Gerald W. Garner There is nothing the law enforcement leader does which is more important than working to assure the well-being of his (or her) employees. Once they know that they have that backing from leadership, most will be willing to go out and do a job which may be more dangerous today than it has been in years. Policing has never been easy, but today’s challenges have further complicated an already convoluted public safety scenario. Leading a law enforcement…
Barbara J. Morvay A first responder who is able to identify a person with autism can then respond in a way which best supports the individual. You are dispatched to a scene with gunshots fired. Upon arrival, you observe three men fleeing from the scene. You and your partner are able to apprehend two of the individuals. Another squad car has arrived on the scene and the officers are providing support to secure the scene and the situation starts calming…
Rebecca Waters Simulated training systems can provide advantages to traditional firing ranges and live training scenarios. Law enforcement training simulators continue to evolve and can now offer several advantages over traditional training in classrooms, shooting ranges and live training scenarios. Training simulators can mimic the experience of responding to real-life incidents with full-size projections on one screen or multiple screens; sound systems providing realistic sound stimuli; and, sometimes, other atmospheric effects including smoke, smell, fog, and scent. The officers…
An Inside Look at This Nation’s Premier Law Enforcement Training Event Todd Fletcher The 2019 International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA) Conference has wrapped up and instructors from all over the world have returned home to continue their mission of training law enforcement officers. After six solid days of instruction, everyone left exhausted, reinvigorated and ready to share new information and knowledge. The ILEETA Conference includes classes on leadership, supervision, use of force, defensive tactics, live fire firearms…
AMERICAN POLICE CAR HISTORY 101 Sergeant James Post Early spring is a great time of the year for those of us living in “four seasons” parts of America. Trees and flowers are blooming; birds are singing; and, to replace the boredom of winter, calls for service are increasing. But, spring sucks for Law Enforcement (LE) vehicle writers such as myself because the “Big Three” automakers, the motorcycle builders and the LE equipment manufacturers are either still designing, building or tweaking…
Supreme Court Limits Excessive Forfeitures as Criminal Penalties Larry E. Holtz, Esq. Recently, in Timbs v. Indiana, 586 U.S. ___ (2019), the United States Supreme Court unanimously ruled that states cannot impose excessive fees, fines and forfeitures as criminal penalties. The Court’s decision underscores that the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against “excessive fines” applies to states and localities as well as the federal government. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, just back in court after lung cancer surgery, wrote the majority opinion and…
Mike Boyle Should an officer find himself in a worst-case scenario and the primary weapon is not available, a hidden backup could indeed save the day. A backup weapon might be best described as an ancillary weapon used for a secondary or auxiliary purpose. Attitudes toward backup weapons by law enforcement agencies and individual officers span the entire spectrum. Despite the obvious advantage, the concept of backup weapons for police is far from universal. I’m familiar with departments which provide…
James L. McClinton, Ph.D I wonder if “foreign passports” are also required for residents of New England?… A District of Columbia Marriage Bureau clerk and her supervisor refused to accept a New Mexico man’s state driver’s license when he tried to obtain a marriage license because they both believed that New Mexico is a foreign country. After approaching the clerk for a license and showing his New Mexico ID, the clerk told him he needed an international passport to get…
Ramesh Nyberg Old-timers and Old Guy Moments When you retire from law enforcement these days, there is usually some other occupation waiting for you on the other side. If there isn’t, there should be. I say this for two reasons: 1) It’s damn expensive to live these days and living beats the hell out of the alternative; and 2) it’s just good for you to do something. Yes, retire from your job; just don’t retire from doing things because, well…
The Justice Technology Information Center (JTIC), a National Institute of Justice program, has recently added a new model program to its school safety Web site (https://tinyurl.com/y3s967vd) which highlights the school safety educational program implemented by the City of Falls Church, Virginia. “The First 12 Minutes” is a multifaceted program which provides training to administrators, teachers and school staff, all within a three hour window, at no charge to the participating schools. This program includes active shooter response and Stop the Bleed®…