At the winter meeting of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC), LaShawnda Jackson joined a panel of other experienced attorneys to discuss the issue of liability and off-duty police hired to provide security for a private company.

The panel discussed who is potentially liable for the police officer’s actions and the insurance coverage implications along with what steps can be taken to minimize these risks. As an example, Jackson pointed out that a private business owner can be held liable for Section 1983 civil rights violations by using an off-duty police officer, but carefully crafting one’s policies for use of these officers can prevent such liability.