Policing Matters

How a 9th Circuit ruling could impact sit-lie laws

The Ninth Circuit Court of appeals unanimously ruled in favor of a lawsuit by people experiencing homelessness that challenges laws making it illegal to sleep on public property overnight. The constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment prohibits "criminal penalties for sitting, sleeping, or lying outside on public property for homeless individuals who cannot obtain shelter," the court said in its decision. In this podcast segment, Jim and Doug discuss how the decision could impact cities with sit/lie laws, which prohibit sitting or lying on the sidewalk.

Why safe injection sites are a bad idea

The California Legislature recently passed (and Gov. Jerry Brown then vetoed) a controversial piece of legislation — Assembly Bill 186 — that would have allowed entities to open so-called "safe injection sites" — facilities where drug users would be able to shoot up in an enclosed environment supervised by medical professionals on the lookout for signs of overdose. The trouble is, doing so is in direct contravention with Federal law. In this podcast segment, Jim and Doug discuss the reasons such sites are not a good approach to solving the opioid epidemic.

How environmental elements can help reduce crime

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) is defined as a multi-disciplinary approach to deterring criminal behavior through environmental design. CPTED strategies rely upon the ability to influence offender decisions that precede criminal acts by affecting the built, social and administrative environment. In this podcast segment, Jim and Doug discuss how architecture and landscaping, outdoor lighting, and other environmental elements can help to reduce crime.

The pros and cons of GPS tagging tech in vehicle pursuits

There is no argument that police pursuits can sometimes end in fatal collisions — crashes that kill fleeing suspects, police officers, and innocent bystanders. Police pursuits are an inherently dangerous endeavor. As some police agencies examine "no pursuit" policies, others are looking at new GPS tracking technologies that allow police to drop back and watch a monitor for where the suspect vehicle ends up. In this podcast segment, Jim and Doug discuss the technology — the potential upside as well as some minor flaws.

Detecting marijuana DUI and enforcing the law

DUI doesn't mean just alcohol — it means driving under the influence, and driving under the influence of marijuana is a crime in every state in America. The trick is detecting the impairment, which is now only really done with field sobriety tests — there is no breathalyzer for marijuana, although some companies are getting close to solving that riddle. In this podcast segment Jim and Doug discuss the difficulty with detecting and enforcing impaired driving as a result of marijuana intoxication.

How to prevent police officers from dying by suicide

At the time of this recording session, 92 police officers in America have died by suicide. In Chicago, three officers died by suicide in the span of one month. In 2017 that number was 154, and in 2016 there were 138 verified instances in which an officer died by suicide. And these are just the officers we know about. In this podcast segment, Jim and Doug discuss the warning signs for officers to watch out for of a colleague potentially approaching crisis, as well as available resources for officers to get the help they need.

Policing the homeless

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development there are more than 553,000 homeless people nationwide. California alone has an estimated 134,000 homeless individuals. Homelessness in and of itself is not a crime, but a lot of things that go along with it are crimes, and citizens rightly want the crimes taking place on the sidewalks in front of their homes and businesses to stop. The trouble is, even for the most serious crimes, the offenders are usually back out on the street quickly, with nothing really being solved. In this podcast segment, Jim and Doug discuss the failed strategies that have led to widespread chronic homelessness, and offer some new ideas to fix the problem.

How to stay healthy on the job

One cannot understate the importance for officers to eat right and stay in shape in order to tackle whatever comes their way on patrol. Officers need to have muscular strength to overcome resistant subjects. They need speed and endurance to apprehend a subject fleeing on foot. Another great physical asset is flexibility, which can help reduce the likelihood of injury. There are most definitely officers out there who are truly specimens of physical wellness. There are others who are not in great shape. In this podcast segment, Jim and Doug discuss how out-of shape-cops are a danger to themselves and others, and offer some best practices for wellness.

What it takes to be a great police leader

We all know bad leadership when we see it. It couldn't be more plain or obvious when a person in a position of authority loses (or never had) the commitment or allegiance of the people over whom they have authority. It's equally clear when we're in the presence of a great leader — someone we'd follow into hell with nothing but a bucket of water and a hastily assembled plan. In this podcast segment, Jim and Doug discuss the traits of a good leader.

Are American cops really all that ‘militarized‘?

In recent years, protesters, politicians, and some members of the press have decried what they call the "militarization" of American law enforcement. Citing things like the acquisition of equipment through the 1033 program — which has enabled law enforcement agencies to remain effective despite diminishing budgets — critics have said that police in America are too heavily armed and armored. What they don't realize is that compared to many police agencies around the world, the average cop in the United States is woefully under-equipped. In this podcast segment Jim and Doug discuss Jim's recent trip to Europe and what he saw there compared to what we have here.