Articles

Just as every police officer knows that it might be necessary to take a human life in the performance of his duties, every officer also is aware that saving lives is an important part of police work. The trauma in either situation, however, is only an abstraction until he comes face-to-face with the real possibility of death.

Following a person's track is learned through on-the-job training, and is not developed to a high level of perfection, given the hectic pace most police officers work under.  However, in the world of wildlife law enforcement, mantracking is still frequently used. 

I once attended an FBI class on Critical Incident Negotiations which touched on "suicide by cop" and showed videos of different actual cases where people had made the conscious decision to die at the hands of law enforcement. It all seemed fairly learnable, information that was impressive but not overwhelming. That was before Aug. 3, 1997.

A.L.E.C.A. is an organiza­tion of law enforcement K -9 handlers and trainers, based in Arizona, that has set voluntary performance standards for K-9 teams and sponsors K-9 trainings and tri­als all over the state.

Within the past few years INTERPOL has worked to demystify this highly specialized and elite organization. Muth, of the Maryland State Police, is currently serving a two ­year term as assistant chief, in charge of the State Liaison Division to INTERPOL-U.S. National Central Bureau (USNCB) in Washington, D.C.

The one-way conversation contin­ued until the tranquillity was broken by squealing tires and car horns. Doug looked in the rear view mirror and shouted, "Bill, wake up! We got a crazy coming up behind us, weaving in and out of traffic, forcing people off the road."

As of mid-June this year, there were 548 local, state and federal law enforce­ment officers in federal prisons alone ­up from 107 in 1994. An unknown num­ber of other ex-officers are in state lock­ups. The figures come from "Misconduct to Corruption," a lengthy report released in June and compiled by officials from 15 cities with assistance from the FBI.

You've packed off a gazillion puking drunks, officiated at countless barroom brawls, gone through a truckload of ticket books and restored relative tranquility to more scenes of domestic mayhem then you'd care to number.  You're ready for a new challenge. You are ready, at least in your own mind, for promotion.

In a sense, by making the easy cases the officer became part of the problem instead of part of the solution. Usually such behavior is wasteful and a little bit noisome, but not particularly harmful. One kind of "making the easy case" is often very harmful. That occurs when the "easy case" is a dual-arrest in a case of domestic violence.

The term, ritual crime, is often associated with occult religion.  Such crimes may include: graffiti, animal mutilations, kidnap, substance abuse, sexual abuse, child molestation, grave-site desecration and murder.