Law Enforcement Operations-2013-14

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Dr. Michael Thompson

Sir Robert Peel's Principals

By: Nabor Leal-Rodriguez

Sir Robert Peel is credited for coming up with the theory of policing and creating the first Metropolitan Police when he was serving in England as the Home Secretary. He was a man that believed in helping people and preventing crimes and to make sure that criminals got what they deserved. Peel then created principals that he deemed worthy of being followed by not only his Police force but also many that would follow after this.

There were a total of nine principals that he created that are still used by many police forces around the world. Peel believed that Police could be a vital part of every community as long as they did their jobs right and got along with all members of the community. The first was that police had one basic important mission and that was assure that crimes and disorder amongst the community were being prevented. This was a very important principle because if not police would be able to get paid for doing absolutely nothing. The second principle was that police had to get approval from the community because they were there to serve them and they also did not want to cause any commotion in their neighborhoods. The third principle was that police must secure the will of the public to communicate with them so that they could keep their respect in the community’s eyes. The fourth was that the amount of communication that the public was giving would determine the degree of physical force that they would need to use to control the person or public. The next principal was that police needed to seek the public’s favor by not demonstrating in just punishments but show a fair punishment to everyone and picking sides.

This sixth principal is still exercised by many police officers around the world and that is that they can use physical force if the advice and warning that they had issued the person was not enough to make them listen and do as they were told. This can be seen being used worldwide if you need and example just turn on the television and see how many people don’t listen and disrespect the police officers authority. The seventh principal was that Police must always assure the public that the police is the public and that the public was the police and that no matter what they should never break that principal because then people might want to create disorders and they may lose control over the community if that happened. The eighth principle that Peel had was that police should only do their jobs and not the job of the judiciary system. This would mean that the police could not take matters into their own hands and punish people in a way that would need to be determined by judges. The final Principle that Peel had was the test of policing and this was that Police efficiency was not determined by how many crimes the police had taken care of or were carrying out but how few crimes were being committed. With these 9 principal Peel created a great structure for future Police Systems to follow and they would help establish the Police of today. Peel had a great idea with these principals and they have had a lot of effect on the world of law enforcement today. Without these principals the Police world may not be so far along and as structured as it is today.

Sources
http://voices.yahoo.com/law-enforcement-sir-robert-peels-concept-community-638595.html
http://www.victorianweb.org/history/pms/peel/peel10.html

Steven Nelson

Qualities of a Police Officer

Police officers are considered to be the work horse of the criminal justice system. They are the most visible member of the criminal justice system. When a department’s police officers are performing well, the department performs well. On the contrary, when officers aren’t performing well, their prospective departments perform just as poorly. So what is it that separates a good police officers from the bad. Chapter four of our book lists some qualities that make a good police officer.

A good police officer is enthusiastic about his work. In order to effectively complete the sometimes mundane and difficult work of a police officer, one must go about his work an enthusiasm that others can feed off of. When every officer has this attitude it makes all of their jobs much easier. Good police officers have ample communication skills. They are able to get along with people of all different backgrounds regardless of the extenuating circumstances. They see each encounter with a civilian as an opportunity to help their departments public relations. Having good judgment is vital to being a good police officer. The ability to fully understand a situation and make the right decision is invaluable.

Everyday, police officers are put into situations that test their judgement. They must make a logical decision based on the facts rather than a shoddy decision based on a hunch. In a line of work as tragic as an officer’s, a sense of humor can not be underestimated. Being able to make light of dire situations allows police officers to cope. The stress that police officers go through is unlike the stress that other jobs go through. Without a sense of humor, a police officer might find himself miserable and depressed. As in any line of work creativity is very helpful. It lets them place themselves in the mind of the criminal and legally accomplish arrests. Many cases are very difficult and require an ability to think outside the box to solve.

Another import attribute that police officers must possess is self-motivation. Police officers are often by themselves with out anyone overseeing them and must be able proactively solve difficult cases. To effectively perform the his job, the police officer must fully understand the intricacies of the criminal justice system. He must then have the motivation to do what needs to be done even if it is difficult. In order to be a good officer, the officer must first believe that he is a good officer. He must have a healthy ego that allows him to do things that an average person would not have the confidence to do. Maybe the most important trait an officer can have is courage. He must be able to think clearly during difficult situations and stand up for what is right. The history of this profession is filled with many good, aggressive officers who lost their way. The challenge is to go about one’s life on and off the job in an ethical way. A police officer must understand that they should not arrest every single person that they see commit a violation. They must understand discretion and show empathy. Police officers must be tenacious. They must be able to stay focused on the job at hand and stay positive. Even though most police officers are done with college, they must continue to keep learning. They have to stay up to date on new laws and court decisions.

Good police officers are invaluable to a community because their success relates directly to the safety of their community.

