Also by Melanie Basich

What's keeping law enforcement's unmanned aircraft on the ground is a combination of convoluted regulations and the public's belief that allowing officers to use these little aircraft will violate their civil rights and invade their privacy.

Hackers constantly target law enforcement. Whatever the intent, with our dependence on technology it's more important than ever that police agencies protect themselves against cyber terrorist attacks.

Planes are the unsung heroes of law enforcement air support units. While helicopters get all the glory, fixed-wing aircraft quietly fly in the background on operations, including surveillance and search and rescue.

Thanks to improved technology, trace explosives detectors are now smaller and easier to use. These handheld devices are sized to fit in a cargo pocket and can detect the smallest amounts of explosive materials and the precursors used to make bombs.

Have you ever had to sift through spreadsheets of data looking for that needle in a haystack that will help solve your case? Trax software from Zetx recognizes cell phone data in any format from any provider and uses it to map the cell towers, create visuals of call information, highlight callers' habits, and even autofill search warrants. And it's simple enough that any officer can use it. 

Law enforcement is a profession that many use to define themselves, but allowing your identity to be based solely on your job is not a good idea. Pursuing an activity outside of policing gives the mind and body a much needed breather. Some officers find surprising ways to fulfill this goal.

Prostitution is, as they say, the oldest profession. But now gangs are getting in on the action in a big way. Their already established tricks for luring lonely kids into their ranks are also extremely effective in recruiting girls as young as 12 for the sex trade.

Capt. Rhonda Lawson, president of the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE), became the first female field captain in the Texas Highway Patrol's history. In her experience, many officers resent competition with minorities for desired positions.

Even if people receive some training, there is more to becoming a leader than taking a class. Training in all its aspects needs to change with the times. But it's a pervasive cultural issue. And it takes time to change a culture.

Every driver speeds now and again, especially on heavily trafficked thoroughfares. A reminder in the form of a temporary radar sign displaying the driver's speed may be all that's needed to bring down vehicles' speedometer readings.

You want to be as prepared as possible to use less-lethal devices during call-outs. But if you could limit the cost and danger needed to train in their use, why wouldn't you? That's the idea behind Defense Technology's Low Roll Training Simulator Starter Kit.

Developed in partnership with veteran trainer Officer Robert Hindi of the Las Vegas Metro Police Department, all DutySmith StreetForce holders are designed for officer safety.

Even when the AirTEP is deployed and hanging from a helicopter carrying a full load of passengers, it's possible to fly the craft at up to 100 knots for several miles until everyone can be brought to safety.

The technologies that detect the presence of unknown substances aren't just for specialized units anymore. More individual police officers are using these devices as they become more advanced, portable, and suitable for everyday use.

Every year, prisoners escape custody. But using the proper restraints and techniques for each prisoner transfer situation will help ensure the safety of yourself and other law enforcement officers.

Agent Travis Creteau was able to retrieve two little girls from a fully submerged vehicle after it crashed into a San Diego-area reservoir. Unfortunately, the children did not survive. For his efforts, agent Creteau has been named the May 2013 NLEOMF Officer of the Month.

Officer Randall Courson noticed a late-night crash and kept up the spirits of a teen trapped in his overturned and water-filled truck until more help arrived.

Nothing is exactly the same as being in an incident on the street, but today’s use-of-force judgment training simulators are getting darn close. And the more experience law enforcement officers have with split-second decision-making in a realistic training setting, the better they’ll be at making the right call on duty.

The College of DuPage had Cubic Corp. create the high-tech tactical village at the college's 66,000-square-foot Homeland Security Education Center in the western suburbs of Chicago.