Articles by publisher

Rethinking the Police Response to Mental Health-related Calls – Promising Models

Published by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), this report addresses one of the most critical issues in policing today: the role of police officers in responding to calls for service involving people in mental or behavioral health crisis. This has been a serious challenge for policing for decades, ever since mental health institutions were closed. People were discharged without adequate provision of help to live in the community and many of them landed on the streets. This report, which…


New Language Access Program

The “Overcoming Language Barriers in Policing and Building an Effective Language Access Program” includes resources and tools developed by the US Department of Justice’s Law Enforcement Language Access Initiative (LELAI) which can assist local and state law enforcement agencies in their efforts to provide meaningful language access to individuals with limited English proficiency within their jurisdiction. An initiative led by the Civil Rights Division’s Federal Coordination and Compliance Section in partnership with US Attorneys’ offices, the resources review the legal obligation to provide language…


Improving Learning Outcomes in Police Academy Training

Published by the US Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) and the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST), this report describes the results of the Academy Innovations project, a COPS Office supported initiative aimed at studying ways to improve the methodology for delivering basic police training content. Recruits’ ability to learn and retain material presented during and after basic police academy training is a genuine concern for academy directors,…


How Simulation Training Can Lead to Better Contact Outcomes

Ron LaPedis With a cell phone camera in everyone’s hands, an imperfect officer interaction can quickly become tonight’s 11 o’clock news. With many populations already set against any justifiable action which an officer takes, de-escalation is a critical skill. It can mean the difference between an ending where everyone goes home to their families or a potentially dangerous, or even deadly, outcome. How do you train an officer to temper his/her reaction when a suspect gets in his/her face? You…


Collaboration Is Key: How Schools and Law Enforcement Should Address Potential Threats

Collin Sharp, Traka Americas’ Regional Manager Security is one of the most discussed topics in education right now, as school districts across the country are evaluating their systems in light of ongoing violent incidents which all too often show up in the news. Even though these events are statistically rare, schools are responding by taking every precaution to make sure another one doesn’t occur. Unfortunately, many districts are failing to consider keys as the foundational element of security and are…


The Wheels of Justice January/February 2024

Sergeant James Post Police Vehicle Mounts and Consoles: A Selection Guide The days of moving a “universal” vehicle console and computer mount (docking station) between different makes and/or cruiser models are as dated as a $1.00 gallon of gas. This newest installment of “Wheels” presents a guide for selecting appropriate new consoles and computer mounts for your fleet. The effectiveness of an LE vehicle’s “mobile office” and, in reality, an officer’s performance, hinges on two critical components: the console and…


Five Things about Protecting Against Mass Attacks

Funded by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), this toolkit serves as an online educational toolkit with strategies, guidance and links to resources on preventing and responding to mass attacks. Mass public attacks, whether personally or ideologically motivated, cause much concern and fear. Nonetheless, you can often take actions to prevent, defend against and respond to them. A recent NIJ funded research project analyzed over 600 mass attack plots, hundreds of articles and resources, and dozens of expert interviews to…


Fundamental Breaching Skills for SWAT Officers

Eugene Nielsen Swift execution plays a pivotal role in dynamic entries, highlighting the need for breaching techniques to combine speed and effectiveness. There are a variety of methods – mechanical, thermal, explosive, and ballistic – which may be employed depending on what is to be breached, the door’s opening direction (inward or outward) and the tactical situation. For example, residential doors generally swing inward, whereas doors in commercial buildings typically swing outward. Although entries may be made through windows, skylights…


Building Trust One Traffic Stop at a Time

Published by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), this article spotlights the Preventing Violence Against Law Enforcement and Ensuring Officer Resilience and Survivability (VALOR) Safer Together training program, an initiative aimed at building positive partnerships between police officers and the communities they serve to reduce crime and ensure safety and wellness for all. Community safety doesn’t start with a traffic stop – it begins with building trust. That’s just one of the lessons Lieutenant James Jefferson III of the Louisiana…


Equipping Your Team – Lessons Learned from Elite Units

Jon B. Becker What are the top four essentials for effectively equipping your team? For the past four decades, I have had the privilege of equipping many of the world’s premier tactical units. I have been fortunate enough to work with all of the US Special Operations/Special Mission Units, all branches of the US military, all of our major federal law enforcement agencies, and thousands of local law enforcement units from around the world. Throughout my career, I have noticed…