2020

Confidence and Competence through Weapon Handling Practice

Todd Fletcher The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the cancelation of nearly all law enforcement training. This has affected in-service training, agencies hosting training courses and officers attending training conferences. As a result, it’s more important than ever to take responsibility for our own training needs.  Competence breeds confidence and many officers need more confidence in their skills to motivate them to practice voluntarily. The most skilled shooters are the ones excited about improving their skill level, even though the basic…


The Wheels of Justice May/June 2020

Sergeant James Post CORONAVIRUS AND POLICE CARS If you had told me six months ago, or even 20 years ago (when I first started this column), that I would be writing about a global pandemic, I would have volunteered you for a room at the laughing academy. But, here I am in lockdown, staring out of my office window, feeling like my dogs watching for squirrels. A new enemy of all Americans (and the rest of the world) has landed…


Legal Update May/June 2020

Larry E. Holtz, Esq. TRAFFIC STOPS: THE “OWNER IS THE DRIVER” ASSUMPTION May a law enforcement officer, consistent with the Fourth Amendment, initiate an investigative traffic stop after running a vehicle’s license plate and learning that the registered owner has a revoked driver’s license? In Kansas v. Glover (U.S. 2020), the United States Supreme Court said, “Yes.” The facts in Glover unfolded in late April 2016, when Douglas County, Kansas, Sheriff’s Deputy Mark Mehrer, while on patrol, ran a registration…


2020 Drugs of Abuse Resource Guide

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has released the 2020 edition of Drugs of Abuse, A DEA Resource Guide which is designed to be a reliable resource on the most commonly abused and misused drugs in the United States. Because education plays a critical role in preventing substance abuse, this comprehensive guide is intended as a tool not just for medical practitioners and law enforcement officials, but also for educators, families and communities.  A copy of the 112 page guide…


BUSTED! – Real Stories of Genuine Absurdity May/June 2020

James L. McClinton “How I met your father”… A young man in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, met a woman via a dating app and arranged a date. For their first encounter, he asked the fair maiden to pick him up at his parents’ house. That struck her as being a little odd, but she agreed to his request. The man then drank wine in the passenger’s seat while she drove around town. When they approached a bank, he asked her to…


…AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH May/June 2020

Fear of Missing Out Ramesh Nyberg I almost didn’t write anything for this issue. It’s not that I didn’t have anything to write about; I certainly do. It was because I wasn’t sure if I really could – physically or mentally. Today is Thursday, April 30th, 2020. Four days ago, I woke up to a regular day. My wife, stepdaughter and I went out for a long walk to relieve some of the COVID-19 induced cabin fever and we took…


“CARES” ACT AND STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

Stephenie Slahor, Ph.D. The federal government’s response to the COVID-19 world public health crisis includes the unprecedented nearly $2 trillion emergency relief package presented in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) – an amount equal to about ten percent of the total US gross domestic product. While much of the financial relief is targeted to individuals, businesses, unemployment compensation, and measures to restore the thriving economy, $150 billion of the package will apply to state, local and…


Important Police Security Expo 2020 Update

New 34th Annual Police Security Expo Dates Announced Event Rescheduled for Late August In light of ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) developments and after much consideration, the 2020 Police Security Expo has been rescheduled for August 25-26, 2020, in Atlantic City, NJ. The health and safety of our exhibitors, attendees, partners, and employees has always been our highest priority. Rescheduling this 34th annual event will enable show organizers and their partners to provide the type of event which both attendees and exhibitors…


Rural Community Action Guide

“Families and communities in rural America have been hard hit by the crisis of addiction, and face unique challenges in developing effective responses to this disease. The Rural Community Action Guide empowers local leaders to meet these challenges head on with recommended action steps and best practices for local solutions which will create real change.” – Jim Carroll, Director of Office of National Drug Control Policy The Trump Administration recently released a new tool to assist rural community leaders in…


New Video: “How Law Enforcement Culture Plays Into Stress and Wellness”

In the “Research for the Real World” video from the NIJ, the speakers discuss how law enforcement culture plays into stress and wellness. They argue that a culture of not showing weakness may deter some officers from getting much needed help, especially if they are suffering from mental health issues. The experts in the video recommend acknowledging that it is acceptable and normal to have an emotional response to the intensity of issues most officers experience in the line of…