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On Sept. 28, 1989, a fire truck from the Catlett, Calif., Fire Department was struck by an Amtrak passenger train as the truck crossed a rural railroad right-of-way while responding to a vehicle fire. The truck was totally destroyed, and two firefighters aboard were killed.
Read More →The bar I now wear on my uniform serves as a daily reminder of how close I came to ending someone's life. My training taught me how to be an effective police officer.
Read More →With 42 states now allowing civilians to carry concealed firearms, there is a good chance this man is acting within the law. You will encounter, civilians legally carrying concealed firearms more often today than ever before. How you should respond is largely determined by the behavior of the civilian and the laws in your state.
Read More →Getting the case to court and obtaining a favorable decision by the bench or jury is always the goal in a gang investigation. And one of the greatest assets to any case is, of course, the witnesses. How do you solicit cooperation and a commitment to testify in court from these unique witnesses?
Read More →New York City is full of diverse people and events, but I have never seen it as I did seven years ago. I had recently graduated from the academy and was assigned to a field training unit in midtown Manhattan. Of the 10 months that I spent in that training unit, there are three memories that stand out.
Read More →The lead story was the same on nine local television stations, four national networks and CNN: While conducting a "routine" vehicle stop, an officer was critically wounded and the suspects unknown. The five-year law enforcement veteran left behind two sons and a wife who was expecting their third child. We have all heard it and seen it, but are we learning from it?
Read More →You get dispatched to a possible gang shooting. When you arrive, the scene looks like it came straight out of' the movies. Family members are present and are hysterical. Several gang members are just milling around, and a lifeless body is on the sidewalk.
Read More →In spite of all that is known about officer deaths — despite what officers have been taught in the academy and in-service training — all too often good cops are still killed because they forgot, they took a shortcut, they took an unnecessary chance or they were just plain lazy.
Read More →With improved communications systems, alarm systems and faster response times, first responders now have the advantage of arriving in the early stages — before things get out of control.
Read More →It was May 2, 1995, and my first night working the graveyard shift with the Harvey (III.) Police Department. Harvey is a large suburb about 10 miles south of Chicago. I had already responded to several calls, including a high speed pursuit that started in Chicago with the Illinois State Police chasing a stolen vehicle. Nothing could have prepared me for my next call.
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