On Routine Patrol
So much for nine lives This sad story happened at Sebastopol, California, P.D. in the late 1980s. You know, back when you could still shoot a suffering domesticated animal. Here’s why, now, you […] Read More
June 2021
And the survey says …
Various research supports a positive public opinion of cops
Instead of taking the mainstream media’s word for how people feel about local law enforcement, organizations in several communities surveyed their citizens for a more accurate perspective. During the tense days of the […] Read More
Life after a bubble test
It was a Monday in January 2004. I had just decided to move to Boston with my girlfriend and leave the NYPD in search of new opportunities. I remember I sat down at […] Read More
Offering a lifeline
How substance abuse interventions may play a key role in suicide prevention
It is a somber fact that more law enforcement officers die by suicide than in the line of duty. In this way, LEOs have become their own worst enemies. While many cite post-traumatic […] Read More
Mindfulness and meditation for effective policing
Trauma, acute stress and potentially crippling situations are part of an officer’s everyday experiences. How an officer learns to respond to these daily traumas can determine positive outcomes for the officer, the people […] Read More
The importance of fitness and strength on the job and beyond
You have graduated from your academy, made it through field training and become tenured in your department after a year of service has passed. You are now a police officer — ready to […] Read More
Strategic curiosity in crisis negotiations
When the doctor and his wife came out of the house, I could finally breathe again. For two hours, they’d been held at gunpoint in the breezy foyer of a gilded golf club […] Read More
Firearms maintenance
The internet gun world is full of information. Unfortunately, much of it is wrong, and it’s difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff. Too many information seekers take digitally regurgitated misinformation as […] Read More
Practice what you suck at!
It’s time to go to the range for some firearms training. When you get there, you get everything loaded, set up your choice of targets, and throw on your eye and ear protection. […] Read More
Technology innovation for public safety
Tackling West Virginia’s drug crisis through information sharing
When investigating drug-related offenses, what needs to be done to alleviate the overall impact of the crime? Arrest your most chronic offenders? Work with state investigative agencies to identify strategic issues? Maybe work […] Read More
Why fries need salt
How brain science and inclusion will help us meet the moment
We often see the terms diversity and inclusion (D&I) stuck together like peanut butter and jelly (PB&J) — but diversity and inclusion are actually more like fries and salt. Unseasoned fries are OK […] Read More
Changing people’s worlds
I used to love being a cop. There was a time when I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. When I’d go to social events and listen to new acquaintances describe what they did […] Read More
What does it really feel like to be a police officer in 2021?
It is impossible to cover everything police officers have endured over the past year, but I hope to enlighten our staunchest critics behind their keyboards or, at the very least, resonate with the […] Read More
Community-oriented policing: still relevant?
Community policing is not dead. Community-oriented policing and problem solving (COPPS) can be alive and well, but needs a reboot to be successful in today’s environment. It requires a commitment at the management […] Read More
Recording history
Retired Maryland state troopers preserve oral histories for organization
Retired Maryland State Trooper Sergeant Bill Baker happily accepted a recent invitation from the Maryland State Police Alumni Association (MSPAA) to share his memories of what it was like being on the job […] Read More
Remote handcuffing
This tech device secures individuals and officers’ safety
On December 11, 2020, officers from the Beaufort Police Department in South Carolina were called to a downtown location where a man was seen wielding two pocket knives. The man stated he wanted […] Read More
Everything you don’t know about polygraphy, but should
Ninety-nine percent of sheriffs, chiefs and command staff either trust polygraphs too much, or not enough. But you’re about to learn everything you need to know, and if you put it all in […] Read More
Supporting K-12 schools
Why it’s important to collaborate with school threat assessment teams
Mass shootings have become much too common. School threat assessment teams have become a critical asset for K-12 facilities. Beyond the obvious capability of being able to detect and prevent a mass murder […] Read More
