This is an online, Missouri-specific legal studies course focused what law enforcement officers need to know about landlord-tenant law.

Section one explains what parts of landlord-tenant law are most relevant to officers in performing their duties. It explains the rights of tenants, guests, and trespassers; the landlord’s responsibilities; the tenant’s responsibilities; the tenant’s privacy rights; and eviction proceedings.

Section two examines whether officers may assist a landlord using “self-help” to evict a tenant. It provides examples of situations where landlords have wrongfully evicted tenants and the potential consequences for officers who participate in those evictions.

Section three examines the role of law enforcement officers in a legal eviction process. It explains when law enforcement officers may forcibly enter a premises and remove a tenant. The section further examines what happens to a tenant’s property left on the premises.

Section four examines the circumstances under which officers may remove adult children from a parent’s home. It explains the obligation of parents to care for their children and when those obligations apply. The section addresses situations where an adult child is a tenant, trespasser, or domestic abuser.

Section five examines how landlord-tenant law affects an officer’s ability to conduct a warrantless search of a premises. It explains when a person has Fourth Amendment protection in a rented premises. It also explains who may consent to a search of a rented premises and the extent of that authority to consent.