While crime has gone down, according to published crime statistics, incidents involving assaults and worse on crime fighters are still prevalent. Luckily, in the face of all the danger, law enforcers have not backed down and continue to honor their oath and their mission. But what of incidents that occur when you are off duty. The question comes up regarding off-duty ...

There’s a big issue in police work that’s generally ignored but that we all know exists. Oh, we talk about it alright, although not so much in mixed company, but we sure don’t write about it. In fact, I can’t believe I’m even bringing it up, but it’s something that rookies need to know about and veterans have all agonized over. ...

It's Not About You. Regardless of whether you are pursuing the chief of police position for an agency of 15, 150, or 1500, the over-arching theme is the same.  Yes, you should be quite proud that you are in the final three, and yes attaining the chief of police position will be the icing on the cake for your police career; ...

As people of faith, we often wonder what we can do for others, especially for those in need. Ultimately, we seek help when things are out of our control and we can’t fix it. Is it a sign of powerlessness when we say, “We must pray for one another”? Spiritual leaders say that to do so is to acknowledge that we ...

You're leaving the service and are faced with the daunting task of developing your resume. Your military career is filled with accomplishments, but even the most decorated veteran needs to figure out how to effectively communicate and sell those successes in civilian terms. Follow these tips to draft a high-impact resume that shows how your military experience is transferable to a ...

h4. Description The chief or sheriff is the top, most visible member of the agency. He or she is the face of the agency and deals with a multitude of constituencies both within and without the organization. They need to be adept at dealing with the media, politicians, members of the community, and their own troops. h4. Testing Requirements +Police Chief+: ...

“Garbage in, garbage out.” That old saying captures why the recruitment of quality people into law enforcement is so important. After all, all street-level law enforcers want their backup officer to be good at a complex and dangerous job. Now, that’s not to say that training doesn’t have its priority, but we all know marginal officers who’ve somehow slipped through the ...

(Dedicated to all of my teachers… To all who instructed me in my career... and to all who have instructed Peace Keepers... and to those who currently instruct Peace Keepers.) The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with the educational process. He argued, "What's a student going to learn ...

Law enforcement folks love gadgets and the various accoutrements that go with the job. When I ran police academies in Ohio and Florida, police equipment catalogs littered the desks at lunchtime and cop supply websites were must reading among the cadets. Not surprisingly, conversations on breaks often revolved around the newest device or gadget. All aspiring and newly minted officers covet ...

Prayer is the theme in concluding this article on uncertainty and chaos in the law enforcement profession. As I indicated previously, I’ve been intrigued by [gate] the comments in our social networking and online writing communities that refer to prayer by asking us to do so on behalf of deceased officers, families, and friends as well as those who live in ...

As an experienced police officer, think of your last trip to the firearms range.  There was almost certainly a target for you to hit with a clear x ring, bull's eye, or some other marker that represented a perfect performance.  You utilized a firearm in which you had been trained and therefore had familiarity with the actions that you needed to ...

We all know the type in policing. The guy or gal who is never happy. They manage to find fault with the administration, the public, and even fellow crime fighters. It’s an “Us vs. Them” world in their eyes. In a nutshell, this frowny-faced person is a downer and could be crowned the king or queen of morale busting. They practice ...

The percentage of women in law enforcement is hovering under 15 percent, according to the National Center for Women & Policing, and it's not increasing. Here's straight talk from current and former female police officers as to why we'd all be better off if that percentage rose, what's been holding the numbers down and which women are needed to fill the ...

Law enforcement officers have an uneasy relationship with the rest of society. The police subculture, dominated by social solidarity and isolation, serves not only as a protective shell against the harsh elements of our dangerous society, but it can breed deviant conformity if not checked by good recruitment, training, management, and early warning systems. With mass cop-killings and deadly assaults on ...

I get quite a few emails and letters from individuals across this country who are having difficulty getting hired as a police officer or deputy sheriff. While I can’t help those folks that are steeped in a history of drug use or felony arrests, many of the others can jum start their career by self-sponsoring through a basic law enforcement academy. ...

“Police misconduct” is always a favorite topic of the media, and who can blame them? Exposing the dark side of those who are supposed to serve and protect makes for fascinating reading and viewing by the general public. And let’s face it; there is no shortage of fodder when it comes to our own bad behavior. Cops make mistakes, just like ...

There are 1%ers, 5% ers, and there are 13% ers but in the law enforcement profession there are 10%ers. 10% ers are in every law enforcement agency and let us thank God that they are! 10% ers, for the purpose of this article, are those Cops (law enforcement officers) who truly make the streets safe for everyone else. 10%ers are the ...

1. Search Every Room We were serving a search warrant with tribal police on a residence on Indian Land. The house wasn’t too big and we had a CI’s sketch of the interior. I’ve never liked relying on the word of a strung out informant but the boss had faith in it. For some reason, because two agencies were involved, they ...

As the economic crisis for local government has deepened over the past few years, so too has the belt been tightened at law enforcement agencies. Once a seller’s market, the crime fighter hiring endeavor has morphed into a buyer’s market. Many police departments and sheriff’s offices have found that, in the event that they are able to hire, they have the ...

Allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct and excessive force have been the staple of sensational headlines and are made of the stuff that can be career ending even when proven untrue. While this article and writer absolutely condemn any kind of unethical or illegal sexually based conduct or excessive force by professional law enforcement personnel, some false claim situations do occur. Even ...