iStock/DragonImages There are some common errors that young detectives and even first-responding street cops make in interrogation. These mistakes can make an investigation much more complicated and be an unnecessary barrier to getting a confession.  Interpersonal communication skills are key. Establishing rapport is crucial in most cases. The initial contact will set the tone for cooperation and success. Consider a softer approach. People confess to people they like and want to like them. The ineffable “feel” the subject gets from you on that first impression can go a long way toward the ..read more

iStock.com/TonyBaggett Younger people often see the older generations as, if not obsolete, certainly “behind the times.” In my younger years, I was as guilty of this as anyone. On the other hand, I also respected my elders and, in many cases, viewed their advice as chunks of wisdom. This was particularly true when I started my law enforcement career some 30-plus years ago. My mentor was Walt, a grizzled, white-haired former Kansas City, Kansas, police officer who had come to serve our small town after taking a few years’ sabbatical from police work. I spent a lot of time with Walt in the year ..read more

Birmingham, AL – Two exciting, action-packed sporting events are converging in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2025! For the first time in its 33-year history, the TFT® Firefighter Challenge will be hosted as an official sport in the 2025 World Police & Fire Games. “We are honored to be collaborating with the World Police & Fire Games,” says Russell A. Jackson, CEO of the First Responder Institute. “The admiration we have for their incredible sporting event goes without saying, and to give firefighters around the world an opportunity to experience the best of what both organizations offers is ..read more

Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Early this year, body-worn camera footage was released that showed a Florida deputy mistaking a falling acorn striking his vehicle with the sound of a gunshot. He then shot several rounds at the handcuffed and unarmed prisoner sitting in the patrol car. The video went viral, both within and outside policing. Perhaps even more tragic than the incident is the fact that the rest of the law enforcement industry won’t get a chance to learn why it happened, nor how to prevent it from happening again.  Let’s first consider what we know about the incident and then ..read more

Douglas County Sheriff’s OfficeDouglas County Sheriff’s Office To foster connections with the rapidly growing senior community in Douglas County, CO., the sheriff’s office has decided to welcome a unique canine member to its team. Meet Leo, a four-month-old Bernedoodle, who has captured the hearts of local seniors and has become a leading figure in law enforcement community outreach in Colorado. Leo, whose name stands for “law enforcement officer,” is making waves as the state’s first and only senior resource dog dedicated to serving the older population. With the number of seniors in Douglas ..read more

iStock/zoka74 In response to a surge in violent gun crimes, federal law enforcement officials, in conjunction with local law enforcement agencies in Los Angeles, have unveiled a new strategy aimed at bolstering the prosecution rates of such offenses. Dubbed “Operation Safe Cities,” the initiative, announced on March 20, is designed to leverage the harsher sentencing capabilities of the federal judicial system against perpetrators of violent gun crimes. The initiative is spearheaded by Martin Estrada, United States Attorney, who stressed the federal government’s commitment to directing its reso ..read more

iStock/Vivek Raut As the saying goes, “You can get the monkey off your back, but the circus never leaves town.” This is no laughing matter. Having a monkey on your back initially meant “carrying around anger” in the 1860s, but by the 1930s it came to be narcotic slang for “being addicted.” And addiction doesn’t just leave because you stopped using the alcohol, the pills or the other drugs. That d#@! monkey is powerful, persistent and relentless! He can also be downright ugly. How do law enforcement officers get tricked into carrying the monkey on their backs, and what tactics can they deploy t ..read more

iStock/Peter Carruthers A town in Pennsylvania is considering closing its police department. Unsurprisingly, the union that represents the officers there isn’t crazy about the idea. The borough of Jenkintown is tiny, just over half a square mile and home to about 4,500 people. Law enforcement services are provided by a small force of 10 police officers. Like any governing body, the officials there have to make and keep a budget every year, and that seems to be the driving factor behind the discussion.  The Jenkintown Police Benevolent Association has been in ongoing contract negotiations ..read more

K-9 Kuno and Deputy Eric Calhoun (Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office) Law enforcement officers rarely garner the universal acclaim that comes with some of the other first response professions. On most calls, there’s a victim who needs help and a suspect who needs catching. The victims won’t always be happy, and the suspect never will. Even when the cops catch the most heinous of bad guys, they’ve got family members who won’t appreciate where the boys in blue are taking their loved one. It can be a thankless role. But, every once in a while, lucky officers get to be in a white-hat, feel-good rol ..read more

iStock/Chalabala A bill in Washington state is creating a stir about some questionable things that might occur due to the way it’s written. ESHB 2384 is a traffic bill, dealing mostly with things like putting speed cameras in construction zones. It originated in Washington’s House of Representatives. As our readers will remember from civics class, it had to be approved by the State Senate after passing in the State House. It’s there that the traffic safety bill took an interesting turn. Its first stop in the Senate was in the Senate Transportation Committee. The chairman of that committee, Sen ..read more