Policing Matters

Episode 8: How can cops defend against terrorist attacks?

Jim and Doug discuss law enforcement's role in preventing and responding to terror attacks, how the first responder disciplines can work better together, crime prevention, and the use of social media in law enforcement.

Marijuana legalization: What‘s the impact on LE?

With four states — Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington — and the District of Columbia allowing individuals to possess and consume marijuana for recreational purposes, as well as other states allowing for its medical use, officers are tasked with keeping the roads safe and free from drivers impaired by the drug. While companies like Hound Labs are working toward developing breathalyzers to detect THC, officers on the road have to rely on experience and expertise to determine impairment. Another issue for law enforcement is just on the horizon: How do you deal with police applicants who admit to prior use in states where such use is completely legal? Jim and Doug examine these and other issues related to the legal availability of pot in an increasing number of states.

Why stop and frisk is paramount to officer safety

Critics of the so-called “Stop and Frisk” have effectively ended the practice in places like New York City. But the fact is that when an officer conducts a field interview or makes contact with an individual who they reasonably suspect to possess a weapon, conducing that search is an officer safety issue. The tactic has been held to be Constitutional in the 1968 case Terry v. Ohio, which was based on a stop conducted by Cleveland Police Department Detective Martin McFadden. Jim and Doug discuss how the tactic is used, and consider ways to better educate the public that it’s not a matter of police arbitrarily stopping people on the street, but based on the officer’s articulable observations.

Episode 7: Crowd Control, Stop and Frisk, Legal Pot

Doug and Jim discuss why it’s critical to achieve a fine balance of having an adequate level (and type) of presence without creating more tension between opposing groups in a crowd control situation, how the stop-and-frisk tactic is used, and issues related to the legal availability of pot in an increasing number of states.

Suicide by cop: Preparation, response and managing aftermath

Jim and Doug discuss issues related to suicide by cop, from recognizing the warning signs to dealing with the psychological aftermath.

Episode 6

Doug Wyllie and Jim Dudley discuss the ongoing battle between Apple and the FBI, discuss issues related to suicide by cop, and offer tactics for conducting safe traffic stops.

4 tactical tips for conducting safe traffic stops

Conducting a traffic stop entails a good amount of forethought. Officers have to be tactical about the location of the stop, and calling in the stop to dispatch. Another consideration is whether you are going to use a passenger-side approach. Note what’s happening with the tail lights. The right turn signal still blinking could be an indicator that the driver is thinking so hard about what he’s going to do next that he forgot to turn it off. The brake lights remaining on may indicate the driver is going to slam it into drive and take off. Jim and Doug offer some safety reminders.

Episode 5

Doug and Jim offer lessons from law enforcement’s handling of Super Bowl 50 that agencies can use when preparing for their own large scale event, analyze PERF’s controversial new report on police use of force, and discuss some ideas for better educating the public on use of force.

How can cops better educate the public on use of force?

How can law enforcement better educate the public about police use of force? There continues to be a widespread lack of understanding among citizens about police work despite moves by many departments to redouble their efforts in hosting Citizens' Academies and working with local media. What more can be done? Jim and Doug discuss some ideas that may help have an impact for the future.

Episode 4

In Episode 4 of 'Policing Matters', we tackle use of force reform concerns, lessons learned from an attack on a Philly cop, and the threat of terrorism to officer safety.