Here are a few thoughts I've collected over the years of knowing a great many retired officers who are incredibly happy and successful after they've shelved the uniform, returned to civilian ranks, and done amazing things as "regular people" after leaving active-duty.
The Coronavirus is presently not a substantial threat to American law enforcement but its emergence into the national narrative provides an opportunity to remember that other threats pose a significant danger, and to recall that some simple steps can prevent succumbing to infectious disease.
Cops have a truly unique opportunity to be the lighthouse that guides little ships—our children—giving them immediate safety, guiding them to future security, and finding them safe harbor.
Bail reform in its current form is not a sustainable solution, just as the previous system was bound to collapse under its own weight.
The debate on "militarization" of American law enforcement has deep history. However, the discussion should now turn to the future of public safety in the United States.
Here are some thoughts on best practices for agencies and individual officers as the use of social media becomes more prevalent in policing.
There are myriad other examples of politically motivated civil unrest throughout American history—from the Whiskey Rebellion in the 18th Century, to the Pottawatomie Massacre in the 19th Century, to the mayhem surrounding the 1968 Democratic National Convention in the 20th Century.
There were far too many products on display at the Sands Convention Center and Expo in Las Vegas to adequately capture it all, but as I zoom along at 300 miles per hour about 34,000 feet above sea level en route home, here are some of the things that immediately spring to mind as having a lasting impression on me.
Like forensic, physical, testimonial, or any other form of evidence, digital evidence should not stand alone as the sole pillar of a prosecutor's case. But it is absolutely reasonable to have digital evidence included when it's relevant, and that is only possible when investigators gain the type of access Attorney General Barr and his Department of Justice is looking for in the case of the terror attack on NAS Pensacola.
It's time to make it significantly more difficult for an armed assailant to commit mass murder in "soft targets."
What good is all the training and equipment we have for protecting our peoples' physical health and safety if we don't make available every possible resource to protect their mental health as well?
Here are some thoughts for 2020 to continue to reduce line-of-duty deaths and reverse what appears to be a significant spike in police officer death by suicide.
I try really hard to have a positive outlook. However, by all accounts, the year 2019 was an especially brutal one for law enforcement in America, so this year's final column is going to be unapologetically reflective of this undeniable fact.
The holidays offer myriad opportunities for officers to interact with the public in a positive and inspirational way. However, the season also holds the same perils officers face during the rest of the year—and potentially some heightened dangers due to holiday revelry and winter weather. Here's a quick recap of some of the things to watch out for.
Digital evidence capture systems were once again one of the hottest product categories at IACP.
