2020

BUSTED! – Real Stories of Genuine Absurdity September/October 2020

James L. McClinton, Ph.D. So, how’d you two meet? Well, we just ran into each other on the street one day… After police received a report of a stolen Toyota® Land Cruiser, they quickly spotted the vehicle as it drove through downtown Newberg, Oregon. As the 27-year-old driver fled from police in the ensuing pursuit, speeding through the city streets, the Land Cruiser plowed into a Buick Regal which was being driven by a 25-year-old Newberg woman. Investigators quickly discovered…


…AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH September/October 2020

Ramesh Nyberg One Positive Aspect of 2020… It is the year of the unprecedented. It is also the year of the unthinkable; the undesirable; and, apparently, the unmanageable.        If there is a silver lining to 2020, it is that this has laid bare the true colors of our politicians. Before you recoil in horror (Nyberg is talking politics?), let me assure you, this is not a piece about politics. I am not going to venture into those shark-infested waters to…


NIJ Publication: Evidence-Based Policing in 45 Small Bytes

A new publication from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), this guidebook offers a practical framework for understanding Evidence-Based Policing (EBP). The framework is presented in 45 small “bytes” – a number which illustrates the broad function of policing in a society which expects a lot from its police agencies.      The guidebook covers topics such as gauging external and internal conditions; assessing performance; identifying and analyzing problems; and evaluating practices and testing alternatives. The guidebook emphasizes which data, analysis…


Police Chiefs and Prosecutors Find Common Ground

The Police Executive Research Forum brought together prosecutors and police executives from 11 jurisdictions in 2019 to look for common ground on criminal justice reform. Leaders from the group recognized that, in the growing national debate over criminal justice reform, police chiefs and prosecutors were often talking past each other instead of to each other. This new report from that forum details the discussions and presents a set of 12 common-ground principles agreed upon by the attendees. To read a…


Officer and Community Wellness Resources for Law Enforcement

A new National Public Safety Partnership (PSP) Clearinghouse toolkit has been curated by the PSP team to provide a suite of timely resources dedicated to assisting law enforcement with best practices for building community trust, strengthening relationships and increasing cultural understanding with diverse communities. The resources included also address officer resiliency and ways to mitigate the impact of stress on the duties of policing. For more information or to build your own customized toolkit, visit the PSP Web site at…


Department of Justice Awards Nearly $400 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community Policing

The Department of Justice recently announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May 2020 as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.   “The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police…


Ballistic Armor Update: 2020

The 27th Annual Report on the Latest Advances in Ballistic Armor Technology and Design Police and Security News Editorial Staff Photo by Alec Favale It’s been unusually quiet on the home front regarding the state of the industry for advances in ballistic armor technology. This can be attributed to a number of reasons – the most obvious being the current situation worldwide, with countries continuing to battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. First reported back in 2018, the NIJ’s revised ballistic-resistant…


Pistol Mounted Optics – The Future Is Now

Todd Fletcher There was no doubt in my mind that uniformed officers would be carrying handguns with optics in their duty holsters as soon as durability and battery life were improved. Now, the future has arrived with an outstanding selection of duty ready handgun optics. These new Mini Red Dot Sights (MRDS) are durable and ready for officers to carry on a regular basis. Let’s face it: Most officers don’t take good care of their equipment (handguns are a perfect…


COPS Office Report on the Use of Drones by Public Safety Agencies

The US Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Service (COPS Office), the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), and the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) convened a two-day conference in Washington, DC, in 2019 to discuss policy and operational issues regarding the implementation and use of drones. This new publication, Drones: A Report on the Use of Drones by Public Safety Agencies – and a Wake-Up Call About the Threat of Malicious Drone Attacks, synthesizes information presented at the conference;…


Tactical Protective Eyewear Basics

Eugene Nielsen Eye protection only works when you wear it, so finding the right fit, form and functionality will help ensure that your eye pro becomes an essential part of your daily kit. You not only need to protect your eyes from the sun, but from unexpected eye hazards as well. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 2,000 eye injuries occur every day at work in the US. Wearing the proper eyewear could prevent more…