2023

Weaponry June 1, 2023

Implementing Red Dot Sights for Your Agency

Ron LaPedis Red dot sights place the target and the reticle roughly on the same optical plane, allowing a single point of focus. This enables fast acquisition and allows the officer to keep his/her attention on the field of view in front of him/her. The results of a four year handgun Red Dot Sight (RDS) study by Aaron Cowan of Sage Dynamics show substantially increased hit accuracy using an RDS over iron sights. Multiple agencies which have issued an RDS…

News June 1, 2023

Funding Opportunity to Support Small and Rural Agencies in Reducing Violent Crime

With this solicitation, the Bureau of Justice Assistance seeks to support small and rural agencies in their efforts to combat violent crime. This program will provide funding to small and/or rural agencies and/or to prosecutors who are interested in implementing or improving the capacity of their organization around one or more critical elements found in the Violent Crime Reductions Operations Guide (PDF) or the Prosecutors’ Guide to Reducing Violence and Building Safer Communities (PDF). Eligible Applicants: City or township governments;…

Technology May 30, 2023

Ballistic Shields Part 2:

Ballistic Shield Technologies Jake Ganor In Part One, we covered the characteristics and construction details of ballistic shields and reviewed general “best practices” for their use. Emerging trends in ballistic shield development look like they’re soon going to lead to improved tactics and more widespread shield use. With that, there are a number of emerging shield technologies which are worth highlighting. New Materials The first advance on the horizon is the most general and the most straightforward: New ballistic materials…

News May 30, 2023

Human Trafficking: The Crucible of Training

Hosted by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), this article discusses the unprecedented demands that the issue of human trafficking places on law enforcement.  While states and local communities have adopted legislation and regulations related to prevention, enforcement and intervention, enforcing these laws and combating trafficking requires widespread awareness of the issue, development of specialized investigation units, greater collaboration with prosecution, a focus on training for recruits, and enhanced training for veterans. A copy of the article can…

Technology May 24, 2023

Giving Law Officers Validated Effectiveness

John G. Peters, Jr., Ph.D., and Darrell L. Ross, Ph.D. ©2023. A.R.R. The G.L.O.V.E. is a conductive distraction and de-escalation device integrated into a glove which enables users to quickly bring individuals into compliance or restrain them from further violence. Following a 2019 incident, two law enforcement officers were charged with manslaughter by their state’s Attorney General’s office after an inmate suddenly died. The officers were attempting to gain control of the inmate after he had “turtled” (placed both arms…

Law enforcement guide

News May 24, 2023

2022 Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection

Published by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), this report is a result of the Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection Act which was passed to better understand the factors related to law enforcement officer suicides and attempted suicides. The Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection (LESDC), managed by the FBI, provides law enforcement agencies with a system to report data about officers who have died by or attempted suicide. For the FBI’s inaugural release of this information, as an infographic, 22…

A metal gavel and handcuffs

Legal Update May 19, 2023

Legal Update May/June 2023

Larry E. Holtz, Esq. Clarifying the Process for Malicious Prosecution Claims In Thompson v. Clark, 142 S.Ct. 1332 (2022), the plaintiff, Larry Thompson, lived with his fiancée and their newborn baby girl in an apartment in Brooklyn, New York. At the time, Thompson’s sister-in-law was also staying there. The sister-in-law apparently suffered from a mental illness. On the day in question, the sister-in-law called 911 and claimed that Thompson was sexually abusing his one-week-old baby daughter.When several EMTs and four…

A car hooked up to an electrical car charger

Busted May 17, 2023

BUSTED! Real Stories of Genuine Absurdity May/June 2023

James L. McClinton, Ph.D. But, they were helping to save the environment… Criminal masterminds in Gwinnett County, Georgia, carried out a foolproof plan. The criminals broke into a store and stole several pieces of gaming equipment. However, it seems that their departure was quickly stopped in its tracks. These eco-friendly thieves made their getaway in a Tesla. But, as it is with all electric vehicles, it needed to be charged. And, that’s where the police located them – at a…

Toy cap gun in yellow package

....and nothing but the truth May 12, 2023

…AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH May/June 2023

Ramesh Nyberg Just the Facts… The percentage of audiences – in print or in person – who recognize the name Joe Friday or the TV show “Dragnet”are dwindling faster than my eyesight. For that reason, allow me to provide a quick preamble to this column. Sgt. Joe Friday was the hard-nosed, no-nonsense LAPD detective from the show “Dragnet,” one of the most popular police shows of all time. Friday was famous for conducting interviews of witnesses and, when they rambled…

News April 12, 2023

Season Two of The Debrief Announced

Following the success of its first season, The Debrief with Jon Becker came back for season two which started February 1, 2023.The new season will feature interviews of Medal of Honor Recipient MSgt. Earl Plumlee debriefing his actions on August 28, 2013, in Afghanistan; RCMP Inspector Kevin Cyr discussing RCMP-ERT and tactical decision making; Chief Phil Hansen on the history of LASD-SEB and modern leadership challenges; as well as an operator from Brigade de Recherche et D’intervention (BRI) with a…