By Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D The professionalization of law enforcement became solidified in the 1970s when U.S. states developed certification standards for police officers. Some were active before then and some states took longer. The minimum academy training hours vary widely with standards for hiring generally up to each individual agency. The reason for Read more »
By Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D One of the guilty pleasures in my early days working in the same college town where I was a young officer was arresting criminal justice students. There was something about having taken a few classes that made many of them have the confidence of a seasoned attorney. More than Read more »
By Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D There is so much talk about law enforcement that the average citizen may think all justice must flow first through the badge. The police establishment has long been the gateway for a myriad of services beyond the mere enforcement of statutes and continues to be the first call of Read more »
By Steve Pomper “The Lexington Minuteman,” Lexington, Massachusetts When it comes to chasing cops out of the profession, despite putting their communities at grave risk, anti-cop/anti-self-defense/anti-gun legislators in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts take a backseat to no one. And, originally from Mass. but currently residing in Washington State, I know what it’s like to live in Read more »
By Steve Pomper As a cop in Washington State, I had the authority place people with mental health issues into an involuntary commitment hold for a psychological evaluation. But only if the person was a danger to self or others. This standard was intended to correctly balance a person’s liberty with public safety. However, as I quickly Read more »
By Steve Pomper Radical gun control efforts against law-abiding citizens affect law enforcement officers in many ways. One way is when people aren’t allowed to exercise their Second Amendment self-defense rights, cops are the ones who must investigate the gruesome crime scenes after some murderer shoots up an unarmed family. There are places where the government Read more »
By Steve Pomper Gov. Mike Parson, former Polk County sheriff and U.S. Army MP My basic understanding, if somewhat simplified, of the federal-state balance regarding the U.S. Constitution’s supremacy clause is states can pass laws to provide more but not less protection than the federal Constitution provides, including the unalienable right to life and to defend that life. As explained by Thoughtco, Read more »
By Steve Pomper A bit over-the-top, yes. But dumb gun laws are forcing many people to leave guns in cars. Recently, Tacoma police warned the public that during one recent month they recorded about 10 reports of criminals stealing guns after breaking into cars. So, how do lawmakers want to address it? Not by holding criminals Read more »
By Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D Anyone observing the cycle of crime can watch the graphs at work. Crime goes up. Laws get more severe and police are empowered to deal with criminal activity. Crime goes down. Laws get watered down, penalties get reduced, and law enforcement gets fewer dollars and support. Crime goes up. Read more »
By Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D There was a day when police officers on the beat were expected to grab a free apple from the corner grocery. In more corrupt agencies, the freebies could even be cash as an incentive to keep an eye on a business. Business owners may have wanted to show their Read more »