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2.5-4 Testimony of Police Officials
Revised to December 1, 2007
Police officials have testified in this case. You must determine the credibility of police officials in the same way and by the same standards as you would evaluate the testimony of any other witness. The testimony of a police official is entitled to no special or exclusive weight merely because it comes from a police official. You should recall (his/her) demeanor on the stand and manner of testifying, and weigh and balance it just as carefully as you would the testimony of any other witness.
You should neither believe nor disbelieve the testimony of a police official just because (he/she) is a police official.
Commentary
It is preferable to give
appropriate emphasis to the instruction on police testimony by devoting a
separate instruction to that subject. State v. Banks, 59 Conn. App. 112,
132- 35, cert. denied, 254 Conn. 950 (2000); State v. Nieves, 36 Conn.
App. 546, 550, cert. denied, 232 Conn. 916 (1995).