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David Griffith

Editor

David Griffith has been editor of POLICE Magazine since December 2001. He brings more than 40 years of experience on magazines and newspapers to POLICE. A Maggie award-winning journalist, his byline has appeared on hundreds of articles in POLICE and other national magazines.

Articlesby David GriffithNovember 26, 2014

Bullet-Proofing Your Rolling Office

The murder of Sgt. Cory Wride and the attempted murder of Dep. Greg Sherwood reveal a key vulnerability in American police patrol vehicles: lack of protection from gunfire.

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Articlesby David GriffithNovember 12, 2014

Going Big: SUVs for Patrol

Many law enforcement agencies were unsure about what to do next when Ford retired the Crown Vic. Now agencies are buying SUVs to replace sedans for a variety of reasons.

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Articlesby David GriffithNovember 6, 2014

It's Not About the Dogs

The point here is that when a police officer shoots and kills a dog, the reaction of the community is not really about the dog. It's about the owner's emotional loss.

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Articlesby David GriffithNovember 4, 2014

The Plight of the "Pit Bull"

“My heart goes out to these dogs,” says trainer Brian Kilcommons, who is often called to assess the aggressiveness and socialization of pits. “These dogs are so maligned. They are tortured. They are fought. I cannot tell you how many of these dogs I have trained that make phenomenal pets.”

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Articlesby David GriffithNovember 4, 2014

Dog Owners Can Prevent Violent Encounters Between Police and Their Pets

While the mainstream media and many angry dog owners believe the sole responsibility for these tragedies should fall on the officer who pulled the trigger. Often times, the pet owners made mistakes or were even irresponsible in controlling and training their animals.

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Articlesby David GriffithNovember 4, 2014

Sued for Shooting a Dog

Your biggest fear in a dog shooting lawsuit is punitive damages. While compensatory damages are likely to be covered by your employer, punitive damages are probably coming out of your pocket.

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Articlesby David GriffithNovember 4, 2014

Planned Operations and Dogs

Some SWAT teams have become very adept at using non-lethal tools to neutralize the threat presented by dogs. Retired Cleveland SWAT entry team leader Robert O'Brien says that long before the Hells Angels case and its nearly $2 million in settlements his SWAT team always considered the presence of dogs in its planning. O'Brien's tool of choice for getting the dogs out of the way was the fire extinguisher.

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Articlesby David GriffithNovember 4, 2014

A Use-of-Force Continuum for Dealing with Dogs

If the owner or another person known to the dog is not available, you may be able to gain the dog’s acceptance by softening your approach. Dog experts recommend you stop moving toward the dog, assume a bladed stance sideways to the dog, and avoid eye contact, while talking to him in a strong, reassuring tone. This may have a calming effect that will allow you to safely conduct your business and leave.

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Articlesby David GriffithOctober 29, 2014

Can Police Stop Killing Dogs?

As with other police encounters involving civilians and what the public perceives as bad outcomes, many dog shooting incidents are captured on video and posted on the Internet. Some officers have even been fired for shooting dogs.

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Articlesby David GriffithOctober 28, 2014

In-car Video: Eyes on the Road

Here's a look at some of the latest in-car video systems for law enforcement operations.

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