Resources
http://discoverpolicing.org/what_does_take/?fa=skills_abilities
https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/publications/abstract.aspx?ID=101293

Suicide Among Law Enforcement

In 1998, the Psychological Services Section of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) empaneled a committee to examine the issue and to propose specific recommendations to address law enforcement suicide. According to the National P.O.L.I.C.E. Suicide Foundation, Inc., more than 300 law enforcement suicides occurred in 1998. This figure is often quoted in comparison to the 174 new names that were added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., for line-of-duty deaths during that same year. In examining 25 separate studies, dating back in some instances to the 1930s, suicide rates of law enforcement personnel per 100,000 sworn ranged from a low of zero to a high of 203. The discrepancy among reported suicides rates can be attributed to a number of different problems:
Lack of homogeneity: The term law enforcement personnel, while often used as a general descriptor, may not describe as homogeneous a group as once thought. In particular, existing studies have included different classifications of personnel (retired personnel, custody officers, etc.) in their studies and/or have failed to define their population, making meaningful comparisons difficult.
Regional factors: Just as with the general population, suicide rates among law enforcement personnel can vary significantly across states and counties.Variables related to agency culture and environment: Differences in suicide rates between agencies, even within the same geographic area, suggest that agency characteristics may be an important factor.
Lack of records: Law enforcement agencies seem to be reticent to share (or even keep) statistics of this nature. Most of the existing studies are retrospective, based solely on the recollections of responding agency personnel.
Mislabeling cause of death: Some research suggests a tendency for line staff and agencies to erroneously label a possible (or even obvious) suicide as an accidental death. While this may be done with the best intentions to protect the peace officer and his or her surviving family members, it further complicates the process of obtaining accurate numbers.
Suicide as a low-frequency event: Statistical difficulties occur when analyzing data for events that occur infrequently.
Preemployment psychological screening: The presence or absence of preemployment screening is a contaminant, as is the lack of uniformity between agencies in terms of how such evaluations are conducted.
Prevention and intervention programs: The presence or absence of various organizational interventions may be factors affecting the different rates of suicide found among various agencies. Does the agency, for example, train supervisors and/or line personnel in early identification and intervention with individuals at risk for suicide?
Definition of law enforcement personnel: Existing studies have included different classifications of personnel (retired personnel, custody officers, etc.) and/or have failed to define their population, making meaningful comparisons difficult. This contrasts with 1996 data from the National Center for Health Statistics, which reports the rate of suicide among the general population as 12 per 100,000. It appears then, that law enforcement personnel may actually have a lower rate of suicide.While certainly law enforcement organizations have striven to diversify their workplace, the average peace officer in the United States is most likely to be a white male between the ages of 21 and 65. It appears then, that law enforcement personnel may actually have a lower rate of suicide.

http://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_arch&article_id=2669&issue_id=52012//
http://www.officer.com/article/10850327/police-suicides-drop-in-2012//

Nabor Leal-Rodriguez
Police Issues

Police officer today face a lot of issues that can make even the strongest man break. They have so many responsibilities and have to witness so many gruesome things and have to deal with a lot difficult situations that most people would never have to deal with in there lives. Police officers have to go around knowing that their jobs as police officers supersede any family issues that would arise while on the job. Police officers also seem to hold all of there emotions in which can lead to many mental health disorders, some officers do this so that there families are shielded from their the harsh realities that may come along with some cases.

If an officer does this he can be alienated from his family because he does not want to communicate their feelings with them. When they do this they can build up so much emotional stress that they can blow up on family members and can ruin families because they do not know how to communicate there emotions. Another thing that Police officers face is of the stress of the different shifts that they have to work. Police officers have to work long shifts and have to change from midnight to day shifts a lot depending on how there department works. This change can cause a lot of physical stress on the human body because it has to adjust to it and try to keep up with its demand and have enough energy to carry out these shifts.

Another common issue is that they get so used to enforcing the law that they may create rules at home. These rules can be very strict and may make the family feel as if they have no freedom and possibly ruin their marriage of families. Officers need to take a breath every now and then and learn how to communicate with the people that care about them. Even though officers make it seem like they do not have any feelings they are just as much humans as anybody else. These are just a few issues that they can face and they are very serious issues because they affect them directly and this is an issue that needs to be dealt with because they are the ones that protect us and are the ones that we need to keep crime under control. This issue is just as serious as any other they face.

Sources:
http://www.panynj.gov/police/police-reports.html
http://www.thepolice.com/

Dante Foos
Police Personnel Issues
data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/
Line of duty deaths are deaths which occur while an officer is conducting his or her appointed duties. Despite the increased risk of being a victim of a homicide, automobile accidents are the most common cause of officer deaths. Officers are more likely to be involved in traffic accidents because of their large amount of time spent conducting vehicle patrols, or directing traffic, as well as their work outside their vehicles alongside or on the roadway, or in dangerous pursuits. Officers killed by suspects make up a smaller proportion of deaths. In the U.S. in 2005, 156 line of duty deaths were recorded of which 44% were from assaults on officers, 35% vehicle related (only 3% during vehicular pursuits) and the rest from other causes: heart attacks during arrests/foot pursuits, falling from heights during foot chases, diseases contracted either from suspects' body fluids or, more rarely, from emergency window period blood transfusions received after motor vehicle accidents, shootings, stabbings, accidental gun discharges or falls that result in blood loss.
Police officers who die in the line of duty, especially those who die from the actions of suspects or in accidents or heart attacks, are often given elaborate funerals, attended by large numbers of fellow officers. Their families may also be entitled to special pensions. Fallen officers are often remembered in public memorials, such as the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in the U.S., the National Police Memorial in the U.K. and the Scottish Police Memorial, at the Scottish Police College.
In the United Kingdom, in the 10 years from April 2000 there were 143 line of duty deaths: 54 in road accidents travelling to or from duty, 46 in road accidents on duty, 23 from natural causes on duty, 15 from criminal acts, and 5 in other accidents.In Great Britain, police do not normally carry firearms. Officers in Northern Ireland are routinely armed.
The Singapore Police Force registered just over 100 deaths in a century up to the year 2000. There have been 28 New Zealand police officers killed by criminal act since 1890.
https://www.google.com/search?q=line+of+duty+deaths&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ei=NRlyU8SwLITLsATazYCgCA&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAw&biw=1366&bih=591

