Also by Melanie Basich

Training is often a casualty of budget issues, and driver training usually doesn't rank as high on the priorities list as training in firearms and defensive tactics. But what activity do you engage in most while on duty? Unless you walk a beat, it's most likely driving.

Officer Christin Rudell of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department stood in harm's way and fired her weapon on a drunk driving suspect to prevent the woman from running over her beat partner with a car again.

Alaska State Trooper Zachary Huckstep recognized the signs of a house fire and rescued the homeowner and her baby daughter from the flames and thick smoke on Nov. 12, 2009.

On the palm of each glove is a red stop sign pocket made of this material that holds two LED strips, and on the back of the hand are two green light strips that hold one LED strip each. The combination allows motorists to see the light up to at least one-quarter mile away, and the replaceable lithium batteries last for up to 35 hours.

The Greensboro (N.C.) Police Department ended a stand-off with a naked man using two tactical robots, after neighbors called 911 to report he was standing on his porch with a firearm, calling to God.

In 26 years, Officer Dan Foley has served continuously in the honor guard and successfully lobbied to start its first K-9 unit, for which he was a handler for 14 years with two different dogs. He has been selected as the February 2012 Officer of the Month.

As its name implies, the ASP Triad USB uses a Micro USB port to make charging the lithium-ion-powered duty light a snap anywhere. If you have your cell phone charger with you—as most of us always do—you have a way to recharge your flashlight, even at home or while traveling.

It's now common for even a small agency to have at least one car equipped with ALPR to automatically alert when it gets a match. But both mobile and fixed camera systems are gaining traction with all types of law enforcement agencies.

Schuberth's P100F helmet provides protection from fire, acid, and stabs to the neck, as well as small-caliber rounds.

Sheriff Matt Lutz of the Muskingum County (Ohio) Sheriff's Office has been recognized as the January Officer of the Month by NLEOMF for making the decision to shoot 56 wild animals let loose from a farm by a suicidal man.

Fond du Lac (Wis.) Police Officer Ryan Williams has been named the NLEOMF's December 2011 Officer of the Month. Officer Williams fought for his life and recovery after he was shot by a suspect armed with a .308 rifle.

T3 Motion's Non-Lethal Response Vehicle (NLRV) is an electric three-wheeled vehicle designed to provide the maneuverability of the standard T3 with added features for crowd control, including a shield, strobe lights, and onboard PepperBall launchers.

Special Agent Patrick Simpson of the Department of Homeland Security was instrumental in helping members of a DHS task force apprehend a fugitive wanted for double homicide. The fact that he spoke Spanish allowed him to locate the suspect, apprehend him, and then elicit a confession.

Public employees typically have access to a defined benefit pension, which may not include Social Security, or a defined contribution savings plan. Learn the difference between the two.

Some citizens are quick to blame police officers themselves for pension funding issues, not understanding the underlying causes. This is why the prospect of citizens who are uninformed or misinformed voting on pension issues is worrisome.

You can't turn on the television these days without hearing about the economic crisis that's affecting not only the U.S., but the entire world. So it stands to reason that many retirement funds are suffering as a result. Some public sector pension plans are relatively unaffected, while others were too fragile to weather the financial storm.

Five officers from the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Police Department were instrumental in the attempted rescue of three officers ambushed inside of a house.

Made using a Kevlar weave, the Ballistic Clipboard maintains its ballistic protection without the weight of other similar products. The fact that it's not made of a hard plastic means that the board won't shatter into shrapnel that could harm a police officer.

As Sgt. Kevin Furlong approached the residence on foot after exiting his car, he looked in through a large bay window that provided a clear view of the kitchen. There, he saw a girl's bloody face peer up over the counter and sway side to side.

In all, 72 police responders from municipal, state, and federal agencies lost their lives during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. We would also like to pay tribute to all those who later succumbed to injuries sustained as a result of the terrorist attacks and working amid the rubble.