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 40Order your own MONTHLY subscription today. Call 1-800-234-0056 or go to www.apbweb.com T H E V O I C E O F T H E N A T I O N ’ S L A W E N F O R C E M E N T C O M M U N I T Y SEPTEMBER 2016 VOLUME XXIII NO. 9 ➤ PRICE $4.95 ➤ www.APBweb.com 35 10 Top Ten List 16 Opinion/Editorial 34 In the Line of Duty Inside News You Can Use NICE PAY! In some parts of some states, law enforcement officers are earning very impressive paychecks, but they are few and far between. PLUS . . . 21 SLOW MOTION An officer is cleared of excessive force charges after a judge plays video in slow motion. 14 BIG WIN! Atop law firm representing police in trouble pulled off a major vic- tory for the officer in a controver- sial use-of-force incident. by Jose Torres Welcome to the future of police salaries. We’re here in Hutchinson, Kansas to give people a look at the “pay for performance” idea – a proposal that officers, troopers and deputies hate and politicians love. Here’s how it generally works. The powers that be would rather pay cops less, a lot less, for their dedication and service. So instead of a binding legal contract of employment, the local politicos propose a system where officers, deputies and troopers get paid like waitresses. Except instead of tips, we’re talk- ing salary. And oh yeah, the “cus- tomer” is the boss. It’s the kind of thing Ebenezer Scrooge would have supported be- fore the Christmas ghosts showed up and straightened him out. Bosses to decide salaries by Lon Bartel Allegations of excessive use of force by police can capture national headlines and result in feelings of fear, disbelief and mistrust in our communities. As with all things, some claims are accurate and many other use-of- force incidents are legally and mor- ally justified. Nevertheless, whatever the truth, some officers are vilified and their careers destroyed. So how does society distinguish between excessive force and actions that are justified under the law? Too often, officers’ actions are judged by a society that does not They need to know The never-ending chore of educating the public about why police officers do what they do Continued on page 28 by Cynthia Brown In Canada, police officials are moving past rhetoric surrounding mental health and policing and tak- ing action. The initiative is as simple as it is brilliant. Whenever a 911 call might involve a mental health situation, Hamilton police will be sending both a sworn officer and a mental health professional. The idea is that by handling the Now that’s a good idea If we’re asking too much of cops, let’s get them the help they need Continued on page 30 After Dallas and Baton Rouge, fed- eral money is going to fund more tactical training. See page 6. Continued on page 35 Detective Lt. Michael Carrier, of the Brattleboro Police Department, looks over the scene as a UH-60 Black Hawk lands during Operation Vigilant Guard Exercise recently in Vermont. (Kristopher Radder/ The Brattleboro Reformer via AP)