As a police officer, you may have a good idea on how a felony charge may impact the lives of the people you arrest. After all, you are tasked with upholding the law, and this means holding people accountable for their actions.
But when you are charged with a felony offense, the stakes can be just as high. A felony offense can be a death knell to your law enforcement career considering the difficulties police academy applicants with felonies experience trying to find a job with a department.
The reasoning behind this is just as simple as it is unforgiving. Officers with criminal records, particularly felonies, greatly undermine the integrity and credibility of a department. The actions of such officers will undoubtedly be questioned constantly. They will be liabilities in court, because their credibility will be challenged by defense attorneys. Because honesty and reliability are such critical elements in the relationship between a police department and the community it protects, there really is no room for officers with criminal convictions.
So for officers charged with such crimes, it is critical to have an experienced criminal defense attorney to guide you through the process. In addition to explaining your legal rights, a skilled attorney can advise you on administrative rights you have within the department. An attorney can also collect evidence vital to your defense.
Perhaps most importantly, your legal counsel can negotiate a plea bargain that may include acceptance of lesser charges (which carry lesser penalties). If you have questions about criminal charges against you, we invite you to contact us.