Arielle Gil-Sanz
Today's police issues

Angry-police-officer-with-nightstick-via-Shutterstock.jpg

The Issue police departments are facing major issues, in today’s society. Police departments are greatly understaffed, and sadly they fail to meet there recruitment quota. Money is the main sources of issues we face in America. If money is scarce in certain regions, then some police officers are willing to pack up and move to areas where they may pay more. Quite frankly I see this issue as being something good. For example, the job of a police officer is very risky. They stand the chance of losing their life everyday they are on patrols. If they put their lives on the line to protect the community and its property, then they should be paid something reasonable. The same goes for Soldiers who takes part in the army. My brother and sister are in the army. They have worked their way up to the rank of an E6, they claim that the pay they receive are quite good for the job hey are doing. My brother has spent 3 years in the Middle East, and my sister stayed for 2 years. They both came back to the mainland of America, and are now working on base as a supply sergeant and a recruitment officer. Police officers are more likely now to join the army because of the salary they receive as well as the benefits they will get. They can become an active duty soldier, a military police officer, or any other job of their choice, as long as it’s available, and they gain the right requirements. Homeland security, collects the data’s that has been collected by the police departments so that they can help register the names of those who immigrated, are of certain races, and ethnicities. If they have received data , that contains a high rate of immigrants being caught by police, they can then analyze that information’s, and increase their strength in that particular region. There have been a huge rate of immigrants who evade homeland security, and they get themselves into America. They would sometimes get caught, but those that get caught after gaining entry in America, will be reviewed.Police officers are around to keep us safe and are viewed as individuals who not only follow the law but ensure that others do the same. Though this is the usual case, not always do our police officers practice these ideas. Problems amongst the police force have been around since prohibition and are only increasing in our dangerous and corrupted society. Corruption, on-the-job dangers, and the use of deadly force are all issues facing the police departments today. Since the days of prohibition, corruption amongst officers has been a problem. Back when bootleggers were on the rise, officers were paid off to keep quiet about the consumption of alcohol. In today’s society Police crimes consist of beating innocent citizens, protecting drug dealers, accepting bribes, and murder. Often time’s big cities experience this through the protection of street gangs and drug dealers. It seems the tradition of paying officers off for illegal activity hasn’t yet dissipated in our modern times; in fact, it appears it’s gotten worse. The old pattern of payoffs by the mob to top cops has changed to local police officers being bought off by drug dealers and street gangs. So now instead of just the select few cops being bought, the city police who might have actually been trusted before are being controlled by criminals as well. Everyday police officers experience crime first-hand, and their jobs can potentially be extremely dangerous. This year, twice as many police officers have been killed in the line of duty than last year. Easier accessibility to firearms, weapons, and the growing amount of illegal narcotics on our streets play a big role in the perils of the criminal justice field. Illegal narcotics link directly to violent crime. Gangs, prostitutes and other illegal activities being disregarded by corrupt officers also have something to do with the toils and hazards that confront an officer who is committed to their job.

http://www.spiritofthelaw.org/sol1art6.html
http://thinbluelineuk.blogspot.com/2010/07/what-are-5-biggest-challenges-facing.html

SWAT Teams

Anthony McKinley

When crime reaches a certain boiling point to which the men and women of the police force cannot proceed due to extremely dangerous situations they call upon a group of officers trained to handle the most serious crime related scenarios. These officers are known as SWAT, which stands for Special Weapons And Tactics and have been running since mid-1960’s. They are trained to use military style light weapons use specific tactic with crime involving heavily armed men, hostage situations, and high risk arrests.

The first group of officers to form a SWAT team started with the Philadelphia Police Department in 1964, attempting to take training to a new level to help police with extreme situations. These officers have former military experience and have been with the force for many years, making them the highest qualified officers in the department. They have been trained to use sniper rifles, semiautomatic shotguns, assault rifles, submachine guns and in addition also use flash bang grenades, stringer grenades, tear gas, and Tasers. The most famous SWAT team is located in Los Angeles. Formed in 1967, the LAPD Metropolitan Divisions “D” Platoon shortened their name to SWAT and began to earn the reputation as some of the most efficient and advanced police enforcement in the United States. One of the most famous conflicts the Los Angeles SWAT team faced was in 1974, when a group of heavily armed revolution group known as the Symbionese Liberations Army (SLA) barricaded themselves in a home located in Compton and had a several hour gun battle broadcasted live to millions of families on the edge of their seat, watching as the SWAT team took out one by one, 6 SLA’s and eventually burned the house to the ground.

The SWAT team is not the only specially trained tactics team in the United States. The DEA and FBI both have special teams in case of Hostage rescue and major international drug busts. All of these advanced groups are in place to protect and ensure the safety of civilians nationwide and continue to do so in present time.

