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 4010 AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: MARCH 2016 NATIONWIDE What’s up in law enforcement across the U.S.A. THETOPTEN Gun control law shot down Afederal appeals court dealt a potentially serious blow to Maryland’s landmark 2013 gun control law and similar measures across the country, ruling that a lower court was wrong when it upheld the state’s ban on assault rifles. In a 2-1 decision, a three-judge panel at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit concluded that the semiautomatic weapons and high-capacity magazines banned by Maryland’s Firearm Safety Act “are in common use by law-abiding citizens.” As a result, they don’t fall under the exception to the right to bear arms that applies to “unusual” weapons such as machine guns and hand grenades, the court said. Cheating scandal An ongoing investigation of suspected cheating at the Pennsylvania State Police Academy could result in “swift and certain” disciplinary action, ac- cording to State Police Commissioner Tyree Blocker. who said the investigation was launched at the end of December. “Each cadet who enters the Academy is held to an honor code to never cheat, lie or steal, and we will ensure that the integrity of our organization of nearly 5,000 strong is not compromised by the ac- tions of a few,” Blocker said, in a written statement. Sources within the agency say the investigation is “unprecedented” in its scope and required “immedi- ate, swift action.” Body cam policies faulted Anew study finds that the Albuquerque Police Department’s lapel camera policy is confusing and difficult to administer, and have suggested several key changes, including giving officers the choice to record or not in some circumstances. Police officers told researchers the confusing policy has caused them not to talk to people as much while working their beats, made them reluctant to give people some slack for minor infractions and has led to frustration when cases were dismissed because of a lack of video. The data showed that officers made recordings on only 62 percent of calls for service in 2013 and 2014. Although officers did make recordings on 75 percent of priority 1 calls, the most serious calls. Researchers found that officers with less experience were more likely to make recordings than more experienced officers. Rapists lure victims with apps According to a safety bulletin issued by the Dallas Police Department, a growing number of preda- tors use social media and dating apps such as Tinder, Kik, PlentyOfFish, MocoSpace and MeetMe to prey on unsuspecting women. Many people increasingly are turning to social media to find love — 1 in 3 newly married couples met online. Criminals are exploiting that willingness to meet up, police say, often lying about their appearance and identity. “It’s our human nature to want to trust people,” said Dallas Police Lt. Israel Herrera, who oversees sexual assault investiga- tions. Dallas police are urging women to follow a few rules: Meet first in public, not at a private home. Tell friends your plans. Screenshot the man’s profile and photos. That way, if he attacks, the police have a start- ing place for an investigation. 1. The people complaining about the “heavy” police presence are generally the same folks that demanded it in the first place. 2. Not everyone’s a special snowflake – some people are just born bad. 3. The police don’t set policy. 4. What it does to someone when they have to take a human life under any circumstances. 5. Law enforcement officers are a diverse group with different opinions and ideas. 6. That they are not trained to shoot to wound. 7. The pressure on cops to be perfect – from the brass, to the media, to the public. 8. Cops are people too. 9. For every controversial video there are tens of thousands of positive interactions that no one seems to be all that interested in. 10. People come on the job to help people – not lock them up or hurt them. things cops wish civilians understood The easiest way to tell how serious people pushing so-called “police reform” are is by asking them how much they’re willing to spend to implement said reforms. In places like Ferguson, Missouri, law enforcement officials have come under fire for what many perceive as a revenue-based law en- forcement model where citizens are treated more like ATMs than taxpayers by city officials. Officials in Ferguson agreed they had a big prob- lem and asked the federal government for help. The feds came up with a comprehensive plan for reform and gave it to the lawmakers and decision- makers in Ferguson. Which leads to a rather obvious question from a public safety perspective. The question is how much do the reforms cost and who pays for them? The answers, respectively, are “a lot” and “you guys do.” The cost of implementing the federal recommenda- tions to change the way the Ferguson Police Department operates could be as high as $4 million in the first year alone. This is where the proverbial rubber hits the road. Ferguson already has a $2.8 million deficit, partially resulting from the fallout of the Michael Brown shooting. Now an agency that re- sorted to policing for profit due to low tax revenue and a lack of economic growth stands to go deeper in the hole that created a lot of the problems in the first place. Thanks a million to the anonymous subscriber who sent in this great historical photo. There was no picture caption that came with it but it looks like it might be the NYPD making an arrest during a period of social and economic unrest. OK . . . but how do we pay for it?