Training & Education

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…

Mike Boyle Unfortunately, even today, many officers are not afforded the opportunity to do any sort of low light training. A few years back, I was teaching at a firearms instructor seminar in a major metropolitan area when I had the opportunity to teach a low light class. After a short lecture, we moved out to the range where I ran the group through a quick 40 round exercise in order to get some insight into their capabilities. To do…

Eugene Nielsen The Hartford Consensus represents a significant shift in the approach to handling mass casualty events. By compressing the zones of care and integrating the roles of different responders, it aims to save more lives in the critical moments following such events. The Hartford Consensus is a set of lifesaving recommendations developed in response to the increasing frequency of active shooter and intentional mass casualty events. Initiated by the American College of Surgeons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation,…

Mike Boyle Those of us who have been in the law enforcement field for 30 or more years continue to marvel at the tools readily available to today’s line officers. This is particularly true of firearms and related gear. Back in the day, I was issued a six-shot revolver and my Sam Browne belt contained a pair of dump pouches, a hickory stick and a set of handcuffs. Body armor was not an issued item and our shoulder weapons –…

Larry Nichols Because we are humans and not androids, it is difficult for most to hold an object out in front of us and keep it from moving around. When aiming at a target through a firearm’s sighting system, the front sight post, red dot, or crosshairs in the scope tend to move unevenly across the aiming point on the target. This is referred to as “the natural wobble area” or “the wobble zone” and it cannot be completely stopped…

John G. Peters, Jr., Ph.D.; Darrell L. Ross, Ph.D.; and Michael Brave, Esq. ©2024. A.R.R. The grounding of an individual is an expanding area in civil litigation, expected to persist for many years. The potential complexities involved when law enforcement officers ground a subject often necessitate a careful balance of legal, tactical and medical factors. A Fourth Amendment seizure occurs either (1) by a Law Enforcement Officer’s (LEO’s) application of physical force, however slight, with intent to restrain, or (2)…

Mike Boyle Whether we like it or not, sometimes the only way to maintain officer and public safety is through the application of force.  In recent times, police use of force has come under the spotlight. Policies, training and even the equipment utilized by law enforcement officers has been challenged, sometimes resulting in negative outcomes. Certain elements have questioned the need for police officers to participate in “tactical” training as they feel it programs officers to overreact in confrontational situations…

John G. Peters, Jr., CLS, PSDS, Ph.D. Copyright 2024. A.R.R. The theory of Prone Restraint Cardiac Arrest introduces a controversial viewpoint regarding the underlying reasons for sudden fatalities in individuals who have been involved in altercations with law enforcement, particularly those involving prone restraint. Dr. Alon Steinberg, a cardiologist, has formulated and released a theory concerning instances of sudden death following struggles involving prone restraint. His concept, termed “prone restraint cardiac arrest,” challenges what some refer to as the misconception…

Michael T. Rayburn Many firearms instructors incorrectly state that the primary issue for the majority of shooters is “trigger control.” Now, I’d like to pose a straightforward question to you. Although it may be somewhat lengthy, it remains a simple and direct contradiction. Imagine this scenario: I take your handgun and line it up on target on the range – physically line the gun up so that, when you pull the trigger, the bullet will go straight into the target,…

P&SN Staff Improving yourself, advancing your career, and boosting your confidence are all attainable through higher education. However, your first task is to identify the specific area of focus for your learning and pinpoint the schools which align best with your goals. Scholarly Degrees A two year associate degree program in law enforcement serves as a fundamental platform for basic instruction. Courses at this level are typically categorized by the school as 100 and 200 level courses. This degree is…