Seminar Title
SWAT Liability "Why Are We Getting Sued"
Dates of Events
11/09/2026 through 11/11/2026
Last Updated: 10/13/2026
Instructor(s): John Jack Ryan
Location: Police Training Academy - 6902 Yorktown Blvd, Corpus Christi, TX 78414
Course Registration Fee: $350
Instructor Bio
John Jack Ryan
Jack Ryan is an attorney in Rhode Island, a graduate Juris Doctorate, Cum Laude Suffolk University Law School and has 20 years of law enforcement experience as a police officer with the Providence Police Department, Providence, RI.
Jack’s law degree and experience as a police officer gives him the unique perspective of public safety legal and liability issues. Jack is a former adjunct faculty member at Salve Regina University and lectures frequently throughout the United States. He has authored several legal publications, including the LLRMI Best Selling “Legal Guide for Law Enforcement Officers and Supervisors” – an annually updated quick reference guide to U.S. Supreme Court case law impacting law enforcement policies and procedures. Jack has authored "Law Enforcement Best Practices" 6th Edition, "Jail and Best Practices", and "Emerging Legal Trends for SWAT, Tactical and Emergency Response Operations" Jack has written policies and procedures that have been adopted by over 1,000 law enforcement and corrections agencies across the United States.
Jack Ryan is an attorney in Rhode Island, a graduate Juris Doctorate, Cum Laude Suffolk University Law School and has 20 years of law enforcement experience as a police officer with the Providence Police Department, Providence, RI.
Jack’s law degree and experience as a police officer gives him the unique perspective of public safety legal and liability issues. Jack is a former adjunct faculty member at Salve Regina University and lectures frequently throughout the United States. He has authored several legal publications, including the LLRMI Best Selling “Legal Guide for Law Enforcement Officers and Supervisors” – an annually updated quick reference guide to U.S. Supreme Court case law impacting law enforcement policies and procedures. Jack has authored "Law Enforcement Best Practices" 6th Edition, "Jail and Best Practices", and "Emerging Legal Trends for SWAT, Tactical and Emergency Response Operations" Jack has written policies and procedures that have been adopted by over 1,000 law enforcement and corrections agencies across the United States.
Course Objectives
Course Overview:
Course Overview
This course is designed to help officers and agencies understand and manage liability risks in tactical, SWAT, and emergency response contexts. It examines recent and foundational court decisions that define acceptable standards of police conduct and highlights the growing landscape of civil litigation against law enforcement. Participants will gain practical knowledge of liability exposure under both civil rights and tort law and develop strategies for risk reduction and compliance with legal standards.
Key Themes
Litigation Trends: Understanding the surge in lawsuits against police officers/ agencies and how Supreme Court rulings shape liability.
Tort Law Exposure: Recognition of state-level tort claims (e.g., negligence, wrongful death) and how they intersect with civil rights litigation.
Use of Force: Deep dive into deadly and non-deadly force, including key precedents (Tennessee v. Garner, Graham v. Connor) and recent cases on pepper spray, positional asphyxia, less-lethal tools, and K-9 deployment.
Proactive Risk Management: Identifying risk areas, applying qualified immunity correctly, and structuring agency policies to reduce exposure.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
False Arrest / Malicious Prosecution / Seizure Issues
- Analyze claims of unlawful arrest or seizure
- Understand evolving case law and apply it to tactical operations
Duty to Protect / Public Duty Doctrine
- Explain the limits of duty to protect and how courts interpret the public duty
doctrine
-Evaluate liability when officers fail to act or when harm occurs despite intervention
Arrestee Suicides / Medical Needs of Prisoners
- Identify liability risks when custodial suicides or medical neglect occur
- Apply best practices for supervision, monitoring, and intervention
High-Speed Pursuits & Emergency Vehicle Operations
- Understand liability tied to vehicle pursuits and emergency response driving
- Review balancing of exigency vs. public safety through recent case law
Supervisor & Agency Liability
- Learn how supervisory failures can result in personal and agency liability
- Explore deliberate indifference and failure-to-train claims under Section 1983 Monell liability
Risk Assessment & Risk Reduction
- Conduct agency-level risk assessments
- Develop strategies to reduce exposure through training, supervision, and policy updates
Qualified Immunity
- Apply the qualified immunity doctrine in operational and courtroom contexts
- Recognize its limitations in tactical and SWAT deployments
New Legal Trends in Police Liability
- Examine emerging case law (e.g., review of officer conduct leading up to force incidents)
-Anticipate future challenges in use-of-force, technology integration, and public accountability
This course is designed to help officers and agencies understand and manage liability risks in tactical, SWAT, and emergency response contexts. It examines recent and foundational court decisions that define acceptable standards of police conduct and highlights the growing landscape of civil litigation against law enforcement. Participants will gain practical knowledge of liability exposure under both civil rights and tort law and develop strategies for risk reduction and compliance with legal standards.
Key Themes
Litigation Trends: Understanding the surge in lawsuits against police officers/ agencies and how Supreme Court rulings shape liability.
Tort Law Exposure: Recognition of state-level tort claims (e.g., negligence, wrongful death) and how they intersect with civil rights litigation.
Use of Force: Deep dive into deadly and non-deadly force, including key precedents (Tennessee v. Garner, Graham v. Connor) and recent cases on pepper spray, positional asphyxia, less-lethal tools, and K-9 deployment.
Proactive Risk Management: Identifying risk areas, applying qualified immunity correctly, and structuring agency policies to reduce exposure.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
False Arrest / Malicious Prosecution / Seizure Issues
- Analyze claims of unlawful arrest or seizure
- Understand evolving case law and apply it to tactical operations
Duty to Protect / Public Duty Doctrine
- Explain the limits of duty to protect and how courts interpret the public duty
doctrine
-Evaluate liability when officers fail to act or when harm occurs despite intervention
Arrestee Suicides / Medical Needs of Prisoners
- Identify liability risks when custodial suicides or medical neglect occur
- Apply best practices for supervision, monitoring, and intervention
High-Speed Pursuits & Emergency Vehicle Operations
- Understand liability tied to vehicle pursuits and emergency response driving
- Review balancing of exigency vs. public safety through recent case law
Supervisor & Agency Liability
- Learn how supervisory failures can result in personal and agency liability
- Explore deliberate indifference and failure-to-train claims under Section 1983 Monell liability
Risk Assessment & Risk Reduction
- Conduct agency-level risk assessments
- Develop strategies to reduce exposure through training, supervision, and policy updates
Qualified Immunity
- Apply the qualified immunity doctrine in operational and courtroom contexts
- Recognize its limitations in tactical and SWAT deployments
New Legal Trends in Police Liability
- Examine emerging case law (e.g., review of officer conduct leading up to force incidents)
-Anticipate future challenges in use-of-force, technology integration, and public accountability