Policing Matters

Why your agency is stronger with reserve officers

Could part-time officers help solve the police recruitment crisis? That is the question Policing Matters host and Police1 columnist Jim Dudley recently debated with fellow columnist Joel Shults as part of their State Your Case column.

The article elicited lots of reader responses, including one from Dr. Ross Wolf, who has over 30 years of experience as a full-time and reserve deputy and currently serves as president of the Volunteer Law Enforcement Officer Alliance (VLEOA). In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley chats with Dr. Wolf about the many benefits reserve officers bring to law enforcement.

Learn more about how agencies can utilize the strengths and expertise of volunteers in this article co-authored by Dr. Ross Wolf and fellow reserve officer, Dr. Adam Dobrin.

Sexual exploitation, human trafficking and the decriminalization of prostitution

Founded in 1962, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) is the leading national non-partisan organization exposing the links between all forms of sexual exploitation such as child sexual abuse, prostitution, sex trafficking and public health harms of pornography. 

On this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley chats with Dr. Michael Shively, who is the senior advisor on research and data analysis for NCOSE. Throughout his 30-year career in applied research, Dr. Shively has provided practitioners, legislators, agency managers and advocates with information and tools to advance their efforts to address human trafficking, sexual violence and other forms of victimization.

The many benefits of police chaplains

Law enforcement officers are often called on to provide counsel and comfort for people in need, colleagues and even their own friends and families. It is difficult for law officers to ask for help in return. Having a chaplain available for difficult times can be a blessing, whether it is with a religious affiliation or not.

On this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley chats with Jared Altic, who is the kind of person you can count on to lend an ear - and maybe some sage advice and guidance. Jared has worked full-time in the church for over 25 years, has a long history of ministering to members of the military, law enforcement and other first responders, and started serving Kansas City (Kansas) Police Department as a police chaplain in 2018. 

Jared focuses on the health and wellness of patrol officers and responds to unattended deaths such as homicides and suicides. He is also the host of the "Hey Chaplain" podcast.

Critical issues in policing in 2021

On the annual year-end episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley is joined by fellow Police1 columnist, criminal justice professor and former law enforcement officer Janay Gasparini, Ph.D.

During this special episode, Jim and Janay discuss some of the biggest issues law enforcement faced in 2021, including:

• COVID-19 vaccination mandates
• Women in policing
• Recruitment and retention
• Officer support systems
• Active bystandership in law enforcement
• Evolving police defensive tactics training  
• Opioid epidemic
• Procedural justice
• Use of force

Dispatches from the FBINAA National Annual Training Conference

In this compendium of interviews from the FBINAA National Annual Training Conference, held in Orlando, Florida, July 7-10, Policing Matters host Jim Dudley speaks with:

• Former New York City Police Commissioner and former LAPD Chief Bill Bratton, about the challenges of policing today;
• Bensalem Township Police Department's Director of Public Safety Fred Harran about his agency's use of Thermo Fisher's Rapid DNA to solve property crimes;
• Doug Monda, founder of Survive First, about the barriers that prevent public safety personnel from getting help for mental health issues.

Understanding the crime rate in America

Crime in America is either rising, or is low, depending on where you get your news and information. One source that disseminates crime rates, statistics, reports and other information is CrimeinAmerica.net run by Leonard A. Sipes, a former police officer who worked his way through top positions within the justice system.

Sipes retired in June 2016 as the Senior Public Affairs Specialist and Social Media Manager for a federal criminal justice agency. He was the primary spokesperson for crime prevention for the federal government for 10 years as the Senior Specialist for Crime Prevention for the National Criminal Justice Reference Service and the Director of Information Services for the National Crime Prevention Council (both funded by the US Department of Justice).

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley chats with Leonard about understanding crime in America.

The importance of mentoring candidates through the police recruitment process

Long before we hit the wall with police officer recruitment, Sgt. Justin Collins, an 18-year veteran of the Rochester Police Department, co-founded Police Exam Career Prep (PECP) with the goal of mentoring and guiding a new generation of law enforcement officers. 

In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley chats with Sgt. Collins about how PECP has been able to help more than 75 dedicated men and women prepare for the police hiring process and make their dream of becoming a police officer come true.

Dr. John Violanti on building healthy, resilient police officers

Across public safety, personnel work in conditions that range from boredom to sudden periods of extreme stress. In addition, it’s no secret that officers don’t get enough quality sleep or meals and work ungodly hours, as well as excessive overtime. But what are the lasting, long-term effects of these occupational hazards?

In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley speaks with Dr. John Violanti, noted police wellness researcher and LE veteran, about the increased risks police officers face from stress and cardiovascular disease.

Chief Carmen Best on the challenges facing police leaders

In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley speaks with Chief Carmen Best, who recently released her memoir, “Black in Blue: Lessons on Leadership, Breaking Barriers, and Racial Reconciliation,” about the leadership lessons she learned as Seattle’s first Black woman police chief charged with steering the agency through some of the most critical events in policing history.

How to be a cop and be happy

On this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley is joined by attorney and former deputy sheriff Bridget Truxillo, who now works to bring wellness and support to the public safety community as founder and CEO of Protective Wellness. Jim and Bridget chat about how law enforcement officers can apply wellness principles to improve their emotional health.