Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 4012 AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: FEBRUARY 2017 by Mike Durant PORAC President A fter generations of listening to the interests and con- cerns of frontline officers on the streets, we have grown into the largest law enforcement organization in the United States. On a daily basis, we rep- resent the interests of over 69,000 public safety members and more than 920 associa- tions. PORAC stands as a unified political force in Sacramento. Each year, we listen closely to the officers at every level of experience to write legisla- tion with the express purpose of enhancing the safety and well-being of our officers and their families. PORAC leadership invests heavily in addressing the is- sues that will have a lasting im- pact on the men and women who wear a badge. It is our belief that our colleagues who protect and serve deserve to be protected and served. We also recognize the criti- cal importance of working closely with stakeholders from every demographic in creat- ing an environment where communities trust the officers who work to keep their streets safe. We are in this together. Service is always our goal. However, our job also in- volves enforcement. We want fairness and decency to be our guide. Yet, we cannot forget that compliance during a stop cannot be discretionary. Any retreat on that simple premise invites chaos. PORAC has testified in leg- islative committee hearings on legislation that increases transparency while not put- ting the officer at an unfair risk. Consider: • We support body cameras • We have been in the vanguard of advocating for greater training • We have a strong commitment to neighborhood policing and community outreach Our goal is to have every person, from every ethnic group and possible demo- graphic, embrace the work we do. We have attended commission meetings set up by the Attorney General and we’ve spoken to local, state- wide and federal policymak- ers, all in an effort to be part of the greater solution that mends wounds and builds bridges. We do this job because we want families to be safe and businesses to be secure. Ours is a career that is chosen because we subscribe to the idea of working col- laboratively with others. PO- RAC and its members want to ensure that our collective voices are being heard, and as a result, real solutions are being crafted. PORAC believes that our society can overcome tough times by working together to resolve differences. Our door is always open. The Peace Officers Research Association of California (PO- RAC) was incorporated as a professional federation of local, state and federal law enforce- ment agencies. PORAC represents countless public safety members and associations, and it is the largest law enforcement orga- nization in California and the largest statewide association in the nation. PORAC fighting every day for officers just like you The Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC) has been a leading voice for law enforcement personnel since its inception in 1953. Hey! You can’t name that show APB! We’re APB! I nspired by the New York Times Magazine article “Who Runs the Streets of New Or- leans,” by David Amsden, APB is a new police drama on FOX with a high-tech twist from executive pro- ducer/director Len Wise- man (“Lucifer,” “Sleepy Hollow”) and executive producers and writers Matt Nix (“Burn Notice”) and Trey Callaway (“The Mes- sengers”). Sky-high crime, officer-in- volved shootings, cover-ups and corruption: the over- extended and under-funded Chicago Police Department is spiraling out of control. Enter billionaire engineer Gideon Reeves (Emmy Award and Golden Globe nominee Justin Kirk, “Ty- rant,” “Weeds”). After his best friend is murdered in a botched attempted robbery, and the killer remains at large, Gideon demands justice. Putting up millions of dol- lars of his own money, he makes an unprecedented deal to take charge of the troubled 13th District – and reboot it as a technically in- novative police force – bet- ter, faster and smarter than anything seen before. With Gideon himself having created the depart- ment’s cutting-edge tech- nology, this eccentric yet brilliant outsider challenges the city’s police force to re- think everything about the way they fight crime. But the near-overnight transition to becoming the city’s most advanced police district isn’t easy. Gideon knows if he’s go- ing to change anything, he needs help, which he finds from Det. Theresa Murphy (Natalie Martinez, “King- dom,” “Under the Dome”), an ambitious, street-smart cop who is willing to give Gideon’s technological changes a chance. With the help of Gide- on’s gifted tech officer, Ada Hamilton (Caitlin Stasey, “Reign”), he and Murphy embark on a mission to turn the 13th District – in- cluding a skeptical Capt. Ned Conrad (Ernie Hud- son, “Grace and Frankie,” “Ghostbusters”), and de- termined Officers Nicholas Brandt (Taylor Handley, “Vegas,” “Southland”) and Tasha Goos (Tamberla Per- ry, “Boss”) – into a dedi- cated crime-fighting law enforcement agency for the 21st century. APB is produced by 20th Century Fox Television. Left to right: PORAC President Mike Durant; Dianne Bernhard, Executive Director of Concerns of Police Survivors and Brent Meyer, PORAC Vice President.