Policing Matters

Policing amid coronavirus

COVID-19—also known as coronavirus—may potentially pose a substantial threat to American law enforcement as the disease continues to spread across the country. The most vulnerable to serious illness—and even death—are currently elderly people with a pre-existing weakened immune system. However, the emergence into the national narrative of the worldwide pandemic provides an opportunity to remember that other threats pose a significant danger, and to recall that some simple steps can prevent succumbing to infectious disease. In this podcast segment, Jim and Doug discuss the ways in which officers and agencies can protect themselves from a wide array of infectious diseases carried by individuals they contact when on patrol.

First responders and COVID-19

The coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic is causing worldwide concern. First responders, whether they be law enforcement, fire or EMS personnel should be aware of the latest developments. Listen in as Jim Dudley interviews Rob Lawrence, PoliceOne's resident health expert, for the latest information on COVID-19. Members can get up to date information as it is released from the Center for Disease Control at: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security has made information available at: https://www.dhs.gov/epidemicpandemic https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/dhs-comprehensive-first-responder-pandemic-guide-pandemic.pdf Agencies may view the template for Continuity of Operations at: https://www.fema.gov/pdf/about/org/ncp/pandemic_influenza.pdf

The end of gang injunctions?

Despite their effectiveness in helping police agencies—especially in densely populated urban areas—reduce the threat of criminal gangs to public safety, some places are pulling back on utilizing gang injunctions. For example, in San Francisco, newly elected District Attorney Chesa Boudin has declared that he will end the practice of gang enhancements when pressing charges against known gang members accused of a host of different crimes related to the gang's criminal activities. Gang enhancements have drawn increased opposition in California, driven by a belief among police critics that they are disproportionately applied to people of color in poor neighborhoods.

Preparing officers for dealing with offenders trained in MMA

With the ever-increasing popularity of mixed martial arts as a spectator sport, just about every jurisdiction in America has seen the opening of a training facility—a dojo or a gym—specializing in teaching individuals how to fight in this potentially deadly style of combat. Indeed, many police officers are regulars at these gyms, learning everything from the grappling and submission techniques, hand striking of traditional boxing, and kicks from a variety of martial arts from around the world. In this podcast segment, Jim and Doug discuss the potential threat officers face when dealing with a subject who is trained in this fighting style, as well as the upside—and possible downside—of officers participating in this training.

How to form relationships for multi-jurisdictional, multi-disciplinary emergency response

In large-scale emergencies, police, fire, EMS, and a wide variety of other governmental organizations and private enterprises need to pull together and work as a single organism. At some major catastrophes, you might have city departments such as public works and social services racing to a scene alongside the electric company, the American Red Cross and others. This requires that police leaders and command staff must first establish relationships with those many organizations long in advance of an actual catastrophe. In this podcast segment, Jim and Doug discuss how some of those relationships are formed and maintained over time through communication and shared training exercises.

Dissolving police departments

In late January, the Rio Vista City Council voted to dissolve its police department following the abrupt departure of the police chief, a commander, and a sergeant that left the agency all but gutted. The small city about of roughly 9,000 residents—located approximately 60 miles east of San Francisco—will now receive its police services from the Solano County Sheriff's Office. Rio Vista is not alone. Late last year, the town board in Deposit, New York, held a meeting to discuss with interested citizens the proposal to dissolve their police department. A few months before that, the Ridgetop Police Department in Tennessee suffered a similar fate. The town of Freedom, Wisconsin voted to disband its police department—consisting of two full-time and one part-time sworn officer—last year as well. In this podcast segment, Jim and Doug discuss the shuttering of doors at police agencies, usually in smaller jurisdictions.

The hazards of policing in the political season

This Monday, thousands of the citizens of Iowa will gather in churches, schools, public buildings, and even individuals' homes to try to convince each other who should be the Democratic nominee to face off against incumbent President Donald Trump in November's general election. This election is sure to be a hotly contested one, with passions running high on both sides. In this podcast segment, Jim and Doug discuss the role of law enforcement in the political season.

Traffic enforcement strategies: Zero tolerance, high visibility and targeted enforcement

Traffic enforcement is one of the most common activities for many line officers. Code violations can lead to significant drug busts. Traffic violations can get dangerous drivers to change their ways. DUI check-points save an unknown number of lives. From speed traps to self-initiated stops, it's a big part of policing. But there are different methods that meet different objectives. In this podcast segment, Jim and Doug discuss the various ways law enforcement officers can make the roadways safer.

Trauma-informed police interview effectiveness

Interviewing victims of violent crime is a vastly different enterprise than interrogating the suspected perpetrators. Victims of violent crime—as well as witnesses—are likely to have suffered trauma that can impact their recall of the events. Vital elements may be erased from memory, while they may recall things that aren't precisely what happened. Victims of trauma also often recall events not in the order that they actually occurred, potentially causing an inexperienced interviewer to conclude deceptions. Further, traditional interview techniques can cause the victim to feel re-victimized. In this podcast segment, Jim and Doug discuss how Cognitive Interviewing (CI) can help investigators gather detailed and accurate information from victims of trauma that can lead to an increase in guilty pleas.

What do Americans want from their cops?

Cops must be all things to all people. They're drug counselors, child protectors, criminal investigators, social workers, and enemies of evil. This has been dumbed down in recent years into the debate over whether or not cops are "warriors" or "guardians"—a debate that is rendered meaningless by the use of the word "or." Cops are BOTH of those things and more. In this podcast segment, Jim and Doug discuss how the American people perceive police officers, what they truly want from law enforcement, and frame the conversation within the context of what's happened in recent years in San Francisco, where Jim worked as a law enforcement officer for three decades, and where Doug has called home for nearly two decades.