May 2022

Legal Update May/June 2022

Larry E. Holtz, Esq. Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Officers in “Excessive Force” Cases In two recent “excessive force” cases, the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of the police. In the first case, City of Tahlequah v. Bond (10-18-21), the Court found that it was unnecessary to decide whether the officers violated the Fourth Amendment in the first place, or whether recklessly creating a situation which requires deadly force can itself violate the Fourth Amendment. In this…


DHS Guide: Summary of Resources for Enforcement Partners

Published by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the “Summary of Resources for State, Local, Tribal, Territorial, and Campus Law Enforcement Partners” highlights many of the resources available to law enforcement partners, including training and grant opportunities, to increase nationwide resilience to evolving threats. This includes key tips and information related to human trafficking, forced labor, cybersecurity, information and intelligence sharing, preparedness and prevention, school safety, and critical infrastructure protection. A copy of the guide can be viewed and/or…


Detecting Opioid Distribution Networks Using Network Modeling and Community-based Intelligence

Published by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), this NIJ supported study focused on the work of researchers from Pennsylvania State and Syracuse Universities to find novel ways to characterize and, ultimately inhibit, opioid distribution networks through data-driven network analysis and the use of citizen intelligence. The work focuses on six Pennsylvania counties well-known for drug trafficking along the interstate highway system. The goals of the study were to (1) define the structure of opioid distribution networks based on observed…


Busted! Real Stories of Genuine Absurdity May/June 2022

JAMES L. MCCLINTON, PH.D. Who needs K-9s?… Thanks to the services of a local goat, the Henry County (Virginia) Sheriff’s Office got their man. A captain with the Henry County Sheriff’s Office said it was a goat who helped two deputies flush out the person they were chasing. One deputy was investigating a domestic assault in the Fieldale area. When the deputy explained to the suspect that he was under arrest, the suspect fled on foot. The deputy chased the…


The FN 509® MRD-LE – Born from the DNA of Battle-proven Firearms

Todd Fletcher When I heard the LAPD had selected FN’s newest offering, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this new handgun and jumped at the opportunity to put it through its paces. Back when I started my career as a police officer, my first department issued patrol rifle was a well-worn FN FAL. I put thousands of rounds through the rifle in my attempts to impress the department rangemaster enough to send me to firearms instructor school. Ever…


America’s Data Held Hostage – Case Studies in Ransomware Attacks on American Companies

Published by the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, this new report details the attacks by Russia-based ransomware group REvil on three American companies and the experiences of those companies during the incident response. The goal of this report is to provide information which companies and agencies can use to prepare for, and respond to, ransomware attacks.  A pdf copy of the report can be downloaded at https://tinyurl.com/49k9rb37


…And Nothing But the Truth May/June 2022

Ramesh Nyberg Freedom of Speech Is a Problem? Recently, my wife and I went to see an Indian comedian performing in West Palm Beach. He was really funny, but what really grabbed me about his performance was the first thing he said when he got on stage.         “I’m very happy to be here – and I mean I’m happy to be here in the United States, where I can speak freely.” He went on to explain that, as a vocal…


Jon Becker and Guests are Diving Deep into the Leadership Practices of the Elite with The Debrief Podcast

What does it mean to lead an elite team? Is greatness born through tending to the culture of the team, or does it stem from how individuals are trained to behave under pressure? What strategies allow law enforcement and tactical unit commanders to remain collected and in control in some of the world’s most dangerous situations? And how can we learn from them in order to become better leaders ourselves? These are just some of the questions Jon Becker and…