One of the bigger challenges we have is dealing with the mentally ill. It has become a commonplace call for our officers. People in a mental health crisis are often combative, frightened and can be frightening. Yesterday I was reviewing incidents of force use as we do here to look for policy compliance, need for […]

FEATURED BLOGGER Doreen Olko Director of Public Safety Auburn Hills Department of Public Safety, Michigan

Whenever unrest between police and residents breaks out in other cities, our local media often ask me to comment about it. I don’t do that because I don’t want to lose my focus on improving trust here in Kansas City. That said, I certainly am not oblivious to what is happening with police in other […]

FEATURED BLOGGER Darryl Forté Chief of Police Kansas City Police Department, Missouri

By Mike Maciag A recent survey shows how Americans feel about the job police are doing and how they can improve. Tensions between police and the citizens they serve continue to concern Americans, as illustrated in the latest incident resulting in riots in Baltimore Monday. Perceptions of police loom as a key consideration as agencies […]

FEATURED BLOGGER Governing Magazine The States and Localities Washington, DC

Last month, I wrote about the perception of crime versus the reality and how our homicides, robberies, burglaries and car thefts are down from years past. This month I want to acknowledge that while the most visible, serious crimes are down, quality-of-life issues and general demands for police continue to rise. The number of officers […]

FEATURED BLOGGER Gordon Ramsay Chief of Police Duluth Police Department, Minnesota

Like many of you, this past week I watched in utter disbelief and horror as we again witnessed instances of police misbehavior captured for all of the world to see. This time, the venues were South Carolina and California. And while none of us is privy to all of the facts at this time, on […]

FEATURED BLOGGER Michael Koval Chief of Police Madison Police Department, Wisconsin

Guest Blog By: Mike Ward, Chief of Police, Alexandria, Kentucky   In 2008, the Campbell County Kentucky Police Chiefs were approached by our County Judge Executive. They asked for help in reducing our rising jail population and the costs associated with it. Through a series of meetings, we implemented a local policy whereby police officers […]

FEATURED BLOGGER International Association of Chiefs of Police IACP Alexandria, Virginia

Post by Det/Sgt. Dave Kozicki, Fraud/Economic Crimes Unit When you aren’t sure about a ‘deal’ you’ve been offered, use the tried and tested game show method and ask a friend. It could be a family member, friend or co-worker. Pick someone who isn’t tied up in the excitement of the deal. They will often have […]

FEATURED BLOGGER Saskatoon Police Service Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

I just read an interesting Incident Report by Officer Brad Hulse, case number B5-023247. Officer Hulse stopped a vehicle last night with one headlight out, and got an odd feeling that something more was going on than a bad bulb. Back at his patrol car, he checked the driver’s information, checked the Nebraska and Missouri […]

FEATURED BLOGGER Tom Casady Director of Public Safety Lincoln Department of Public Safety, Nebraska

The relative of a gang member who was recently shot and killed told the media, “Gang-banging was only a small part of who he was.”   I knew what she meant. He was a son, a brother and a friend. He may very well have been a great guy.   This is the irony of […]

FEATURED BLOGGER Kristen Ziman Commander Aurora Police Department, Illinois

Sir Robert Peel, arguably one of those who first articulated the necessity of having “police” in our midst, created a number of fundamental principles by which police should view their mission. Peel lived and made these observations in the mid-1800’s. Surprisingly, despite the passage of time, many of these tenets still resonate today, in terms […]

FEATURED BLOGGER Michael Koval Chief of Police Madison Police Department, Wisconsin