Law Enforcement Liability

Municipal liability resulting from actions taken by law enforcement officers can be significant. This potential municipality liability arises particularly when it involves use of force, seizure of persons or property, entry into dwellings, use of lethal and non-lethal weapons, the detention and arrest of individuals, failure to train, and customs or policies that are inconsistent with the current applicable laws.

Feerick Nugent MacCartney, Esqs., led by Attorney Brian D. Nugent, provide clients the following legal services:
Risk Assessment Review and Analysis of Municipal Policies (RAMP) Police Department Special Counsel Services
Legal Updates
Training Civil Service Matters Disciplinary Matters

Brian D. Nugent, Esq. has significant experience in the field of law enforcement liability. Mr. Nugent served as a law enforcement officer for over twenty years, is a certified Police Instructor in New York State and has trained law enforcement officers across New York State, including providing legal liability training to Tactical Team (S.W.A.T.) officers. During his law enforcement career, Attorney Nugent was responsible for formulating and revising police policies, procedures, and regulations, training, scheduling and assuming command of critical incidents. In addition, Attorney Nugent was a charter member of the Standards and Oversight Committee that established the multi-jurisdictional Rockland County Rescue, Entry and Counter-Terrorism Team (REACT) consisting of a successful collaborative inter-governmental effort of multiple police agencies. Subsequent to establishment of the REACT Team, Attorney Nugent responded as part of the command staff to critical incidents and execution of high-risk search warrants. The Rockland REACT Team remains a successful and critical component of law enforcement in New York’s Hudson Valley.

Attorney Nugent’s law enforcement experience combined with his legal training in municipal law, civil liability, labors matters provide him with unique and valuable insight on law enforcement liability and related issues. In addition to defending officers in civil liability cases and providing legal liability training, Attorney Nugent has performed legal review and analysis of policies and procedures for numerous law enforcement agencies, SWAT Teams, and other municipal entities to ensure that the agencies’ policies are in compliance with current legal standards. Through Feerick Nugent MacCartney’s Review and Analysis of Municipal Policy (RAMP) Program, municipal police agencies can submit their policies for thorough legal review and analysis to ensure that the policies are consistent with current legal standards.

Attorney Nugent is a published author on inter-municipal cooperation agreements and the use of TASER devices by law enforcement personnel.

Attorneys at Feerick Nugent MacCartney can also provide Special Counsel services to Police administrations, guiding law enforcement executives in various legal issues, including disciplinary matters, 207-c, civil service law, records disclosure, and policy issues.

Contact Us

Please call our South Nyack Office at (845) 353-2000
for inquiries regarding our Law Enforcement Liability Practice,
or to arrange a consultation with one of our lawyers below:

Brian D. Nugent, Partner