Policing Matters

When a disgruntled employee becomes a deadly threat

Leaders of any organization can find themselves dealing with individuals who are confrontational or even hostile. Today’s guest had an encounter with a revengeful employee that goes way beyond angry outbursts or even lawsuits. It is a story that we can learn from regarding how to identify disgruntled employees, how to mitigate or take action, and how to protect yourself and your family.

In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley speaks with Mark Anderko about how his agency put a performance improvement package in place for a challenging employee that ultimately led to Mark and his family facing a deadly threat.  

Mark Anderko has over 28 years of experience in New Jersey law enforcement, serving in various administrative and operational commands, including command positions with the Edison Township Office of Emergency Management and the Edison Police Department Emergency Response Team. Mark is a graduate of the West Point Command & Leadership Program graduate and Police Executive Institute sponsored by the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police along with Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command. Mark began his career in 1988 and rose to the rank of deputy chief of police, retiring in 2016 as deputy chief of police.

This episode of Policing Matters is sponsored by Utility. Utility provides a universe of intuitive solutions for effectively capturing, analyzing, managing, and sharing video evidence. Technologies include a variety of cameras, sensors, and devices, as well as situational awareness software solutions for law enforcement, first responders, transportation agencies, and utility providers. To learn more about Utility and its technology solutions, visit utility.com. 

Teach, coach, mentor: How effective leadership is about influence and inspiration

Law enforcement officers across agencies – from small towns to sprawling rural areas to municipal cities and state and federal services all have similar traits.  They are smart, capable, problem solvers with a plan.  Anyone who says they are flying by the seat of their pants probably does not anticipate being in the business for long. Of course, they have to be flexible and adaptable to different situations, but they are likely to have a good foundation to fall back on.

In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley speaks with Dan Mehdi, who retired from the Drug Enforcement Administration after serving 21 years as a Special Agent (SA). His last assignment was as a SA instructor/curriculum developer at the Drug Enforcement Administration Academy in Quantico, Virginia where the focus of his instruction to basic agent trainees was on self-awareness, adaptation, resiliency, critical thinking, problem solving and decision-making abilities and models. Mehdi discusses the parallels between training for the military, DEA and police agencies regarding leadership and moral courage.

Prior to joining the DEA, Dan was a patrol agent with the U.S. Border Patrol in San Diego, California and an Infantry Officer in the United States Marine Corps, during which time he participated in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He was also the DEA’s nationwide Field Training Agent Coordinator where he instructed on the power of influence and everyday leadership to experienced agents responsible for mentoring, developing and evaluating newly minted Special Agents.

This episode of Policing Matters is sponsored by Utility. Utility provides a universe of intuitive solutions for effectively capturing, analyzing, managing, and sharing video evidence. Technologies include a variety of cameras, sensors, and devices, as well as situational awareness software solutions for law enforcement, first responders, transportation agencies, and utility providers. To learn more about Utility and its technology solutions, visit utility.com. 

A primer for law enforcement on First Amendment rights

We have seen demonstrations and protests intensify over the past few years. We have seen legislation of what, where and when something can be shared in public places. One state tried to regulate the rights of onlookers and their ability to record police activity, only to be struck down by their courts. We have seen social media posts made by law enforcement officers lead to sanctions and discipline. Are we all on the same page when it comes to knowing First Amendment rights?

In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley speaks with Chief Jeffrey Scott (ret.) who presented a session on First Amendment auditors to an assembly of police chiefs and command staff at the Georgia Chief’s summer conference. Chief Scott talks about key points to remember and policies that we should think about for our agencies.

This episode of Policing Matters is sponsored by Utility. Utility provides a universe of intuitive solutions for effectively capturing, analyzing, managing, and sharing video evidence. Technologies include a variety of cameras, sensors, and devices, as well as situational awareness software solutions for law enforcement, first responders, transportation agencies, and utility providers. To learn more about Utility and its technology solutions, visit utility.com. 

Scott Savage on police disengagement on barricaded subject calls

You respond to a call for a barricaded man with a gun in a single-family home in your city and set up a perimeter. After a few minutes, your sergeant tells an officer to pull down the perimeter and everyone on scene should return to patrol. Wait, what? Is this the policy in your jurisdiction?

Our guest today has investigated this practice and has developed training on the benefits and detriments of police disengagement on a barricaded subject call.

Scott Savage is an active-duty law enforcement officer in California. His previous assignments include SWAT, full-time assignment to a terrorism/ intelligence task force, team leader on a crisis negotiation team, field supervisor and incident commander. He is the founder of the Savage Training Group, a private law enforcement training organization, which offers an online and in-person course on Response to the Non-Criminal Barricade: Disengagement and Special Relationships. Scott's primary area of focus is how police respond to critical incidents and crisis situations. 

This episode of Policing Matters is sponsored by Utility. Utility provides a universe of intuitive solutions for effectively capturing, analyzing, managing, and sharing video evidence. Technologies include a variety of cameras, sensors, and devices, as well as situational awareness software solutions for law enforcement, first responders, transportation agencies, and utility providers. To learn more about Utility and its technology solutions, visit utility.com. 

Nancy Rommelmann on meeting one of America’s most heinous serial killers

Advisory: Today’s conversation includes talk about a heinous murderer in the Chicago, Illinois area, and another case of murder in the Portland, Oregon area.

