DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. — Widener University Commonwealth Law School is spotlighting crucial issues that affect emergency medical services, law enforcement and civil rights.
Legal and EMS professionals are gathering Thursday to discuss high-profile cases that emphasize the need for clarity on medical responsibility and accountability when individuals in police custody require urgent medical care.
In addition to critical case study discussion, defense attorneys from the Elijah McClain case will be in attendance to share firsthand experiences from that case. It’s a significant national story that has drawn intense focus on the complex responsibilities of EMS and law enforcement professionals.
There will also be a panel discussion to discuss legal and ethical frameworks needed to build effective EMS-law enforcement collaborations.
"What we hope to do is spur some dialogue that EMS agencies, law enforcement agencies, and communities can use to spur change. We're going to be talking about models for state laws that can address it at the state level and then really practical takeaways that local police departments and EMS agencies can implement," said Attorney Doug Wolfberg of Page, Wolfberg & Wirth, LLC.
"Changes to policies, collaborative training that those departments can develop the skills necessary in how to properly care for these folks when they are ill or injured in police custody."
For more on the Widener University Commonwealth Law School, click here.