Policing Matters

How to successfully promote in policing

Whether you want to make the jump from field training officer to detective or captain to chief, honesty during the promotional process is key to securing the position, but identifying your weaknesses as well as your strengths when facing an interview board can be a challenge. In A Cop's Simple Guide to Promotion Preparation, Millbrae (California) Police Chief Paul Kunkel helps officers walk through the police promotion process. In this episode, host Jim Dudley talks with Chief Kunkel about his top tips for promotional success.

Why police reform must be evidence-based

Founded in 2015, the American Society for Evidence-Based Policing was born out of the drive to advance the state of policing in America through the use of scientific evidence. Co-founder Renée Mitchell served in the Sacramento Police Department for 22 years and currently resides with RTI International, an independent, nonprofit research institute. She holds a B.S. in Psychology, a M.A. in Counseling Psychology, a M.B.A., a J.D., and a Ph.D. in Criminology from the University of Cambridge. In this episode, host Jim Dudley talks with Dr. Mitchell about why elected officials must work with police leaders to consider the research when designing strategies to reduce crime and disorder while maintaining the trust and confidence of the public we serve.

How an Irish angel is looking out for U.S. cops

Irish Angel is an organization based in Ireland, with offices in New York and Boston, that specializes in providing support for law enforcement officers and military personnel in regard to PTSD, mental health issues, anxiety, and alcohol and drug dependency. In this episode, host Jim Dudley chats with Amanda Coleman, the executive director and founder of the nonprofit group, about what inspired her to launch Irish Angel and why U.S. cops have been the focus of assistance provided to date.

What Scottish police can teach U.S. cops about de-escalation

In Volusia County, Florida, annual arrests dropped by almost 30% from 2017 to 2019 even though call volume remained steady, and the recorded frequency of Volusia deputies using force fell by nearly half, from 122 annual incidents to 65. Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood credits a visit to Scotland in 2015 for helping implement new de-escalation strategies that have assisted not only in reducing the use of force, but also officer injuries. In this episode, host Jim Dudley discusses the strategies and training in place at Volusia County with Sheriff Chitwood and how other agencies could implement similar programs.

How Shop with a Cop humanizes the badge

In this episode of Policing Matters, Jim Dudley sits down with Darrell Cortez to discuss how the "Shop with a Cop" program helps cops engage with the community and humanize the badge.

Why every chief needs to be conversing online

While our nation’s law enforcement officers have previously faced anti-police sentiment, what is different about the current crisis is the presence of social media, which has moved discussions about police reform online. These online conversations are happening with or without law enforcement, so one of the most important things chiefs can do is acknowledge this new reality and participate. In this episode, host Jim Dudley talks to Yael Bar-tur, a social media consultant who previously served as the director of social media and digital strategy for the New York City Police Department, about how agencies can integrate social media into policing strategy and make it a meaningful part of community relations outreach.

California police unions take a stand on police reform

In June, three California police unions – the Los Angeles Police Protective League, San Jose Police Officers Association and the San Francisco Police Officers Association – unveiled a national police reform agenda intended to improve outcomes between officers and the community they serve. The agenda was publicly announced in full-page newspaper ads in the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle and the Mercury News. In this episode, host Jim Dudley talks to San Francisco Police Department Lieutenant Tracy McCray, who serves as vice president of the San Francisco Police Officers Association, about current debates on race, use of force, defunding the police and other serious issues impacting police departments across the country.

How we took down Pablo Escobar

Retired DEA Special Agents Steve Murphy and Javier Pena were at the center of the largest, most complex, multi-national, high-profile investigation of its time. Working with an elite Colombian Task Force, Murphy and Pena were responsible for the downfall and capture of the world’s first narco-terrorist, the infamous drug cartel leader, Pablo Escobar, following his brutal reign as head of the Medellin Cartel in the 1980s and early 1990s. Their real-life story inspired the hit Netflix series NARCOS! In this episode, host Jim Dudley chats with Steve and Javier about the release of their new book, “Manhunters: How We Took Down Pablo Escobar,” and where we find ourselves in the “war on drugs” today.

Cops as storytellers: A guide to getting published

War stories are a tradition in public safety and there is no question that cops may be the best storytellers of all, as they witness extremes of human behavior on a daily basis. But how do you go about turning those stories into a novel? In this episode, host Jim Dudley talks to police psychologist and author of both non-fiction and fiction books about law enforcement Ellen Kirschman about her “tricks of the trade” to becoming a published author.

Why we should not remove SROs from our schools

As demands for police reform and defunding continue nationwide in the wake of protests about the death of George Floyd, some cities have severed ties with their school resource officers, while others are moving closer to eliminating SROs in their districts. In this episode, host Jim Dudley talks to Mo Canady, Executive Director of the National Association of School Resource Officers, about the value of SROs and the risks of removing them from schools.