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2023 Law Enforcement Fatalities Report Reveals Overall Reduction in Line-of-Duty Deaths

The number of law enforcement professionals nationwide who have died in the line of duty in the first half of 2023 decreased a dramatic 66% compared to the same period last year, according to preliminary data provided by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), the leading authority on officer fatalities. While much of the decrease is driven by substantial reductions in COVID-19 related deaths, line of duty deaths are down across the board. As reported in their official “2023 Mid-Year…


How to Avert the Severe Consequences of Ransomware Attacks

Carl Mazzanti, eMazzanti Technologies Public safety authorities have been grappling with a surge in criminal activity while contending with limited resources. Now, they are confronting an additional challenge: sophisticated ransomware attacks. These malicious schemes initiate when hackers infiltrate and seize control of an agency’s computer system. Subsequently, they threaten to either permanently block access to files or expose sensitive data unless a ransom is paid. The frequency of ransomware attacks has been steadily rising. However, agencies which team up with…


BUSTED! Real Stories of Genuine Absurdity September/October 2023

James L. McClinton, Ph.D. I’m glad the officer quickly worked out who was a good boy and who wasn’t… A Colorado man is in the doghouse for attempting to switch places with his pooch after he was pulled over on suspicion of drunken driving. The Springfield Police Department posted on social media that the suspect was pulled over after allegedly driving 52 mph in a 30 mph zone. Police stated, “The driver attempted to switch places with his dog who…


…AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH September/October 2023

Ramesh Nyberg “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.”– Albert Einstein For the last several days, our sisters and brothers in blue have joined with various rescue task forces in Maui in the grim task of recovering human remains in the wake of the devastating wildfires and hurricane there. Some of those people will be found drowned and many more burned beyond recognition. From the last estimate I read, some 800 people are still missing. This will…


Four Lessons of Caution Emerge from the Breonna Taylor Case

Jon Becker, Esq. To my surprise, I discovered that my previous understanding of the case, primarily shaped by news coverage, was largely inaccurate. In preparation for recording Episode 18 of “The Debrief with Jon Becker” on the Breonna Taylor case, I dedicated myself to studying all available information about the incident. To begin my research, I found a valuable resource on the Louisville (KY) Metro Police Department’s Web site, Breonna Taylor Investigation. This Web site contained a wealth of information…


Strategic Communications for Law Enforcement

The purpose of this guide is to help law enforcement agency leaders and strategic communications advisors develop the necessary knowledge and skill to create strategic communications plans to help build and maintain community trust. This guide is a revision and expansion of the Strategic Communications Practices Toolkit published by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services and the Major Cities Chiefs Association in 2012. It expands upon the tenets of best practice communications planning to provide law enforcement executives guidance…


Security Integration – Using Our Collaborative Expertise to Prevent Violent Crime and Build Trust

Published by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, this article discusses an event held earlier this year in which representatives from a select group of law enforcement agencies came together from across the country in Tampa, Florida. This event was a peer-to-peer learning opportunity cosponsored by the Tampa Police Department, the Bureau of Justice Assistance, and the US Secret Service. The meeting’s purpose was to provide practitioners with an opportunity to learn from one another regarding the responsible use of technology,…


Responding to Current Public Safety Challenges in Cities

The COPS Office recently released this publication summarizing a leadership meeting between local government and law enforcement.  In March 2022, 50 mayors, police chiefs and other representatives of law enforcement executive organizations met at the Winter Leadership Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors to discuss the cooperation necessary between local government and law enforcement to keep cities safe. Topics included ordinances, technology options, and community interventions and other initiatives to respond to and reduce gun violence; officer recruitment and…


FBI Report on LEOs Killed in the Line of Duty

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has released a report on law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, including data on felonious deaths from 2022. The FBI continuously releases this data through the Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program. The program’s statistics provide information which law enforcement can use to protect officers and prevent future incidents. LEOKA adheres to a general set of law enforcement officer criteria when gathering data. According to the report, the number…


Targeting Cartel Money Laundering Is Essential for Combating US Fentanyl Crisis

Michael Brown To effectively undermine the cartels and curtail the flow of fentanyl, it is crucial to disrupt their financial supply chain. In 2022, there was a slight increase in drug overdose deaths in the US following two significant spikes during the pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials report that the numbers remained stable for the majority of the year. It is uncertain whether this indicates that the deadliest drug overdose crisis in US history is approaching…