Policing Matters

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, sponsored by Staccato , host Jim Dudley speaks with a legendary detective whose investigations may read like a crime novel, but his story is 100% non-fiction. Retired San Franciso Police Department Homicide Inspector Frank Falzon was active in solving some of the most heinous homicides of the 1970s and 1980s, including the Night Stalker case, the "Z...

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, sponsored by  Staccato , host Jim Dudley speaks with Susan Norris, the founder of  Rescuing Hope , about the organization's mission to enlighten the public about sex trafficking in America, educate potential victims and first responders, and empower advocates and survivors.  ABOUT OUR SPONSOR This episode of the Policing Matters Podcast is brought t...

If you've visited the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington DC, you will know it is a moving and powerful experience like no other. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) helps to oversee the operations of the memorial and puts on programs and seminars for public safety professionals across the board. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Ji...

In 2022, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office in central California received the NLEOMF’s Destination Zero Officer Wellness Award.  In this special episode of the Policing Matters podcast, which was recorded live on March 29 as part of  First Responder Wellness Week , host Jim Dudley speaks with Stanislaus County Sheriff Jeff Dirkse and Sergeant Aaron Costello about how to develop an effective w...

Recently, New Hampshire police chiefs came together to make a plea to lawmakers as departments continue to be plagued by staffing shortages statewide. The chiefs, including Hinsdale Police Chief Charles Rataj, told the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee that the required fitness test is making it difficult for departments to hire and retain officers. As a result, they’ve  proposed...

The headlines and news reports grab at our hearts when we hear of a school shooting. What can we be doing to protect our children in schools? On this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Dewey Cornell, a forensic and clinical psychologist known for his research on youth violence and school security, about considerations for law enforcement and educators when reviewi...

A barricaded suspect, possibly armed awaits inside his home. There may be a booby trap, or there may be hostages. After a shot is fired, the decision to send someone inside – or should we say, a drone – is made. Law enforcement is getting some interesting technology to help in tactical situations where our only options previously were to wait out the suspect in a siege or to send in officers.  On...

Officer injuries, whether they are personal or work-related, can be overwhelming, timely and costly. Injured officers should receive immediate attention and the best possible treatment so they can return to duty faster. At IACP 2022, Wausau Police Chief Benjamin Bliven and Tactical Athletic Trainer Traci Tauferner discussed the department’s program to help small agencies operate at their highest l...

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Jason Potts, who recently served on the Violent Crime Working Group with the Council of Criminal Justice , about using technology to address violent crime.  Potts is Chief of the City of Las Vegas Department of Public Safety. Previously he was a captain with the Vallejo Police Department, where he led the Department’s Ope...

In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley speaks with returning guest Katherine Schweit about new commonalities and trends in active shooter incidents. Schweit is a retired FBI special agent who was tagged by the FBI to create its Active Shooter program after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Since then, she's devoted her energy to helping prevent more tragedies. She is the aut...

This week saw the fifth anniversary of the February 14, 2018, shooting at  Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida , where an individual fatally shot 17 people and wounded 17 others. In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley speaks with Dr. Peter Blair, the executive director of the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT)  center in Texas, about what...

A police bodycam video goes viral that shows an officer or two wrestling with a resistive suspect without much success. Then a shot is fired – or some other force causes extensive injury to the suspect. How can we prevent this from happening? In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley speaks with Jay Wadsworth – a veteran LEO, 2nd degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and lead instruc...

This episode of Policing Matters features a fascinating story of a dogged, multidisciplinary investigation that started at an arson fire scene and ended nearly a year later with the case solved. And it is all detailed in " When the Smoke Cleared: A Murder Mystery in Malden " by Bill Powers.  Host Jim Dudley speaks with Powers, a retired Detective Lieutenant from the Massachusetts State Police and...

Many law enforcement agencies have seen the benefits of having social workers in police departments as social workers can increase law enforcement effectiveness when dealing with subjects experiencing mental illness. The Bloomington (Indiana) Police Department began an embedded police social worker program in 2019. Funded by the department budget, the program started with one social worker and has...

Every cop in every city can name a dozen spots within their jurisdiction that might call a hot spot or the place where drugs are sold, burglaries occur, or maybe where the next shooting will happen. It may not be so easy to articulate why, off-hand, but concepts like Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), and of course, crime maps can help. In this episode of the Policing Matters p...

This episode of Policing Matters reviews use of force issues, including the recent history of the carotid restraint, electrical conducted devices (what most generally refer to as TASERs) and other force options that have been restrained or discontinued from use, such as tear gas options in some jurisdictions for crowd control. We will talk about innovations and possible options for the future. Hos...

Effective screening of law enforcement candidates is probably the most crucial part of the hiring process. Most departments have a written, oral and physical agility test, a polygraph examination and a psychological profile test. But are we able to effectively screen out people who probably are not suitable for the job?  In December 2022, news hit that the agency overseeing the training and certif...

American law enforcement often views itself as an island. Except for the influence of the UK's Sir Robert Peel and his Peelian Principles in 1822, we do not seem to compare our operations and experiences with police agencies in other countries. But when attending gatherings like the FBI's National Academy and meeting with international police officers, you find that American policing does, in fact...

In this special year-end episode, Policing Matters podcast host Jim Dudley is once again joined by Janay Gasparini, Ph. D. , to take a deep dive into the critical issues impacting law enforcement in 2022. Jim and Janay discuss the following 10 key areas:    1.  Emerging forms and strategies in use of force Top quotes from this segment: "I think we are seeing a lot is this change in our hands-on st...

"Whether you look at divorce rates, mental health concerns, or the very unfortunate suicide data, first responders face higher risk in all of these areas than 'Joe Citizen.' There needs to be more support, and support that is real and unafraid to tackle the tough stuff. And that support needs to be accessible and consistent." So writes  Lindsay Faas , a registered clinical counselor in British Col...

While the majority of police-civilian interactions resolve peacefully, a small number of situations end with use of force as police respond to subject resistance. In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley speaks with Dr. Eric Piza about his analysis of body-worn video to determine the factors that contribute to whether or not force is used during a police-civilian interaction. Dr. Piza...

Leaders of any organization can find themselves dealing with individuals who are confrontational or even hostile. Today’s guest had an encounter with a revengeful employee that goes way beyond angry outbursts or even lawsuits. It is a story that we can learn from regarding how to identify disgruntled employees, how to mitigate or take action, and how to protect yourself and your family. In this ep...

Law enforcement officers across agencies – from small towns to sprawling rural areas to municipal cities and state and federal services all have similar traits.  They are smart, capable, problem solvers with a plan.  Anyone who says they are flying by the seat of their pants probably does not anticipate being in the business for long. Of course, they have to be flexible and adaptable to different...

We have seen demonstrations and protests intensify over the past few years. We have seen legislation of what, where and when something can be shared in public places. One state tried to regulate the rights of onlookers and their ability to record police activity, only to be struck down by their courts. We have seen social media posts made by law enforcement officers lead to sanctions and disciplin...

You respond to a call for a barricaded man with a gun in a single-family home in your city and set up a perimeter. After a few minutes, your sergeant tells an officer to pull down the perimeter and everyone on scene should return to patrol. Wait, what? Is this the policy in your jurisdiction? Our guest today has investigated this practice and has developed training on the benefits and detriments o...