Policing Matters

Coffee with a Criminalist: New podcast highlights the work of forensic scientists

Combining their passion for forensic science with their love for educating the public about their jobs, criminalists Brittney Chilton (Bodean) and Darby Stienmetz from the Washoe County (Nevada) Sheriff's Office Forensic Science Division came up with an idea for a podcast that would explain forensics in an easy-to-understand way. On this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley chats with Brittney and Darby about their podcast, “Coffee with a Criminalist,” which aims to take listeners on an audio tour of forensic science in Northern Nevada while highlighting notable true crime cases.

How CALEA accreditation could benefit your agency

The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), was created in 1979 as a credentialing authority through the joint efforts of law enforcement’s major executive associations. The Law Enforcement Accreditation process focuses on standards that provide best practices related to life, health and safety procedures for the agency.  In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley chats with Major Steve Runge, the assistant chief of police at Berkeley Police Department in Berkeley, Missouri, where he served as the CALEA Accreditation Manager for six years, about the benefits of accreditation for law enforcement agencies. For more information on CALEA, visit https://www.calea.org.

How the 30x30 initiative aims to advance women in policing

There are approximately 173,000 women in American law enforcement today, but that only represents about 12% of all LEOs. The 30x30 Initiative aims to address this imbalance and is challenging police departments nationwide to recruit classes of at least 30% women by 2030.  In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley chats with the co-founders of the 30x30 Initiative, Ivonne Roman, former chief of Newark (NJ) Police Department, and Maureen McGough, chief of staff at the Policing Project at the NYU School of Law, about how the initiative aims to assist departments in recruiting more female officers.

Meet Ernie & Joe, the crisis cops behind the HBO documentary

Ernie & Joe: Crisis Cops is an HBO documentary showcasing the efforts of two Texas police officers who are helping change the way police respond to mental health calls. The film takes audiences on a personal journey, weaving together these two officers' experiences during their daily encounters with people in crisis as part of the San Antonio Police Department’s Mental Health Unit. In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley talks to Ernie Stevens and Joe Smarro about the origins of the Mental Health Unit, how the documentary came about and how law enforcement agencies can best tackle the mental health crisis in their communities.

Understanding the fallacies behind the normalization of drug use

By now, everyone has told us how the war on drugs has failed so miserably. Drug advocates have convinced lawmakers and voters in some states that our only way out of our drug problems is by legalizing drugs. Some areas of the country have adopted harm reduction policies to allow for illegal or illicit drug-related behavior in order to minimize risks to the greater communities. Yet clearly those strategies leave much to be desired with drug overdose fatalities at all-time highs across America. What is the answer? That is the question our Policing Matters host Jim Dudley poses to this week’s guest, district attorney Brian Surber, who has prosecuted thousands of narcotics cases and recently authored Injustice for All: The (Familiar) Fallacies of Criminal Justice Reform.

Using tech to build culture: New communication app connects cops and their chiefs

Communication within an organization is critical, but especially so within law enforcement, where leadership and command must convey crucial information to their officers on the street. But cops are bombarded daily with memos, bulletins and orders, so how can we make a connection that seems more personal? In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Tim Paul, co-founder and CEO of The Critical App, a messaging application that ensures leaders stay connected with all of their personnel at every location to instantly share news and updates, identify urgent issues and build the right culture for their department.

Why code enforcement matters

The Broken Windows theory, introduced by George Kelling and James Wilson in 1982, and the tenets of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Control (CPTED), demonstrate the need to address disorder, blight and low-level environmental disruption as a deterrent from larger crimes and gathering points for criminal activity. Code enforcement officers are an invaluable part of preventing those environmental disruptions from coming to fruition. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Code Enforcement Manager Justin Edson, who serves as president of the Code Enforcement Officer Safety Foundation, about how law enforcement can collaborate with code enforcement officers to address crime prevention, plus the safety risks facing code enforcement officers.

Live monitoring of 911 calls: A new tool for cops

The Chula Vista Police Department (CVPD) in Southern California is a pioneer when it comes to using new technologies and tools to create a stronger and more cost-effective emergency response ecosystem. In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley speaks with Captain Don Redmond, a returning guest, who heads up support operations for CVPD including the 911 communications center, and CVPD Police Communications Manager Carla Even, about the agency’s deployment of Live911, which live-streams 911 calls to officers in the field.

What cops need to know about the COVID vaccine right now

In December 2020, Police1 asked LEOs to weigh in on COVID-19 vaccination mandates, ethical obligations and whether they will be vaccinated. More than 3,300 officers responded to a survey, with 38% saying yes to vaccination. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with John M. Williams, Sr., MD, MPH, a physician and reserve deputy sheriff in southern Colorado, about some of the concerns people have expressed regarding the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine, the reasons why LEOs should consider getting vaccinated and how police leaders can improve officer vaccination rates.

Commander Sid Heal on why the concepts of less lethal force are more important than the tools

Recent high-profile events have led to legislative changes that are limiting police use of force options and the deployment of less lethal tools. Some cities, for example, have banned the use of pepper spray and tear gas at demonstrations and riots. Now, more than ever, it is critical for law enforcement professionals to understand and deploy force options wisely and appropriately, and help educate the legislators, the media and the public about the impact of restrictions on the tools available to officers. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with a combat veteran and veteran police commander with extensive knowledge and expertise in force options. Commander Sid Heal, who retired from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department after 33 years, shares his expertise in his latest book titled “Concepts of Non-lethal Force: Understanding Force from Shouting to Shooting,” in which he explores the ever-growing array of nonlethal options and implements that promise to restore order to out-of-control situations.