Also by Melanie Basich

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.

Wouldn't it be great if you could prove a suspect had been at the scene of a crime by following a pathway of telltale glowing light found on his clothing or vehicle after the fact? That's what Cyalume's idIRt can do.

A young neighbor came to the door of Inspector Anton Sampson of the Federal Protective Service, Department of Homeland Security, and told him a man was holding her friend at gunpoint in the house down the street. He rushed to the girl's aid and brought her to safety.

Newer shields developed with patrol officers in mind are lighter weight and designed to allow officers to shoot while carrying them. They can also easily fit in a patrol car.

Two people who generally wear the same shoe size might still prefer different styles of shoes because of how they fit specific parts of the foot. Now companies are finding better ways to make their mass-produced footwear feel like they were made for the individual. The secret is allowing customers to make their own adjustments to fit their feet.

Officers Rachel Morgan and Ryan Hayo of the Paramus (N.J.) Police Department have been named officers of the month for July by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. The officers returned fired at a driver who began shooting at Morgan from his car lodged in a snow bank.

In addition to his patrol duties, Officer Mark Michaud heads up his agency's dive team, which finds and retrieves stolen vehicles and other evidence. He also trains and assists other agencies in water survival and rescues.

These 10 companies provide targets and targeting systems for law enforcement officers.

These seven companies provide the tools that ease the burden of evidence collection at crime scenes.

In Officer Dana Binion's tenure, the West L.A. Surveillance Detail made more than 700 felony arrests, with a 99 percent conviction rate, and more than 100 misdemeanor arrests.

"Tactical black" is what springs to mind when thinking about SWAT teams, but it's not the only apparel option for police tactical units. With the advent of the A-TACS pattern from Digital Concealment Systems, many more agencies may be making the switch.

These nine suppliers offer tactical pants that provide comfort and utility for male and female officers.

Officer DeMatteo suffered a severe asthma attack once his adrenaline rush subsided and the effects of the icy water and his exertion registered with his body. He was already at the hospital at that point and they were able to treat him and release him after 12 hours.