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 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 4810 AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: MAY 2016 Officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s SWAT team, known as “Zebra Force,” participate in training exercises involving hostages recently. The Zebra Force story was featured recently in the Las Vegas PPA Vegas Beat – the official publication of the Las Vegas Police Protective League. Reprinted with permission, Harris Publications. More training is always advisible NATIONWIDE What’s up in law enforcement across the U.S.A. THETOPTEN New rules The FBI has revised the rules it must obey for searching data involving Americans’ international communications that was collected by the National Security Agency according to recent media reports. The secret, classified revisions were accepted by the secret US court – known as the FISA court – that gov- erns surveillance. The new rules give the FBI broad new powers under Section 702. That’s the portion of the law that authorizes the NSA’s sweeping “Prism” program to collect internet data. FBI agents can now search through the NSA data and use Americans’ iden- tifying information for “routine” queries unrelated to national security. So essentially the tools of the war on terror have migrated into domestic law enforcement, as many critics suggested would be the case. Legal fees In New Jersey, the Attorney General’s Office has paid a New Jersey gun rights group $101,626 in legal costs and released documents after a prolonged battle. The gun rights activists were seeking documents describing the state’s firearms background check pro- cess after law enforcement officials fought tooth and nail to keep the process secret. A judge ordered the payment after a long fight in court between the state and the New Jersey Second Amendment Society. President Alexander Roubian called the decision “a partial victory,” because the documents that have been released are heavily redacted, according to a report from NewJersey.com. Get us killed According to a recent survey, at least half of San Francisco’s police officers say they have no use for the use of force reforms proposed by the city’s Police Commission. According to the results of the survey from the San Francisco POA, officers already use “de-escalation techniques” like the ones that are being recommended by reformers. The survey, re- leased in this month’s issue of the San Francisco Police Officers Association Journal, queried nearly 1000 of The City’s 2200 officers on a variety of issues around use of force. “It will get us hurt, killed and sued,” said one unidentified respondent about the proposed changes. Additionally, the reaction from police unions concerning a recent PERF report with recommenda- tions for policy changes produced similar push back and criticism. UK cops stressed out In England, the number of cops taking sick leave for psychological reasons has exploded. The numbers of cops calling in sick for mental health issues have increased by 35 per cent in the last five years. British police union officials blamed the increase on increased officer workloads that are a function of “unprecedent- ed cuts” to staffing numbers. In the UK, long-term sick leave is defined as lasting over 28 days. Long term sick leaves have increased 12 per cent over the last five years as well. Che Donald from the Police Federation told the BBC that “unprecedented cuts to police officer numbers” has increased officer workloads. 1. ABACADABRA 2. You wear a T-shirt with pride that reads, “Reading is for losers!” 3. When a colleague asked if you had “studied,” you had to look up the word’s meaning. 4. Someone’s asking questions about the 20-minute bathroom break that was taken by about two-thirds of the applicants. 5. The sample test you memorized the answers to is from 1978. 6. Instead of answering A, B, or C, you wrote a long screed about how tests are stupid and no test has ever been on the street anyway. 7. You’re dyslexic, blind in one eye and hung-over to the point where people genuinely ask if you need some kind of help. 8. Instead of filling in the oval on the question about use of force policies, you drew a skull, a set of crossbones and the grim reaper. 9. You always have trouble remembering what day it is and are really bad with directions. 10, You’re getting paid to skew the curve by answering everything wrong. signs you didn’t pass Sgt.’s exam C ops from out of state or those returning to the job in New Mex- ico after their law enforce- ment certifications have lapsed could be required to complete twice as much training as they currently need before they can serve and protect again. According to a recent ar- ticle in the New Mexican, the New Mexico Law Enforce- ment Academy Board says applicants for “certifications by waiver” are currently required to complete a 40- hour training course. However, proposed revi- sions to the state’s adminis- trative code would mandate prospective officers com- plete an 80-hour course. The waiver process allows cops with expired certifica- tions within the last eight years to become recertified without returning to basic training. The process also allows officers from other states to become certified in New Mexico. But as the result of calls for increased and improved training coming from inside and outside law enforce- ment, possible changes be- ing considered would re- quire additional training on better understanding and responding to people who are mentally ill. The increase to 80 hours from the current 40 for of- ficers returning to the job does not appear to be con- troversial. “How could more training not be good?” asked Santa Fe Police Chief Patrick Gal- lagher.