‘Twas the Night Before a No-Knock Raid
Like Santa, SWAT's making a list… and, hopefully, checking it twice before they invade someone's home.
Enter to Learn, But Leave Your Rights at the Door
Because police officers are increasingly being used in school settings, parents—and the broader public—should be informed as to how and when they are questioning or disciplining young students.
Could you sue the government if its employees hurt you?
Utah law gives police immunity from being sued if they negligently injure a suspect being pursued in a high speed chase—even in cases where they may not have followed the law.
Here’s What Utah’s SWAT Teams Have Been Up To in 2015
Utah is the only state with a law requiring police transparency regarding “forcible entry” (no-knock or knock-and-announce) warrants and the use of SWAT teams. Last year’s report provided the first look into the...
Utah Law Enforcement Officials Mislead Legislature to Oppose Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform
When “Initiative B” was being considered in 2000 by Utah voters—a measure designed to limit the ability of government to legally take property from people not convicted of a crime—law enforcement officials strenuously...
HB22: Reforming Civil Asset Forfeiture, Protecting Property Owners
This bill passed the House 56-17 but was tabled in a Senate committee. Libertas Institute supports this bill. Utah recently received a “D-” from the Institute for Justice for its forfeiture laws, and the potential for...
HB386: Creating Statewide Guidelines for Police Body Cameras
This bill was not considered by the legislature. Libertas Institute supports this bill. Libertas Institute spent hundreds of man hours over the past year working on a comprehensive proposal for the use of body cameras in Utah....
SB82: Restricting Police Officers Using Forcible Entry into Homes
This bill passed the Senate unanimously and passed the House 67-3. It was subsequently signed into law by Governor Herbert. Libertas Institute supports this bill. Last year, Libertas Institute proposed model legislation to...
Police shootings must be addressed to restore public trust
The following op-ed was published this weekend in the Salt Lake Tribune. Last weekend, The Salt Lake Tribune revealed an alarming data point: In recent years, police officers have killed more Utahns than have gang members. As a...
Forfeiture Revenue for Fiscal Year 2014 Revealed
In a presentation to the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee this week, a representative from the Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice presented legislators with a report on how much money has been...