In 1994, journalist Nancy Rommelmann accompanied Rick Gaez, a 26-year-old pen pal of John Wayne Gacy, on a road trip from Los Angeles to Illinois to visit the serial killer before his execution.

Along the way, she took the moral temperature of people asking how they felt about Gacy and his being sentenced to death for the torture and murder of 33 young men and teenage boys. Her journey resulted in the publication of Destination Gacy: A Cross-Country Journey to Shake the Devil's Hand.

In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley chats with Rommelmann about her meeting and interview with one of America’s most heinous serial killers.  

This episode of Policing Matters is sponsored by Utility. Utility provides a universe of intuitive solutions for effectively capturing, analyzing, managing, and sharing video evidence. Technologies include a variety of cameras, sensors, and devices, as well as situational awareness software solutions for law enforcement, first responders, transportation agencies, and utility providers. To learn more about Utility and its technology solutions, visit utility.com. 

Consent decrees: How do they work and who benefits?

We have seen consent decrees last a decade, or even two decades at some agencies, while change seems to move at a glacial pace. How do they work, what happens at an agency under a consent decree, and who benefits? These are just some of the questions addressed in this episode of Policing Matters as host Jim Dudley talks to Bob Scales, founding partner and CEO of Police Strategies LLC. 

Previously, Scales served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in King County Washington, a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington, the Assistant Director for Public Safety for the City of Seattle, the Director of Government Affairs for the Seattle City Attorney, and the Compliance Coordinator for the Seattle Police Department.

Police Strategies LLC uses data science and technology to help law enforcement agencies implement effective policies, training programs and accountability systems. The company’s Police Force Analysis System provides law enforcement with in-depth reviews of force incidents, helping agencies identify and address high-risk conduct and compare use of force practices across multiple agencies. Scales has partnered with several universities to analyze the data collected by his data systems and has published several peer-reviewed academic journal articles on use of force practices.

This episode of Policing Matters is sponsored by Utility. Utility provides a universe of intuitive solutions for effectively capturing, analyzing, managing, and sharing video evidence. Technologies include a variety of cameras, sensors, and devices, as well as situational awareness software solutions for law enforcement, first responders, transportation agencies, and utility providers. To learn more about Utility and its technology solutions, visit utility.com. 

The body won’t go where the brain hasn’t been

Is there enough good technology to help police officers train for better outcomes? Are virtual simulators the answer or a supplement to live training? 

In a recent Police1 article, this week's guest, Captain Warren Wilson – a writer, firearms instructor and training commander at the Enid (Oklahoma) Police Department – addressed how simulator technology improves police cadet training and more. 

In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley discusses with Captain Wilson – who has over 3,000 hours of documented training, 1,000 of which are directly related to firearms and firearms instruction, and is a published author of over 130 magazine articles – how simulator technology is improving police training.

This episode of Policing Matters is sponsored by Utility. Utility provides a universe of intuitive solutions for effectively capturing, analyzing, managing, and sharing video evidence. Technologies include a variety of cameras, sensors, and devices, as well as situational awareness software solutions for law enforcement, first responders, transportation agencies, and utility providers. To learn more about Utility and its technology solutions, visit utility.com. 

The leadership actions that build resilient police officers

During a career in law enforcement, officers are involved in many traumatic incidents. What can police agencies do to help their personnel mentally prepare for those incidents? Building resilience within employees is essential and that responsibility falls to law enforcement leadership.

In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley reports from the California Peace Officers Association (CPOA) Conference where he spoke to Sergeant Eric Thorton and Sergeant Steve Breakall from the El Cajon (California) Police Department about their presentation titled "Leading for Resilience." They discuss how first-line supervisors can build resilience among their officers to help them navigate through modern mental wellness by recognizing PTSD, normalizing self-care and reducing stigmas surrounding officer mental health.

If there is a report-writing issue, the supervisor helps take care of it. If there is a building search issue, the supervisor helps take care of it. If there is an emotional trauma issue, then the supervisor should help take care of it and help the officer navigate through it." 

This episode of Policing Matters is sponsored by Utility. Utility provides a universe of intuitive solutions for effectively capturing, analyzing, managing, and sharing video evidence. Technologies include a variety of cameras, sensors, and devices, as well as situational awareness software solutions for law enforcement, first responders, transportation agencies, and utility providers. To learn more about Utility and its technology solutions, visit utility.com. 

How cyber attackers work and what they are looking for

Is your agency at risk of becoming a victim of ransomware? What are departments doing to protect themselves? And what can we do as individuals to protect our phones, tablets and computers from being hacked?

In this episode, Policing Matters host Jim Dudley speaks with Eric Escobar, principal security consultant for Secureworks, about malicious activity online and how law enforcement agencies and officers can protect themselves from attack.  

This episode of the Policing Matters Podcast is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com.

’No stone goes unturned’: Retired LAPD sergeant talks internal affairs investigations

Have you ever been investigated by your department’s Internal Affairs office? Was it a pleasant experience?

In this episode, Policing Matters host Jim Dudley speaks with veteran LAPD Internal Affairs investigator Marlon Marrache about the inner workings of an internal affairs unit, or what many agencies have deemed the Professional Standards Unit. Marlon, a retired 24-year LAPD sergeant, spent 15 years working in Internal Affairs. 

This episode of the Policing Matters Podcast is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com.

NEXT: Chief Robert McNeilly on how early intervention can identify issues before they become problems