Resources
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Swat.aspx
http://www.lapdonline.org/inside_the_lapd/content_basic_view/848

Jason Manning
Policing

Police work inst all that it is hyped up to be. Times and times again I find that people think that police work is a thrilling life of high speed chases, drug busts, gang shootings, and grand theft auto. In reality most cases are that the police officer is making his rounds patrolling an area, and to be honest the officer is most likely bored. At times it can tend to be a boring job. But when a call does come in they are ready and capable of doing their job. When I was younger I Also thought that the life of a police officer was glamorous, that they were highly praised individuals that were looked up too, and they lived a life of danger and adventure. Wile I still hold true to my want of becoming one I know realize that its not all that it was cut out to be. The chances of a dangerous scenario while still existent are rather slim. Also while they do not get as much praise that I think they should receive, police officers should realize that its part of the job and its not as glamorous as it may seem.
In reality police officers bringing an all out gunfight to screeching halt in a defying blaze of gunfire, glory, and justice, is nill at best. Chances of things like that happening are slim and fleeting. But some of the duties of an officer actually may vary. The standard duties of an officer though usually relates to and revolve around, keeping the peace, enforcement of laws and regulations, protecting the general populace full of civilians, protecting of property owned by both people and government, and criminal investigation of crimes. The more prominent role that a police officer has is the role of maintaining justice and the order of things and keeping the peace. They apprehend law breakers and criminals who violate the order of lawful normalcy. They also discourage criminal actions by being present and alert for violations. At times they are used for emergency services in assisting the general populace in case of emergency scenarios. At times they have to give citation or fines for small traffic violations.
In the line of duty while it is rare dangerous situations may arise. Police do die while on duty, this a known fact, one that all police are aware of. Police are aware that what they are doing is hazardous and subsequently dangerous, this s a fact they know about yet still will continue to work even though they are aware that every day may be their last. But to be fairly honest one of the more taxing things on an officer is the stress they must endure in their work work environment. The stress that some officers receive can lead to some becoming suicidal. Work place stress develops from seeing things that could psychologically damage some such as mutilated children. Stress can actually lead to alcoholism, and a general distrust of others. Personally while I think that it may be rough, one either adapts to it or doesn't and falls to the stress of the situation.

Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_officer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police

Steven Nelson
Investigation

The job of an investigator is to find information and clues to help the people they work for, find the information they need. They do this using a myriad of techniques including wiretapping, interrogating, and many other methods. Many investigators will tell you the only way to learn how to be an investigator is to actually do the job. Investigating is widely considered to be more of an art than a science. This means that although there are some basic guidelines that should be followed, investigations usually require a an investigator that can think on his feet. Investigators can work for a variety of different organizations such as the FBI, CIA, or local police departments. They can also work privately.
The main job is to collect information. There are many ways they can do that. In most cases the detective will interview his or her client. They will ask them a series of questions to learn what they need to know about the crime scene. Some people get interviews and interrogations confused. Interviews are simple question and answer situations between the detective and either a witness or victim. An interrogation is widely known to be when an investigator questions a suspect, usually within the confines of a lockup facility. When the investigator goes through these investigations or interrogations they use a variety of techniques to determine whether the person they are talking to is telling the truth or not. They pay attention to the body language, slight facial movements and other non verbal communication.
Over the years detectives have used many different tools to collect the information they need. From GPS systems and video cameras to fingerprinting to wiretapping, there have been tremendous steps forward in terms of technology used by investigators. These technologies allow the investigator to observe scenes and gain more detailed knowledge than ever before. A major tool in any investigator’s repertoire is a camera. Investigators must photograph the entire crime scene and those around it. With these photos, the investigator can record everything in the crime scene before it is disturbed. These photos can prove to be invaluable clues. Even with all these innovations there are still plenty of similarities of techniques used between today’s investigators and those a hundred years ago. An investigator’s mind is still by far his greatest tool.
A detective must be a good leader. They must be able to take command of the crime scene. They must be able to ensure the safety of all by making sure that all safety procedures are followed. The leader must be able to properly delegate to others. The detective must properly manage those working under him so as to make sure that they are properly communicating.
A large part of an investigator’s job is documenting the information that he has collected. They may use a tape recorder or a computer to record his findings. Everything he collects highly confidential so it must be kept in a secure place. When the investigator meets with his or her client he can then reveal the information he deems appropriate for the case.
Although Hollywood may paint investigator’s job’s to be action packed car chase after car chase, there is really much more to it than that. An investigator’s job is truly unique.

Sources:
http://www.ehow.com/list_6366557_duties-investigator_.html
http://www.crime-scene-investigator.net/respon2.html

Eduardo Romero
Police Work

Police work has a lot of misconceptions that go along with it. Many people think that being a police officer means being involved in gang shootings, high speed chases, bank robberies or even murders. Sure its possible to be involved in such things but its highly unlikely. In some of the largest cities in the United States where crime rates are the highest, only half of the officers in the department will make a few felony arrests per year.

Being an American police officer includes providing order maintenance, social services, and crime control. Some of the major responsibilities of a police officer include to help any person who is in danger or distress, to protect the public, to resolve conflict, and to protect the constitutional rights of every citizen. Other responsibilities include to identify any criminals or criminal activities and to interfere when appropriate or necessary. Police officers have the responsibility to create a feeling of security within the community and to be there to provide any and all emergency services needed.
OfficerKevinClay.OfficerMattChase.SeattlePolice.jpg

Patrol officers are often the most seen type of law enforcement in public. They are trusted by the public to keep order and safety in the area. Patrol officers do many type of things such as 9-1-1 responders. They may be a specialty unit such as SWAT or they may be part of the Victim Support Team to help the victims of crimes such a domestic violence. Patrol officers may also be Parking Enforcement or even Record Keeping.

Police officers often carry a heavy workload. They work 24 hours around the clock every day. People may call for something as little as a easily resolvable confrontation or a noise complaint to emergencies such as shots fired or medical emergencies. Police officers analyze the situation and base the arrest on the seriousness of the situation. If the suspect is yelling and becoming angry and belligerent and is not listening to the officer, an arrest may be placed. If the suspect deems to be dangerous, the officers may place the suspect in handcuffs as a precautionary measure. When the officer speaks to everyone involved and analyzes the area and situation, he will then decide if the suspect should be placed under arrest or if the suspect should be given a ticket or warning.

