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A Guide to PoliceLink

Featured Author:

Chris Cosgriff

Chris Cosgriff founded the Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc., in 1996 and has served as its director and Chairman since that time. Through his work with the ODMP, Chris has become recognized one of the country’s leading experts on line of duty deaths. He has given countless media interviews and has been invited to speak at law enforcement conferences nationwide. In 2005 he was awarded the Grand Lodge FOP’s Exemplary Service Award for his efforts in working to honor the sacrifices law enforcement officers make every day.

Add Chris to your PoliceLink Friends List

More articles from this author:

• 2010 & 2011: The Deadliest Januaries in LE History
• End Parole for Cop Killers
• Christmas Day: A Dangerous Day to Be an Officer

So now that you’ve found your way to PoliceLink, what exactly is there do? There are many ways to be interactive and if you need some ideas, this guide will show you exactly what there is to do in each section.

News

You can rate every news article that you read. Go to the box that says “Rate.” Hover over the amount of stars that you would like to give that article and click. Your rating will be automatically registered. In fact, you can start by rating this very article that you are reading! That way I will know if it has been helpful.

You can also leave a comment after any article that you read on PoliceLink. Leaving a comment is a way of starting a conversation about the article.

You can submit your own news story by writing it yourself, or by providing a link to an article that you found interesting. If enough people read and rate your article it may just find its way to the front page on the “What’s Hot” list.

Videos

Visit the Internet’s largest library of law enforcement videos. Videos range from officer-involved shootings to be used for training to law enforcement spoofs to be used for a good laugh. Upload videos from your department to share with the rest of the law enforcement community.

This one is a favorite of mine. It shows Australian police chasing a man who stole a tank.

Gear Reviews

You can review any of the products that you see, and you can even add gear to your profile. Underneath each product there is a button that says “Add to my Favorite Gear.” By clicking on that button, the product becomes added to your profile under the “What I’m Packin’” section of your profile.

Do you have a product that you want to tell the PoliceLink community about? Maybe a handgun that you love, or a vest that you use on the job and find it to be an essential? You can also add your own products for review. Just click on “write a review” in the blue navigational bar and follow the steps.

Careers

You can search our job listings to see who is hiring police. We’ve partnered with Monster.com to bring you the most law enforcement job listings on the web. You can also add your resume to the career network, and employers will come to you. There are also some great articles about building resumes and interviewing techniques.

Education

This section also has articles that you can read, rate and comment on. Are you thinking about starting a career in law enforcement? Higher education is quickly becoming an essential part of law enforcement. If you don’t have a degree you may just find yourself being passed over by a candidate who does. Don’t let that happen. Use the PoliceLink Scholarship Finder to find a law enforcement friendly school and scholarship to pay for it.

Training

Search our selection of training articles written by experts i the field. Do you have your own training or teaching materials that you would like to share? You can submit them here.

Money

Think you’ll be able to live off your pension when you retire? Think again. Check out tons of great articles and tips about how to maximize your money. We have advice on everything related to money from buying a house to managing your credit card debt to saving for your retirement.

Discussions

This is where much of the action on PoliceLink occurs! You can start a discussion on any topic that you can think of. For instance, if you are a student, maybe you have questions about how to pass the physical fitness test in the academy? Or perhaps you just want to vent or share a funny anecdote with a fellow LEO. Just start a discussion thread and people will be able to respond to your topic or question.

Here are some examples of discussions which are already in place:

- Ask a Dispatcher
- Sound off on Segways
- How long was your last pursuit and how did it end?

Community

Find long lost coworkers and academy classmates, or make new friends from a police department on the other side of the country. The PoliceLink community brings cops together from every corner of the globe to exchange information.

If you need more ideas, or still have questions about how you can participate, please send me a private message through my profile.