Ramesh Nyberg A Salute to the King No, not Elvis. The “king” I want to write about is a man named Joseph Wambaugh. As I sat down to start this column, I had two other ideas battling for first place as the topic for this issue, but then I saw a post about Wambaugh’s passing and I sat there reflecting on his work and how much it meant to me. I didn’t discover Wambaugh until my third year in law…
An FBI database established in 2021 to help prevent law enforcement suicides and increase awareness and understanding of the occurrences is now online. The Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection (LESDC) was recently added to the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer platform, a dynamic online clearinghouse of FBI statistics and research. The collection displays the most current information about suicides and suicide attempts from participating law enforcement agencies. Data includes circumstances surrounding law enforcement suicides and suicide attempts, general locations, demographics, occupations, and the methods used….
Forensic data often remains archived in state and local labs which is only used to solve and prosecute individual crimes. Using a forensic intelligence approach instead, agencies can use datasets to link and track crime patterns, helping to solve, disrupt and prevent crime. The NIJ Forensic Intelligence Framework provides guidance for state and local law enforcement agencies and their forensic laboratories to develop or enhance a forensic intelligence program. The benefits of forensic intelligence practices include: Early identification and elimination…
Larry J. Nichols There are several factors regarding an off-duty handgun which a user should consider before making a purchase. Selecting an everyday carry off-duty handgun can be problematic and expensive for those who are not proficient in the art of handgunning. The first consideration one must make when purchasing a firearm is to know what the primary purpose of the selected handgun is going to be. Most handguns are capable of the self-defense role, as well as hunting, plinking,…
Bloodstain pattern analysis is a forensic science discipline which reconstructs a blood shedding event and can provide crucial evidence in some legal cases. Several reports have questioned the validity of bloodstain pattern analysis, including a 2009 National Research Council report and one in 2016 by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. These reports called for more objective methods in forensic science and a better understanding of the error rates of current practices. In response, the…
The Bureau of Justice Statistics has recently released, “State and Local Law Enforcement Training Academies and Recruits, 2022 – Statistical Tables.” The report describes the number and types of law enforcement training academies in the United States in 2022 and it presents findings on the characteristics of recruits and training outcomes. Findings in the report are based primarily on the 2022 Census of Law Enforcement Training Academies (CLETA), the fifth iteration of the data collection. Conducted periodically since 2002, CLETA collects…
Eugene Nielsen In recent years, the frequency and severity of active shooter incidents have underscored the critical need for comprehensive training programs for law enforcement personnel. It is imperative for officers to be well prepared – both mentally and physically – to handle such high stress situations. An active shooter is defined as an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area. These situations are unpredictable and evolve rapidly, often concluding within…
In this series, CNA studied the use of emerging technologies by law enforcement agencies. Case studies examine the Chula Vista (California) Police Department’s program of using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), more commonly known as drones; the Fairfax County (Virginia) Department of Public Safety Communications Next Generation 911 equipped communications center; the Las Vegas (Nevada) Metropolitan Police Department’s Fusion Watch center and its cameras and monitoring equipment; the Pinal County (Arizona) Attorney’s Office’s new digital case management software for its adult…
Derrick D. Bartlett – President American Sniper Association What is the average distance of a police sniper shooting in the United States? The generic answer to that question (for at least the last 30 years) has been “around 70 yards.” It has been stated as fact in sniper schools, articles, books, and conversations around the country. When pressed for a source of this information, most people have credited “the FBI’s statistics.” When the American Sniper Association (ASA) was formed in…
Stephenie Slahor, Ph.D., J.D. Some law enforcement professionals consider attending law school during their “tour of duty.” Exploring the reasons and options can help decide if pursuing law is the right path. The Presley Center of Crime and Justice Studies of the University of California, Riverside, previously hosted a presentation about attending law school. Members of the Riverside County Bar Association cohosted the presentation to assist with the considerations to make when deciding whether to gain a law degree. Panel…