Police officers have the right to use deadly force when harm is imminent. Deadly force may be considered using a baton, mace, taser, or gun. In any incidents where there are officer involved shootings, the officer will be placed on temporary leave until the incident has been investigated. When the investigation is complete and the shooting was a result of legitimacy, then the officer may resume working.

Although police work is statistically not very dangerous, there are times when it is. Some police officers are told that every time they say goodbye to their families, it might be their last or that every person they may come across may kill them, It often harbors trust issues. Some police may start to see the people they see as somewhat of an enemy.

In my personal opinion I see the police as heros and guardians of our country. They are here to keep us safe, they are here because they want to protect their country and serve their duties. This world would be utter chaos and disorder if Police officers were not available.

Sources
"Police Work Isn’t That Dangerous." The Dish. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.
"Police Officer." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 13 Apr. 2013. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.
"Criminal Justice: The Nature of Police Work." Criminal Justice: The Nature of Police Work. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

Stafan Bradley
0ct 7, 2014
Dr. Thompson

How SWAT Teams Work

SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) officers are members of highly trained paramilitary units that tackle situations beyond the capability of conventional police forces. SWAT teams are called in when an incident presents significant risk to law enforcement officers or the public.

These elite professionals use their advanced training in weapons, teamwork and strategy to resolve crises such as: Hostage situations , Counterterrorism operations Apprehension of armed and barricaded suspects, Suicide intervention , Warrant service under fire , Protection of visiting dignitaries , High-risk search and seizure ,Covert and undercover operations Crowd and riot control , and Fugitive tracking in rural environments. While all swat officers are expert marksmen with in-depth training in combat most play a specialized role within the team.

The swat team responds when the police cannot handle the situation whatever that’s going on and the swat team try to contain the situation. SWAT officers perform more routine duties. Many spend a majority of their time in conventional policing activities such as patrol and traffic enforcement. In some areas, they use their specialized tactical knowledge to conduct crime suppression exercises that ferret out dangerous offenders.

Most SWAT officers consider serving on the team an honor and privilege. Members are chosen from the ranks of experienced police officers based on their superior fitness, marksmanship and service record. The requirements to be a part of the swat team is if you are a new recruit you have to complete New recruits complete 15–30 weeks of academy training covering law, tactics, police procedure, firearms, emergency driving, report writing and leadership. Instruction covers both classroom and practical learning and includes simulations of common field situations.

Physical conditioning is a key component of the program, and recruits must generally meet rigorous fitness standards in order to graduate. SWAT recruits are generally chosen by an open examination, which usually includes an interview, psychological exam, and fitness testing and skill evaluation. Those deemed fit for SWAT duty continue on to the academy for advanced training. SWAT officers undergo continuing education and requalification throughout their careers and must maintain a high standard of physical fitness.

Other desirable qualities include emotional stability, physical courage and the ability to make quick decisions under stress. Because SWAT units operate as a close-knit team, strong communication and interpersonal skills,
Your physical strengths and abilities, and your mental fortitude, will play a big role in your success as part of a SWAT team, so your conditioning and preparation for the job are vital. As a SWAT team member, you will have to dedicate yourself 100%. Your dedication will pay off when the Chief or Sheriff calls to thank you for your service. The job will demand an enormous amount of your time, so your degree of respect and caring for your fellow man – and your desire to make your community a better place to live must be at their peak.

Every SWAT team conducts tryouts, and members are carefully chosen by the team. If you want to be a part of a SWAT team, don’t give up. To be a part of this type of elite team is a significant accomplishment. It shows that your hard work has paid off and that you are one of the best, and it will carry with it a bond of unity with your team members that will last forever.

http://blog.discoverpolicing.org/uncategorized/so-you-want-to-be-a-special-weapons-and-tactics-swat-team-member/
http://people.howstuffworks.com/swat-team.htm

Arielle Gil-Sanz
Police investigation

The myth of police as crime‐fighters has been conveyed to the American people through television dramas, comic strips, and newspaper articles. It conjures up in one's mind an image of a police officer doing a dangerous job that requires him or her to outshoot, outpunch, and outwit dangerous criminals. For most American police, there is little correspondence between this image and reality. In a major metropolitan area (where crime rates are the highest), half of the officers in the local department will not make a felony arrest during a given year. The total annual rate of weapon discharges per hundred police officers is in the range of two to six. When a crime is committed, the police must determine who committed it so that the criminal can be prosecuted and brought to justice. But how do the police go about investigating these crimes? As soon as the police receive a call that a crime is in progress, they send officers to the scene of the crime as soon as possible. The officers may be able to catch the criminal right on the scene. The officers will then arret this person and take her to the police station or the county jail for booking. Before leaving the scene of the crime, the police or their employees will often do a site investigation by taking pictures and taking any objects they think are connected to the crime for evidence. Almost everyone who was at the scene will write a report, including their personal observations, the names and contact information of any potential witnesses, and any items that they took from the scene. If a crime was not observed in progress and was particularly serious or complicated, the police may assign the case to a detective. She will then manage a team of investigators to develop a list of suspects and find the actual criminal defendant. The detective may collect forensic evidence, like fingerprints, blood, or saliva found at the scene and send them to labs for analysis. She can also speak to witnesses to try to piece together what happened.
At all times, the police and their employees must obey the Fourth Amendment's rules for permissible search and seizure. This means that generally, if the police want to search any private property, they must first obtain a warrant which shows that they have probable cause to believe that they will find evidence that will help solve the crime.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_officer
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/police-and-detectives.htm

