Law Enforcement Officer Representation

• Critical Incidents – when a suspect or civilian is injured or killed when you are trying to do your job, it is imperative that you seek legal help even if you believe everything you did was warranted and as you were trained to do. You have a lot to lose including your tenure, pension and your livelihood and having an attorney on your side could be crucial.
• Decertification – there has been a drastic uptick in the number of decertification hearings and appeals since the 2020 amendment to Va. Code § 15.2-1707. If you are facing decertification of your law-enforcement credentials or you wish to appeal the decertification of your law-enforcement credentials, you want to make sure you have an attorney representing you at that hearing.
• Disciplinary Actions – if you have been informed the department is taking disciplinary action against you, you have the right to request a hearing and to be heard. You also want to make sure you have an attorney representing you and your interests at that hearing.
• Grievances – when you have a grievance with your employer, you need an attorney who understands how difficult your job is and understands how the grievance process works at the local and state level.
• FLSA Claims – if you believe you are not being paid fairly, your hours are being reported incorrectly have other issues that you feel have impacted your ability to collect fair and proper wages you have the right to file an FLSA claim. Remember, you have only two years from the date the issue arose to file such a claim so time is of the essence.
• Internal Affairs/Professional Standards Investigations – Internal Affairs investigations may be launched when a citizen files a complaint, a fellow officer reports certain behavior to your superior or for any other reason your employer deems appropriate. An attorney can help ensure your rights are protected and also make sure that the investigation is conducted in a fair and impartial manner.
• LEOPGA– when you are facing any type of action which could result in dismissal, demotion, suspension or transfer for punitive reasons, you need someone who is going to represent your interests. The Law Enforcement Officers Procedural Guarantee Act (LEOPGA) provides certain rights to all law enforcement officers and I provide you with the representation you need at these hearings.
  

If you are a law enforcement officer and you feel you need legal representation, contact me at (804) 358-2909 or email me to discuss your case. I will evaluate your situation and help you determine the best way forward.