Policing Matters

The National Police Foundation (NPF) recently released a report of its independent assessment of the Los Angeles Police Department’s response to mass demonstrations, protests and First Amendment assemblies that occurred between May 27, 2020, and June 7, 2020 in the City of Los Angeles. In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley chats with lead author of the report, Frank Straub, Ph. D.,...

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 Brit...

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 Ji...

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 c...

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...

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 st...

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-fou...

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 environme...

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 Po...

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...

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 educat...

Law enforcement officers are often placed in situations where they encounter individuals with mental illness. There are varying degrees of response to a law officers’ presence, from compliant and docile, to combative or assaultive. Training that equips officers with the skill set required to deal with these individuals appropriately is important. Once an individual has been controlled or transport...

There is a popular perception that police officers and investigators have exciting lives, getting into vehicle and foot pursuits, tackling suspects, and solving complicated crimes by examining evidence or through interviews and interrogation. In truth, most crime is solved by the effectiveness in documenting the crime from its first report to law enforcement. While some may not view police report...

No one understands a police officer like their significant other and no one understands what it takes to be the significant other of a cop more than other police officer spouses. Connecting spouses is the goal of Rebecca, the creator behind the Proud Police Wife website and virtual conference. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Rebecca, who is married to h...

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Guillermo “Gil” Witte, a published polygraph examiner and an instructor for the world-renowned PEAK Credibility Assessment Training Center, about some of the misunderstandings, myths and urban legends surrounding polygraphs. Gil Witte is a member of the American Polygraph Association, American Association of Police Polygr...

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Nicole Florisi, a law enforcement professional and domestic violence survivors advocate in northern Arizona, about how police can improve response to domestic violence calls. From beginning the assessment of a domestic violence call from the point it comes into dispatch to working with victim advocates, Nicole shares best...

As an active and healthy police and tactical flight officer, Marc Geiger experienced symptoms of atrial fibrillation (AFib) and a transient ischemic attack (TIA) while on duty, resulting in hospital visits, medical tests and numerous doctor appointments. According to research, having a stressful job such as a police officer is associated with a higher risk of developing AFib. In this episode of th...

With police use of force under the spotlight, many agencies are updating their policies involving the carotid hold and some state legislatures are looking to redefine what is considered “objectively reasonable” use of force. On this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley chats with Adam Kinakin, founder of the International Law Enforcement Training (ILET) Network and host of the...

With 4,300 missions under its duty belt, the Chula Vista Police Department's drone program isn’t just breaking deployment records, it is also reinventing how law enforcement agencies use UAS and drone technology. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with retired Chula Vista PD Captain Don Redmond about how the agency is using drones as first responders.

With the right mindset and tactics, it is possible to get into incredible shape, own your police career in a sustainable way and connect better with your family, says Marc Hildebrand. A sergeant with the Los Angeles Police Department, Marc struggled through a 100-pound weight loss journey to get into the best shape of his life at age 43, and now shares what he learned on that journey with other of...

It is believed that many cases of child abuse, including physical and sexual abuse and neglect, could be the dark figure of crime during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many mandated reporters being denied the usual access and observation they have during “normal times.” Since the coronavirus pandemic and associated national shutdowns began in early 2020, the National Center for Missing and Exploited...

“A year like no other” could be the epitaph for 2020, along with words like unprecedented and unrelenting. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with fellow podcaster Patrick Fitzgibbons, host of the CJ Evolution podcast. Critical issues up for debate include recruitment and retention, law enforcement mission creep, the decriminalization of drugs, officer wellness...

Hiring the right people and building a workplace that makes them want to come back to work every day is key to improving both officer retention and community relations, especially in small departments. In this episode, host Jim Dudley chats with Chief James Small who serves as the public safety director for the Village of Palmyra in Wisconsin about police leadership best practices in small departm...

Like many officers struggling to provide for their families, Chris White began working off-duty security jobs to supplement his income and purchased his first home with the money he earned. He then began assisting fellow officers by helping them schedule other regional off-duty requests, leading him to form ATHOS Group, a national off-duty hiring firm for law enforcement officers. In this episode,...

Janay Gasparini, P.h. D., a former police officer and current assistant professor of criminal justice at Shepherd University, recently wrote an article for Police1 titled “Why the next generation of cops need a criminal justice degree.” In this episode of Policing Matters, Dr. Gasparini explains why having a criminal justice degree helps those interested in a law enforcement career and also offers...