Articles by publisher

Collaborative Reform Initiative Critical Response Columbus (Ohio) Division of Police: Independent Review of Use of Force Policies, Procedures and Protocols

The COPS Office’s Collaborative Reform Initiative – Critical Response program provides targeted technical assistance to law enforcement agencies experiencing high profile events, major incidents, or sensitive issues of varying need. Following a series of organizational and leadership changes at the Columbus (Ohio) Division of Police (CDP), Jensen Hughes conducted a thorough, independent review and analysis of the CDP’s policies, procedures and training and operational protocols pertaining to use of force. This publication presents the findings of that review and analysis…


Artificial Intelligence for Public Safety Trainers and Educators

John G. Peters, Jr., PSDS, CTC, Ph.D. ©2024. A.R.R. Most people are familiar with Artificial Intelligence (AI) through tools like Alexa, Siri or ChatGPT, but many still feel apprehensive. It is vital that public safety trainers and educators understand AI and how to use it to enhance training, making it more creative, efficient, effective, and productive. Like immigrants arriving in a new country or culture, we, too, are immigrants to the AI culture and need to assimilate its cultural norms…


America’s Law Enforcement Agents Need a National Narcotics Monitoring and Analysis Database

Michael Brown Officers currently use various databases for narcotics intelligence, including information on trafficking groups, their distributors, movements, and communications. However, a centralized database which can track and share the identification of existing and new illicit substances in real time as officers discover them could revolutionize their work. The collaboration and coordination among law enforcement departments across America play a pivotal role in addressing the pervasive opioid crisis gripping the nation. Despite concerted efforts to work together, coordinate activities and…


Legal Update September/October 2024

Ban on “Bump Stocks” Overturned Larry E. Holtz, Esq. Bump fire stocks are gun stocks specifically engineered to facilitate bump firing without converting the firearm into an automatic weapon. They enable rapid firing by allowing the trigger to “bump” against the shooter’s finger instead of the finger pulling the trigger. This is achieved by utilizing the firearm’s recoil and applying constant forward pressure with the non-shooting arm to actuate the trigger. On June 14, 2024, the United States Supreme Court,…


Busted! Real Stories of Genuine Absurdity September/October 2024

James L. McClinton, Ph.D. This thief didn’t exactly nail it… An intellectually challenged thief targeted a nail salon in Atlanta, Georgia, because he apparently thought it would be a prime location for a fast and easy holdup. Surveillance camera footage shows him entering the salon, his hand in a bag and shouting, “Everybody get down! Give me all your money.” Nail salon patrons and employees were not impressed and no one hit the floor. In fact, they simply stared at…


… AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH September/October 2024

Ramesh Nyberg Standing Tall(er) While the rest of the world seems to be losing their sense of decency and decorum – even competence – there’s one aspect of our society which is actually getting better. What might that be? It’s us…the police. Allow me to explain. At the risk of sounding like an old grouch, I submit to you, reader, that in almost every area of society, we are seeing decline. I’m not talking about your favorite stocks or the…


Unconventional Wisdom: Research Shakes Up Assumptions About Sex Trafficking Clues in Online Escort Ads

A new study found that many widely assumed indicators of trafficking in online escort ads are likely not reliable – but some are.   The research builds on our knowledge about how traffickers construct and use advertising when trafficking victims and helps differentiate between those for consensual sex work.  In addition to key findings, researchers developed a practice guide to help law enforcement and other practitioners uncover more victims; build trafficking cases; and train investigators, prosecutors, judges, and victim service…


Tools for Building Trust: Designing Law Enforcement–Community Dialogue and Reacting to the Use of Deadly Force and Other Critical Law Enforcement Actions

Published by the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), this guide is designed to offer law enforcement agencies proactive ways to build trust and legitimacy through intentional law enforcement–community dialogue and identifies ideas and actions law enforcement might take reactively to draw on that accrued trust and rebuild relationships in the immediate aftermath of a critical law enforcement action. Leveraging social science research and case studies of existing law enforcement–community dialogue processes, this guide offers four considerations for the immediate…


Safer Schools Clearinghouse

Funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance and released by the Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Program, the Safer Schools Training and Technical Assistance Clearinghouse for Law Enforcement provides a one-stop shop for law enforcement and school safety professionals to access relevant training and technical assistance. The clearinghouse also features a comprehensive resource library which hosts publications, Web sites, trainings, Webinars, videos, and podcasts aimed at addressing specific aspects related to enhancing school resource officer programs, school…


Preparedness for Overdose Response Among Law Enforcement Agencies

Published by the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP), this publication provides details about training content surrounding overdose response for officers; how agencies obtain their naloxone; and respondents’ beliefs on whether administering naloxone and other programs aimed at reducing opioid use in the community is a responsibility of law enforcement agencies. This data was formulated based on the 2020 Law Enforcement Overdose Response Survey fielded by RTI International to a nationally representative sample of law enforcement agencies, including…