2026: The Year in Review
What Law Enforcement Needs to Know Before 2027
With Dr. John G. Peters, Jr. and James “Jeb” Brown, Esq.
One Hour. A Year of Major Developments. A Practical Look Ahead.
The rules, risks, and technologies affecting public safety did not stand still in 2026. Neither can your agency.
Join Shield Public Safety Training for a free, fast-paced look at the court decisions, surveillance controversies, jury awards, legislation, and emerging issues that matter most to law enforcement and corrections professionals. We will translate the year's developments into policy, training, supervision, investigation, and litigation-readiness priorities for 2027.
We will also reveal Shield's planned 2027 Shield Thursdays topics and live professional development programs, so you can begin building your training calendar.
What We Will Cover
Supreme Court: Chatrie and Beyond
Chatrie v. United States and geofence data: what the Court actually decided, what it left open on remand, and the questions investigators should ask before seeking digital-location evidence. We will also cover Zorn v. Linton and look at significant matters on the Court's docket, distinguishing decided cases from those merely granted or awaiting review.
Flock, ALPRs & Privacy
Cross-agency data sharing, unauthorized access, false alerts, data retention, contract controls, and the growing debate around automated license plate readers. What should chiefs, sheriffs, investigators, and municipal lawyers audit now?
Large Verdicts & Expanding Exposure
From the approximately $11 million Wilver Blanco LAPD shooting verdict to Chicago's recently approved $260.8 million wrongful-conviction settlement, we will examine what major awards and settlements tell agencies about evidence, supervision, medical and mental-health response, and litigation exposure. A verdict is not the same as a final judgment or settlement.
AI Police Reports: Opportunity and Risk
AI-assisted report writing, hallucinations, disclosure obligations, human verification, audit trails, vendor oversight, and the continuing need for an officer to own the facts in a report.
Federal Appellate Watch
Selected consequential cases pending in federal courts of appeals involving use of force, qualified immunity, disability-related calls, surveillance, and corrections liability. We will identify the issues, procedural posture, and implications of decisions issued before December 10.
New Legislation: Five Practical Examples
California AB 2760 (wearable electroshock devices), SB 691 (body-camera medical-treatment redaction procedures), SB 1004 (face coverings), SB 524 (disclosure when AI helps draft police reports), and AB 1777 (autonomous-vehicle interactions with first responders). Different enactment dates and jurisdictional limits apply.
Why Attend?
Know What Changed
Understand major 2026 judicial and legislative developments without sorting through months of headlines.
Know What to Review
Leave with specific questions to ask about force policy, ALPR safeguards, AI reports, BWC procedures, and supervisory oversight.
See What's Coming
Spot legal and operational issues that may shape agency decisions and litigation in 2027.
Plan Your Training
Get an advance overview of the Shield Thursdays schedule and live symposia planned for the new year.
A Little Something Extra: 2027 Training Giveaway
Three complimentary Shield Thursdays seats for 2027. We plan to select three eligible participants at random, each to receive one free registration to a regular paid Shield Thursdays webinar in 2027.
Participation details, eligibility, selection procedures, restrictions, and official rules will be published before the event. No purchase will be necessary. The giveaway is a thank-you—not a reason to miss the briefing.
Who Should Attend?
2027 Shield Thursdays — First Half Preview
Mark these dates. Topics below reflect Shield's current program calendar and may be refined before registration opens.
| Date | Planned Topic |
|---|---|
| January 28, 2027 | 2027 Legal & Technology Forecast |
| February 25, 2027 | AI Governance: What Agencies Need in 2027 |
| March 25, 2027 | First Amendment Auditors: Lawful Responses to Recording & Provocation |
| April 29, 2027 | The Officer's Own Speech: Social Media, Off-Duty Posts & Discipline |
| May 27, 2027 | When the Threat Comes from Within: Sexual Harassment & Workplace Violence in Public Safety Agencies |
| June 24, 2027 | Internal Affairs: Investigation Mistakes That Create Risk |
2027 Live Programs & Symposia
Plan ahead for Shield's immersive, scenario-driven training opportunities. Dates and locations are subject to confirmation or change.
| When | Program | Location / Format |
|---|---|---|
| March 2 & 4, 2027 | The Modern Public Safety Supervisor | Two-day live virtual workshop |
| April 5–7, 2027 | ADA Behind Bars | Maricopa County Sheriff's Office · Phoenix, Arizona |
| April 2027 | ADA Behind Bars | Horry County, South Carolina · Myrtle Beach area |
| May 17–19, 2027 | AI for Investigators: Practical Applications for Criminal and Administrative Investigations | Location to be announced |
| August 16–18, 2027 | Critical Incident: From Trigger Pull to Verdict | Location to be announced |
| October 18–20, 2027 | First Amendment in the Real World | Utah · city to be announced |
Your Presenters
Dr. John G. Peters, Jr.
Co-founder of Shield Public Safety Training and nationally recognized public safety educator and consultant.
James “Jeb” Brown, Esq.
Attorney with more than three decades of experience representing and advising law enforcement agencies and personnel; President of Shield Public Safety Training.
Finish 2026 Informed. Start 2027 Prepared.
Thursday, December 10, 2026 · 9:00 AM PST / 12:00 PM EST
Free Live 60-Minute Shield Thursdays Webinar
REGISTER FREE →Questions? staff@shieldpst.org