Bernard Newbold
Legal Issues Police Face

There are so many issues Police Officers face today. In the book Policing Issues: Challenges and Controversies Jeffrey Ross, PhD, writes about the hottest problems Departments have yet to overcome from Public Relations and Community Friendliness to Police Brutality (or excessive force). While all the dilemmas have certainly their own importance, I think the biggest and most urgent problem Police Officers face today is the Failure to Properly Investigate a Crime and the grave consequences deriving from sloppy police investigation which may result in a wrongful conviction and imprisonment of innocent individuals. Too often in fact, overzealous detective work has led to investigate the wrong people based on eyewitness misidentification, sloppy Forensic Science collection, false confessions or false admissions, false informants or bad snitches. There are too many cases of men and women who were hurt by failure to properly investigate a crime. Josh Keezer spent 16 years of his life behind bars and later found innocent. Larry Johnson, Steven Toney and many others have experienced firsthand being the target of a wrongful investigation and wrongful prosecution. Therefore, yes the police face many challenges from being friendly to the community to enforcing the law with the proper amount of force all the way to having to deal with being understaffed and underfunded at times. However, if we really want to look at who would pay the highest price when a detective investigates wrongfully ….Well there you have it… Officers also face the charge of corruption, police brutality and hiring of the wrong people.
Law Enforcement also face a lack of communication between federal, state, and local law enforcement particularly regarding terroristic threats; an impression by the public of an invasion of privacy by law enforcement; a political and public focus away from the enforcement of drug crimes.

DHS must improve communication between law enforcement agencies in order to accomplish its mission because many threats and suspicious activity will be observed first, and possibly only, by cops on the street. DHS must remain vigilant that its surveillance authority is cautiously used to prevent or detect terrorism and violent crimes. DHS should keep its focus on crimes, drug or otherwise, that directly impact the sovereignty or security of the United States or its citizens.
DHS can improve its communication with local, state, and federal law enforcement through use of a dedicated law enforcement telephone hot line, email address, and website along with education programs for officers on how and when to inform DHS of suspicious activity.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/public-disorder-one-of-main-issues-facing-police-6272883.html
http://www.pennyharrington.com/challenges.htm

Marcus Tibbles
A Few Challenges for Cops

When it comes to police work there are many challenges that come with it. Whether it is physical challenges like having to scale a fence to pursue a subject. Or psychological, like scaling a scary looking fence to pursue a scary looking subject. The choices that need to be made every day that an officer needs make and can range from simple to stressful enough to silver the hair. Choices like deciding whether to chase a car, or let it go so they don’t run and crash into someone innocent. Another choice is if the officer should use his gun or not? Maybe he could talk his way out of the situation that has presented its self.
If the officer has to use his gun the psychological issues could be massive. Obviously most people don’t want to just go and kill other people, not everyone is a sociopath. Regret can set in if there is any doubt that shooting the assailant was the right choice, or if it was possible there was another way to take him down. Killing in self-defense, or defense of another tends to be more black and white. As obviously the other guy already made his choice. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder can happen in cases and other anxiety related things. Of course maybe the challenge for a particular officer isn’t that killing is hard, but that the act of killing was hard like he had to shoot through a car or something.
Maybe the challenge isn’t something as life and death as meeting another human in the stages of combat. The media influences people’s minds on how things go down in the world of criminal investigations and cop work. The CSI Effect has given most people who are not in the know false ideas and unrealistic expectations of what the police are capable of. This can lead to jurors wanting more forensic evidence even when it is unnecessary and unneeded. Of course this can give the well intentioned officer or whoever the chance to talk to citizens about what really happens in an investigation. Though that maybe a challenge in itself as the person didn’t know the show was fake.
Another challenge is discretion. Now obviously a cop can’t pull every motorist over for every little thing, but if too many big things are ignored than there’s anarchy on the streets. Every officer needs to walk that thin blue line of enforcing just enough to keep the balance of things and not going over board and pursuing every little thing until the city is in a draconian state. Which is a bad thing for those of you who are into that sort of thing.
Challenges can even be found inside the department, either through a nasty little thing like policies, or maybe even the fellow officers. Maybe Johnson is a jerk who is unhelpful to you. Or maybe there is some idiot officer who always ruins everything and is the bane of the commander’s existence. Female officers could face the torment of their male colleges, and not just the perps that they have to face on a daily basis.

http://military-sf.com/Killing.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CSI_effect
Image Source: Google Images

