Patrol: Page 21

Celebrating the Heroism of American Police Officers

Acts of heroism happen all the time in big cities and small communities alike. Officers with departments of all sizes rise to the occasion on a daily basis to ensure the health and welfare of the civilians they serve.

In an incident that took place in June, a South Carolina deputy saved the life of a 12-day-old baby who couldn't breathe.

Why Police Should Ignore the Starbucks Kerfuffle

The blowback on Facebook against Starbucks was especially vitriolic, leading an outside observer to conclude that mistreatment of law enforcement officers in the company's stores is a pervasive problem (spoiler alert: it's not).

On Independence Day, Words of Wisdom from American History

Let's contemplate the words of some of the people who helped shape this great country.

Saying "Sorry" is Not Enough for Media Irresponsibly Posting Video of Dying Officer

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch made the totally outrageous decision to share on its website the live Facebook stream of a dying officer posted by a citizen.

An Open Letter to Knox County Sheriff's Detective Grayson Fritts

According to Knox News, Detective Grayson Fritts—who is also a pastor at a local church—delivered a sermon in early June in which he said that the government should execute members of the LGBTQ community. You read that right—he called for state-sanctioned mass-murder of an entire population of people. His comments were reprehensible and anathema to the oath LEOs take to protect and serve their communities.

The Perils and Pitfalls for Police Officers Posting on Social Media

An organization recently made available to the media a significant database of social media posts—that they deem to be potentially offensive—from thousands of officers from places such as Philadelphia, Dallas, Phoenix, St. Louis, and elsewhere. Internal investigations have been launched at several of those agencies. Here's why cops need to use social media cautiously.

A Civilian Scribe Celebrating 11 Years of Writing for Law Enforcement

This week's column is about my deep appreciation for the family of the Thin Blue Line allowing me—a civilian scribe from a city and state not well known for supporting police—to be your adopted brother.

Because you have accepted me into your family, I've had the great fortune of receiving some of the best law enforcement training available. Here, I—far right in the frame—participate in excellent long gun training with Bay Area cops back in 2013.

Ambush Attack: 8 Tips for Avoiding—or Surviving—Ambush Attacks

The threat of ambush is ever-present. There is a growing war on cops in America, and the probability of being the victim of such an attack is increasing. Be vigilant, always.

Two LAPD Gang Enforcement officers were first involved in a vehicle pursuit and then a foot pursuit through an apartment complex. As the officers split up to chase the driver, the gunman charged Officer Enrique Trujillo and shot him at point blank range, striking him in the leg. Trujillo returned fire, striking the assailant. Trujillo was transported to a nearby hospital in a patrol vehicle where he was treated and released.

Thoughts on Patrolling Your Community During the Summer Months

Memorial Day Weekend has effectively become the unofficial start to summer. So this is an excellent opportunity to offer some reminders on how to safely conduct your police business as the months get warmer and the vacationers hit the nation's highways and hotels.

Memorial Day is the unofficial 'first day of summer' in the United States. Sure, people visit Veteran's Memorials, place flags in military cemeteries, and say prayers for the survivors who lost their loved ones. But those same people also gather at cook-outs, block parties, and go to the beach for the first time of the season.

Why Every Cop in America Should Attend Police Week

During this one extraordinary week you will experience every emotion. In one moment you might be laughing with a group of cops and then mere moments later crying with one guy or gal who is overwhelmed with grief.

That's me, walking the wall early on my first day in DC for National Police Week. I was on the ground in DC for four days, and visited the Police Memorial Wall nine times. It's fascinating to see how it changes over time as new mementos are left by family and friends of officers who were killed in the line of duty over the years.

An Argument for Widespread Use of Therapy Dogs in Policing

It would be a wonderful thing if the addition of a therapy dog to a department's ranks becomes as mundane as the acquisition of office supplies—there would be no headlines because it would not be news.

Crime victims, witnesses, and first responders in the city of Pinole, CA, will now have access to a 70-pound black Labrador retriever—named Milo—to help them with emotional support. Here, Milo is training with his handler, Pinole Police Officer Jennifer Witschi. (Photo: Pinole PD)

Axon Employees, Customers, and Partners Are Making Policing Healthier

Earlier this week I attended the Axon Accelerate Conference in downtown Phoenix. The official theme was "Run In"—in recognition of the fact that police officers run toward danger while everyone else runs away. But there was another underlying theme, "Total Wellness" for law enforcement.

The recipients of this year's Rise Awards were Sylvia Moir, chief of police in Tempe, (AZ) and Chris Cognac, a recently retired officer who is the co-creator of the 'Coffee With a Cop' community policing program, flanking Axon President Luke Larson.

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