Belmont Police Officers get Legal Updates during Recent Training

Committed to staying informed about changes to laws and updates in current criminal procedures, the Belmont Police Department recently dispatched five officers to complete a Law Enforcement Liability In-service Training, held on November 4 at the Acton Police Department. The Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association (MIIA), Belmont’s property and casualty insurance provider, conducted the full-day training session free of charge. The training, attended by a total of 42 officers, served not to only educate the participating officers, but also to help minimize potential liability issues and save money on municipal insurance premiums.

According to Belmont Police Chief Richard McLaughlin the Police Department has greatly benefited from their relationship with MIIA. This past training session is one example of many opportunities that the organization has given to officers from Belmont and around the region. McLaughlin said that the Belmont Police Department is always looking to partner with other organizations in order to provide quality training to its officers. This type of additional training benefits not only the officers but also the police department and most importantly the community they serve.

The interactive course covered the latest developments in motor vehicle and criminal law and helped clarify the often complicated jurisdictional procedures faced by officers in their day-to-day jobs. Participants learned how to best address vehicle stops including reckless driving and civil offenses, as well as handle exit orders and frisks. They discussed developments related to firearms regulations and medical marijuana, as well as cell phones and recording police. Participants examined procedural updates for domestic violence, children requiring assistance, juvenile issues, and interrogation. All attendees received a reference manual covering a range of issues, including the topics covered during the in-person training and more.

John Scheft – founder of Law Enforcement Dimensions, LLC and author of widely-used manuals on motor vehicle law, criminal law and juvenile issues – conducted the training. Upon completion of this and other MIIA risk- and loss-prevention programs, participating municipalities are eligible to receive insurance premium credits through the MIIA Rewards Programs, reducing costs of property and casualty insurance.

About MIIA

The Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association (MIIA) is the non-profit insurance arm of the Massachusetts Municipal Association.  In fiscal year 2015, MIIA awarded over $2.2 million of premium credit collectively to the membership through its Rewards program for 13-year total of $24.4 million since the program’s inception. As a member-based organization, MIIA’s only focus is to provide excellent service and quality risk management solutions to Massachusetts municipalities and related public entities. Municipal insurance its only business, MIIA insures nearly 400 cities, towns, and other public entities in Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.emiia.org and www.mma.org.