Jason Manning
Police Challenges

Police officers face many conflicts and challenges in the line of police work while on duty and off duty. Challenges for a police officer can range from minute things to large things while on duty. They can also be challenges of little stress or they can go all the way up in severity to life threatening stressful situations. Not all challenges a police officer faces will be physical, they can also be mentally challenging in a grueling manner. While some challenges are physical and can leave an officer hurt wounded or even in some more extreme cases even dead, the mental challenges can also have repercussions such as leaving a heavy psychological blow on ones psych. One such thing that could lead to a blow to the mental, psychological state would be if an officer were to see a severely mangled body of a child. A physical injury a police officer might face can be from falling, getting beaten up in some cases by an assaultant, or even getting stabbed and/or shot by an aggravated attacker or fugitive.
A good example of a challenge an officer might come to face with while the officer is on duty is if the officer had to deal with an aggressive and dangerous perpetrator. The officer gets a call to go to an address for a domestic dispute. When he gets there it turns out that the house is actually a giant meth lab. The perpetrator makes a run for it and the officer and the assailant have a high speed pursuit that tears through downtown all the way to the market district. When they finally come to a stop the assailant engages the police officer in a gun fight. His partners firing at the assailant. Hes trying to get backup over the radio. And while all of this is happening he realizes he just stepped on a grilled cheese. All in all this offers a pretty good representation of a challenge an officer might face in the field of work. He gets shot at. Has to deal with the possibility of dangerous gases. Stress of driving during a high speed pursuit. An example of another challenge is if an officer comes across the body of a young child that was the victim of a snuff film. The ravaged body of the child would haunt his mind forever and quite possibly give the officer a post traumatic stress disorder.
Some things a female officer might face is gender discrimination while on the clock while on duty. Some people believe that a women would not have what it takes to be a police officer and so she would face the challenge of discrimination as well as the possibility of sexual harassment. Police officers in general are usually not praised by some individuals, they are called pigs, discriminated against, cries of police brutality are thrown at them. But they endure because if they really had a problem with it they would have got a different job.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police

http://www.spiritofthelaw.org/sol1art6.html

Bernard Newbold
Challenges faced in the Bahamas Policing System

The Royal Bahamas Police Forces continued to be challenged by many of the same issues which that are being experienced by many nations in the Western Hemisphere. The use and sale of illegal drugs coupled with the possession and use of illegal firearms contributed to many of the serious complaints which they respond to. One of the biggest causes are far too many young adult males in our communities who are not gainfully employed and who seem content to lead lives of criminality. These offenders seem to have no respect for anyone and are extremely cavalier in their breaches of the laws of the Bahamas. Despite constant public appeals for these offenders to “put down illegal weapons and to turn from a life of crime” they continue to offend without regard for anything or anyone.

Another challenge for the Royal Bahamas Police Force which the public see is the re-offending by serious criminals who are released on bail and return to the communities where they commit further serious crimes, including murder. There is also the category of offender who is released on the electronic monitoring scheme (electronic bracelet) who also re-offends indiscriminately across The Bahamas. While the Bahamas have had significant successes in tracking and re-arresting such offenders, the number of cases is alarming and is a distinct threat to the safety and security of the communities.
In recent years, the Force received far too many complaints from law abiding citizens about proliferation of liquor license premises in their neighborhoods. These facilities serve as magnets for criminals and unscrupulous persons and causes fear in the communities. The law indicates that a person must be 18 years or older to purchase and consume alcohol but yet this law continues to be broken without the courts implementing a serious punishment on the offending establishment.
Of primary concern to the (RBPF) is the amount of illegal guns in the communities of the Bahamas. In 2012, these weapons of death exacted an unmerciful toll of murders in the communities exceeding 100 for a country of less than 400,000 people. In the majority of murder committed in 2012, an illegal firearm was the weapon of choice. Despite extremely good work by police officers to remove weapons from the communities, there were and still far too many reports of sightings of people with illegal weapons and far too many cases of people being gravely injured and killed with these weapons.
In the Bahamas, the police force continues to work with the non government agencies to attempt to finds ways to crack down on the criminal activities across the nation. However, the increasing causes have yet to be identified, but the educated people in government has also yet to determined how to fix the problem.

www.thenassauguardian.com
www.tribune242.com

dante foos
war on drugs
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There is a definite problem regarding the laws that enforce drug use in the United States today. Think about this question. Why are some of the most injurious, addictive, and mind altering substances in the worldtobacco and alcohollegal, while other drugs are illegal that potentially cause no harm and have very little abuse?
The United States has declared 178 substances illegal. These substances are believed to be so dangerous that they are controlled at the highest level for medical use or forbidden outright, even for medical research. Remarkably many of these substances are not physically harmful and have never caused a death. Every year, legal drug use results in about fifteen percent of all hospital admissions, with one hundred thirty six billion dollars in medical costs. It seems odd, then, to make such a big distinction between legal and illegal drugs regarding the law.
A startling fact, Congressman Newt Gingrich, the Speaker of the House, proposed legislation that would impose the death penalty for people caught carrying as little as two ounces of marijuana. He excused his own past marijuana use by explaining that pot smoking “was a sign that we were alive and in graduate school in that era.” Prison sentences for being caught with a large amount of marijuana are ten years, mandatory minimum, with no parole allowed. A prison sentence for murder six point three years. That is the average served, with parole allowed. The average sentence for a first time, non-violent drug offender is longer than for rape, child molestation, bank robbery, or manslaughter.(Gahlinger 2) This is an appalling statistic. The government is enforcing harsher punishment on a marijuana smoker compared to a murderer!
The government is filling prisons with drug offenders that will not learn anything while there. Most likely when their term in prison is over they will go back to the same thing that they were doing before they went in to the system. Billions of tax payer dollars are keeping these drug offenders behind bars when a drug treatment program could be helping them to correct current addictive behavior and how to curtail their thoughts and actions to a more positive lifestyle. While the government puts one drug offender away another one is ready to step up to the plate and replace him or her. This is a never ending cycle. “Why do we not speak of ski abuse or a chain saw problem? Because we expect people to familiarize themselves with their use, and avoid injuring themselves or others“—Thomas Szasz, Our Right to Drugs 1992. This statement is true regarding drugs.
The War on Drugs has been a failure. Drug supply interdiction and the imprisonment of over one million Americans have not been effective in reducing drug use. Drugs can cause a lot of harm in foolish hands, but this does not mean that they have no use or should be made illegal. Clearly drugs have a potential for both great benefit and great harm. The best solution to the drug problem begins with education not restriction. As President John F. Kennedy so plainly put it, “It should be our earnest intention to insure that drugs not be employed to debase mankind but to serve it.”
Everybody that I know that has been in trouble with the police for a drug offense often gets put on probation and has a set guidelines that they have to follow through with or a more harsh punishment will be set forth. My point is, people do not like to be told what to do so in essence the laws imposed on drug offenders make them even more upset with the way the government rules are set forth and so they rebel, causing even more problems with law enforcement. Not to imply, let the neighborhood drug dealer supply your loved ones with meth or heroin. Instead let the government regulate the drug trade and have more programs focused on the education and not punishment.
Right now drugs are looked at like a forbidden fruit not meant to be tried unless you are ready to face the consequences, but why are they looked at in this way? Some drugs are illeagal largely for historical or political reasons and there is little or no evidence of their abuse or of any use at all. Peyote for example, has no history of significant abuse, and igobaine is virtually unknown in the United States. The government should regulate sales on some of these drugs and place a tax on them to eliminate the organized crime element of illegal drug sales. The United States is afraid that regulating drugs will cause a sharp rise in drug use and abuse, however their are no statistics stating that this is true.
United Nations agencies estimate the annual revenue generated by the illegal drug industry to be at over four-hundred billion dollars, or roughly eight percent of the total international trade. This industry has empowered organized criminals, corrupted governments at all levels, eroded internal security, stimulated violence, and distorted both economic markets and moral values. These are the consequences not of drug use per se, but decades of failed and futile drug war policies. The harsh restriction of drugs have failed to control their use in the United States. Let us begin with education over restriction.
Works Cited

