covered:
De-escalation and pre-force decision-making under the totality of the circumstances
Body-worn camera impacts on investigations, discipline, prosecutions, and public trust
First Amendment demonstrations, protests, and auditor
Less-lethal technology: constitutional limits, medical risks, and policy failures
High-profile officer-involved shooting case studies
Qualified immunity and expanding state-level liability exposure
Mental health crisis response and DOJ enforcement findings
Use-of-force data, transparency obligations, and Monell liability
Drone technology and use-of-force decision-making
Criminal prosecution of officers in use-of-force cases
Supreme Court update on Barnes v. Felix and emerging
national trends
August 2026: First Amendment Symposium
The First Amendment for Law Enforcement
Comprehensive 2.5-Day Seminar
September 2026: ADA in the Jails-The Fragile Inmate
ADA in the Jails: Managing the Fragile Inmate
SHIELD Public Safety Training programs are designed to reduce agency liability, strengthen constitutional compliance, improve operational decision-making, and prevent the types of failures that lead to DOJ intervention, class‑action litigation, and catastrophic civil verdicts. By focusing on the inmate populations and operational failures most often identified in federal investigations, this course delivers measurable risk reduction and long‑term cost avoidance that far exceeds the cost of attendance.
This comprehensive ADA jail operations program examines how disability‑related obligations are evaluated in today’s environment—by the Department of Justice, federal courts, plaintiffs’ attorneys, and independent monitors. The course integrates Supreme Court authority, DOJ findings, real‑world case studies, and operational best practices to help jail leaders manage fragile inmate populations lawfully, safely, and defensibly.
Topics Covered
How the Americans with Disabilities Act applies to jails and correctional operations
Intake, screening, and early identification of ADA‑related needs
Managing deaf and hard‑of‑hearing inmates and effective communication requirements
Accommodating blind and visually impaired inmates in written and electronic systems
Mental illness, segregation, discipline, and suicide‑related ADA exposure
Intellectual and developmental disabilities, cognitive impairment, and PREA overlap
Department of Justice jail investigations and enforcement trends
Class‑action litigation arising from systemic ADA failures
Identifying ADA failures through audits, data analysis, and supervisory oversight
Correcting ADA deficiencies and managing medical and mental‑health vendors
Who Should Attend
Sheriffs, undersheriffs, and executive leadership
Jail administrators and command staff
Custody supervisors and classification personnel
ADA coordinators and compliance staff
Medical and mental‑health leadership
County counsel, risk managers, and legal advisors
Why This Course Matters
ADA failures in jails frequently result in DOJ investigations, federal consent decrees, class‑action lawsuits, and long‑term loss of operational control. Mental illness, cognitive impairment, and communication barriers are consistently identified as high‑risk areas in deaths in custody, use‑of‑force incidents, and systemic civil rights findings. This course helps agencies align policy, training, and operations with current legal standards while providing practical tools to identify and correct problems before they escalate.
Return on Investment (ROI)
This course targets the highest financial, operational, and reputational risks facing jail facilities. ROI is realized through reduced DOJ exposure, avoidance of class‑action litigation, improved documentation of good‑faith compliance, lower civil settlement costs, and stronger institutional defenses when incidents occur. Preventing a single DOJ investigation or systemic ADA failure can save agencies millions of dollars and preserve long‑term operational autonomy.
Shield Thursdays: First Amendment and Public Demonstrations
Virtual webinar with Shield President, Jeb Brown, discussing first amendment and public demonstrations