Policing Matters

In the first eight months of 2023, cyberattacks against public safety agencies globally had already surpassed 2022 numbers by over 10%.   Police departments and municipalities can be an ideal target for cyber extortionists given the mission-critical nature of their work. The growing frequency and sophistication of attacks such as ransomware and hacktivism that are targeting public safety agencies...

Since 2020, communities nationwide have seen an increase in large-scale sideshows that have endangered passers-by, the police and the participants, as well as plaguing neighborhoods with noise and associated criminal activities. In this episode of the "Policing Matters" podcast, host Jim Dudley talks to Sergeant John Ampol of the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) about the policies and training S...

Every year, Police1 columnist Terry Dwyer breaks down United States Supreme Court rulings of significance to law enforcement. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, Terry joins host Jim Dudley to discuss this year's summary . Terry retired from the New York State Police after a 22-year career as a Trooper and Investigator. He is now a tenured Professor in the Justice and Law Administrati...

In this special year-end episode, Policing Matters podcast host Jim Dudley is joined by fellow State Your Case columnist Chief Joel Shults to take a deep dive into the critical issues impacting law enforcement in 2023. Jim and Joel discuss many issues including the current political climate, NIBRS collection, use of force technology, pursuit response, officer safety and much more! About our sponso...

Regardless of the topic or issue in law enforcement, whether it is about operations, hiring, retention, or safety, everything comes down to leadership. We're not just talking about leadership by rank, but individual leadership as well. Today’s guest on the Policing Matters podcast, sponsored by Lexipol , has written about leadership and he certainly lives it. Andrew A. DeMuth Jr. is the lead prese...

Behavioral Threat Assessment Management (BTAM) stands as a crucial first line of defense in preempting and mitigating acts of mass violence, offering a systematic approach to identifying individuals who exhibit threatening or concerning behaviors. By analyzing these behavioral cues and assessing the potential risks they pose, law enforcement and threat assessment professionals can proactively inte...

Policing can create a range of emotions and feelings such as fear, excitement, grief, anger and sadness. Do officers ever catch a break and enjoy some levity and laughter? While policing is mostly serious business, wouldn’t it be great to be entertained by someone who knows about comedy and police work? Today's guest fits that role. Vinnie Montez, a Colorado police officer with more than two decad...

In 1954, the 83rd U.S. Congress amended the 1938 act that had made Armistice Day a holiday, striking the word “Armistice” in favor of “Veterans.” President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the legislation on June 1, 1954. From then on, November 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars. According to the Department of Justice COPS Office, nearly 25% of American law enforcement officers have...

Policing strategies based on data and research are needed more than ever in order to deflect criticisms of race, economics and other biases. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, sponsored by Lexipol , host Jim Dudley speaks with Dr. Phllip J. Cook, a criminologist and researcher, about the need to develop effective strategies and programs to reduce gun violence and hold offenders accou...

Given the nature of the job, police officers will always sustain injuries. If you make an arrest, you may encounter a resistive suspect; if you make a traffic stop, an ensuing pursuit may lead to a traffic collision. Sometimes an injury may be obvious and apparent, but some may be deceptive. Have you ever “shaken it off” after a knockdown, drag-out fight? Ever get out of a minor vehicle fender ben...

Amid all the grumblings about law enforcement over the years, there have been bright spots of support, which can be hard to see among all the negative chatter. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, sponsored by OfficerStore.com , host Jim Dudley speaks with Craig W. Floyd, founder and president of Citizens Behind the Badge (CBB), a nonprofit advocacy organization formed in 2020 to end t...

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, sponsored by OfficerStore.com , host Jim Dudley speaks with  Alicia Wadas , who has been honored by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for her exceptional service in the public interest.  The award is a one-time, first-ever recognition that spotlights her impact while serving as president of the FBI National Citizens Academy Alumni Associatio...

