By Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D Of the estimated 850,000 police officers serving the U.S., approximately 110,500 are women. Despite the inclusion of women in recruiting efforts and their gains in supervision and administration, there is an 85% chance that the police officer answering your 911 call will be a man. Much of the speculation Read more »
By Steve Pomper We all know about the Virginia election earthquake that shook the commonwealth in 2021. Many called it a red wave. A sign of things to come in the mid-term elections, they also said. That election signaled a possible halt to the destruction of the American criminal justice system. That’s because it also Read more »
By Stephen Owsinski Late at night on June 10, 2022, a public information officer (PIO) with the Maine State Police published a press release announcing forthcoming major changes in the law enforcement agency’s infrastructure stemming from “changing demands of the public safety environment.” Department of Public Safety PIO Shannon Moss outlined plans to implement midnight-shift Read more »
By Stephen Owsinski On June 10, 2022, Florida’s pro-police Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law on behalf of the Sunshine State’s retired police K9s, ensuring provisions of care while the furred crimefighters wile away the days. “In Florida, we back the blue, and that includes the K-9s that are often the first to Read more »
By Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D Can a police officer get through a shift without making a mistake? If so, can they sustain that perfection for a career? How about a physician, a factory worker, a teacher, or an engineer? We accept mistakes as part of life. That’s why we have so many safeguards in Read more »
By Stephen Owsinski Those interested in law enforcement sometimes take advantage of ride-along programs offered by police agencies, but the reasons for doing so vary. Generally, on paper, the self-explanatory term for ride-along is “civilian observer,” and the applications to partner with a cop in a police cruiser entail the words “Hold-Harmless” in capitalized block Read more »
By Stephen Owsinski In the months preceding December 2014, Tarpon Springs, Florida police Officer Charlie “K” Kondek, Jr. relished the thoughts of a retirement home built somewhere up in the mountains. A humble abode in which he and his beloved family could switch gears and enjoy solitude afforded by nature, leave long burdensome patrol shifts Read more »
By Stephen Owsinski Despite the naysayers who believe “scary” surplus military equipment provided to America’s law enforcement agencies ought to be banned forever, one of the latest barricaded subject standoffs illustrates the usefulness of armored apparatus, especially protecting cops extraordinarily well while they defuse situations. In the San Carlos Park community in Lee County, Florida, Read more »
By Stephen Owsinski I didn’t plan on writing about fresh recruits populating America’s police academies, then writing on veteran law enforcement officers concluding cop careers, but the latter group kept showing up lately. Bravo to all of them! Having been there, handing in their tin shield highlights finales for cops who survived the mean streets Read more »
By Stephen Owsinski “Let’s go to the tape” is a famous line coined by legendary sports broadcaster Howard Cosell. In policing, it has a different tone and meaning. “No one through this tape who doesn’t have an official investigative role” is a line used by police supervisors and/or lead detectives working on horrific events created Read more »