Mike Boyle A harsh reality of gun fighting is the fact that you may be hit by an incoming round. A hit doesn’t necessarily mean stop, nor does down mean out. Approximately 88% of people struck with handgun rounds survive, but to tip the odds back in your favor, you can’t give up and you have to immediately take the fight back to your assailant. Learning how to fight after sustaining a hit should be a part of every officer’s…
by Ramesh Nyberg Spending the Hours Reminiscing There are times when one is reminded of days gone by and it’s poignant, or wistful, or just plain “those were the days.” Three things have recently brought me back down memory lane, specifically to the decade of the 1980s, and I was reminded of life in South Florida during that time. I should preface this by telling you that, though I have visited many places around the country and the world, I…
The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) recently released a new resource, Bridging the Gap: Using Sports to Build Trust with Local Law Enforcement. Nancy Lieberman Charities has opened 92 Dream Courts, state-of-the-art play spaces serving more than four million children each year in a variety of community sporting activities, including some involving local law enforcement in programs funded by the COPS Office. To obtain a copy of this resource, visit https://tinyurl.com/ycexxy5z
Published by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), Policing the Front Lines of the Opioid Crisis discusses the role which law enforcement officers play on the front lines of the opioid epidemic. They are responsible for emergency response, preserving public safety and enforcing the law. This publication discusses the challenge of reconciling the conflicts which can arise among these roles and presents recommendations for alleviating these difficulties and improving law enforcement response to the opioid crisis. Go to https://tinyurl.com/yf5uetzj to…
Funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Preventing Violence Against Law Enforcement and Ensuring Officer Resilience and Survivability (VALOR) Program is now offering its VALOR Officer Safety App available via Google Play and the App Store. Preparation is the foundation of success in any profession. The VALOR Officer Safety App promotes mental and physical preparation to help you successfully meet the needs of the communities you serve each day. The app offers several features, including ways to prepare with…
Published by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), this report, “Law Enforcement Officer Suicide – 2021 Report to Congress,” discusses suicide among law enforcement and ways to prevent thoughts of suicide from becoming actions. This report assesses the availability of existing mental health resources for law enforcement agencies. It provides a review of peer responder programs and makes recommendations for establishing evidence-based behavioral health and suicide prevention efforts for both law enforcement and other first responders, as requested in Senate…
The COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) Office recently announced the release of a publication suite focused on creating an organizational culture of wellness for officers and their support networks. Law enforcement officers regularly experience stress and secondary trauma during their shifts and rely on their families and friends as a positive social support network to maintain holistic wellness. Family Matters: Executive Guide for Developing Family-Friendly Policies, Procedures, and Culture and its companion tools for families and agencies guide professional dialogue…
Produced by the FBI’s Office of Partner Engagement, the report, “Active Shooter Incidents 20–Year Review, 2000–2019,” encompasses statistical data regarding 333 active shooter incidents in the United States between 2000 and 2019. Each page focuses on a particular active shooter-related topic and has been designed specifically for law enforcement officers, other first responders, corporations, educators, and the general public. To view a copy of the report, visit https://tinyurl.com/yvpajfhc
Ralph Mroz We require officers to be in shape to start their careers; why not require them to stay that way? A subject which has been discussed vigorously in police circles is that of career physical fitness standards for police officers. As disheartening as it is, some of the young men and women coming into police service today are in such poor shape that standards have had to be dramatically lowered in many places. Nonetheless, the idea has stayed alive,…
The Bureau of Justice Assistance National Training and Technical Assistance Center (BJA NTTAC) released a checklist which provides standard best practices which agencies of all sizes can implement in their crime analysis units. The checklist includes questions and recommendations which may help an agency increase the unit’s effectiveness and capacity. Specifically, it includes recommendations for staffing, communication, crime analysis products, technology, and resources. Visit https://tinyurl.com/bmwdfjxa to view the checklist.