Force is inevitable in law enforcement situations with non-compliant suspects. Police officers know how to use de-escalation, but sometimes voice commands are not effective in dealing with subjects under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or if they are in a mental health crisis. De-escalation does not work well when a suspect flees, so what are your options? In this episode of the Policing Matter...

Ghost guns are firearms that are privately assembled and untraceable. They can be assembled from "buy build shoot" kits or from other parts, or they can be 3D-printed. Unlike other guns, these weapons don't have serial numbers. Google “ghost guns” to see the ubiquity of them and that they have been used to assault law enforcement officers and commit crimes by people who most likely would not be ab...

The future of policing is in the hands of our best recruiting efforts. In a world where most careers have swift hiring procedures, why does law enforcement take up to nine months? Can we continue to rely on passive strategies like billboards to attract quality applicants?  In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with  Coach George Rush , a legend in the realm of col...

A critical incident causes a full-on agency response, perhaps it involves fatalities, or perhaps it involves the use of force. The scene is secured and the media creates a narrative about the event that is not quite right. Does your agency respond? Does your agency have a policy? How soon does the agency chief or sheriff explain the facts to the media and the public? In this episode of the Policin...

Imagine you are a law enforcement officer first on scene of a mass shooting, or a choking child, or another officer or civilian has been critically injured and needs immediate attention. Are you up to the task? Is it even something you have been trained to handle? In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, sponsored by  Lexipol , host Jim Dudley speaks with Eric Thomas O'Neal about adding ye...

In this special crossover episode of the Policing Matters ,  Better Every Shift  and  Inside EMS podcasts, cohosts Jim Dudley, Aaron Zamzow and Chris Cebollero come together to discuss preserving the legacy of 9/11 responders and to assess our readiness to respond to a large-scale MCI in our communities. Together, they dive into technology trends used to improve the security of citizens and first...

In the sphere of public safety, we often overlook the crucial role of those people who answer 911 calls, gather necessary information, and relay it to law enforcement personnel. There's a vast amount of unseen work, and more often than not, the circumstances are filled with high stress. Carbyne , a leader in cloud-native emergency call management, in partnership with  NENA: The 9-1-1 Association ,...

Law enforcement officers may encounter situations where an individual may be unresponsive, appearing confused, agitated, or acting in a manner that doesn’t quite fit the situation. How can an assessment be made to help connect with this person? People with intellectual and developmental disabilities or IDD continue to be overrepresented in the criminal justice system as suspects, defendants and in...

Artificial intelligence technology  is impacting all aspects of our lives. In today's episode, sponsored by  Lexipol , host Jim Dudley speaks with  ZeroEyes ' Chief Customer Officer and Co-Founder Dustin Brooks about how his company uses AI to detect firearms.  ZeroEyes  is a proactive visual gun detection and situational awareness software platform based on computer vision and advanced machine le...

There is no question that advancements in technology are helping communities fight crime as the number of law enforcement officers continues to diminish. But are we the technology efficiently and effectively? Are we integrating various applications to address crime prevention? Can we do it in small, medium and large agencies, and in urban and rural areas? In this episode of the Policing Matters po...

The death of George Floyd in 2020 from the unlawful actions of a Minneapolis police officer sparked the  largest protests in U.S. history  – resulting in the erosion of community trust in law enforcement, particularly for youth. After connecting with distraught students who expressed confusion and fear at several organized protests in the summer of 2020, then Fremont Police Captain Sean Washington...

Ever walk the beat or head into a coffee shop and hear, “See that police officer over there? If you don’t behave, they will arrest you!” Most officers have heard a parent say those exact words to a wide-eyed child and it infuriates them. Wouldn’t it be great to have a positive image of police and deputies portrayed to children? In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, sponsored by Lexipol...

We often discuss the impact of vicarious trauma witnessed by public safety personnel. Not many in the profession joined with the intent of being mental health counselors to those on the street. The city of Aurora, Colorado has a series of programs that takes the pressure off law enforcement officers by pairing them with civilian mental health clinicians. In this episode of the Policing Matters pod...