Gahlinger, Paul. Illegal Drugs: A Complete Guide to Their History, Chemistry, Use and Abuse. New York: Plume, 2004.
(Gahlinger 2)
https://www.google.com/search?q=drugs&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=pxByU_PiF5bJsQSYq4LIAg&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=591

Ariel Hutchinson
Domestic Violence in Law Enforcement

Many police officers engage in maladaptive behaviors, including domestic violence. Many of these dangers exist in law enforcement community. First question is: What is Domestic Violence? Domestic violence is a violation of women's human rights. Violence directed against women by their intimate partners (current or former spouses, boyfriends, dating partners) is an epidemic of global proportions that has devastating physical, emotional, financial and social effects on women, children, families and communities around the world. In 2013, the World Health Organization estimated that nearly one-third of all women worldwide who had been in a relationship had experienced physical or sexual violence by their intimate partner.

Among myriad short- and long-term health effects, research has shown that women who experience domestic violence are more likely to experience depression, more likely to have abortions and low-birth rate babies, and in some regions, are more likely to acquire HIV. In addition, it is estimated that 38% of women murdered worldwide are killed by an intimate partner. The first step in preventing domestic violence among those sworn to uphold the law consists of an awareness of the mounting stress associated with such pitfalls. Domestic disputes are some of the most common calls for police service. Many domestic disputes do not involve violence; this guide discusses those that do, as well as the measures that can be used to reduce them. In the United States, domestic violence accounts for about 20 percent of the nonfatal violent crime women experience and three percent of the nonfatal violent crime men experience. Harm levels vary from simple assault to homicide, with secondary harms to child witnesses.

Domestic violence calls can be quite challenging for police as they are likely to observe repetitive abuse against the same victims, who may not be able to or may not want to part from their abusers. Police typically view these calls as dangerous, partly because old research exaggerated the risks to police. This violence tends to be underreported and women report only one-quarter to one-half of their assaults to police. Any one of the pitfalls listed above could sufficiently precipitate a domestic violence incident. If five, ten or twenty of these combine within one household, the potential for such an incident increases dramatically. Domestic violence was based on the premise that such abuse was a “Family” matter that was a consequence of mental illness, alcohol abuse, or poor impulse control. This reflected on understanding that the purpose of violence is the establishment of power and control over another through different forms of abusive and threatening behaviors.

Some commentators suggest that the decline in homicides may be evidence that abused women have developed legitimate ways to leave their relationships (e.g., divorce, shelters, police, and courts). The reasons for the decline may be even more complex because there is wide variation by race, not just by gender. Between 1976 and 2002, the number of black male victims of intimate partner homicide fell by 81 percent as compared to 56 percent for white males. The number of black female victims of intimate partner homicide fell 49 percent as compared to 9 percent for white females.

References

http://www.stopvaw.org/Domestic_Violence_Explore_the_Issue//
http://www.popcenter.org/problems/domestic_violence/print///

Marcus Tibbles
Technologies for the Future

The state of police work is always changing. Weather it is in tactics or technology there is always something new on the horizon to help the guys in blue. New technologies such as drones are helping police in surveying areas. The Department of Homeland Security has loaned Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to departments. As well as giving grants to departments to buy their own UAVs. The Grand Folks SWAT Team used a UAV on loan from DHS in 2011 to end a standoff peacefully.
These drones could be used to patrol large areas such as the borders, or be placed into use by highway patrols to watch the road ways. Are there any problems a quick Hellfire missile strike can’t fix? I submit that there are not. There would be no more speeders if they knew the punishment would be death at the hands of a robot originally made for combat zones. These flying kill bots could be used to track people in manhunts, or looking for survivors. If a major accident happens; natural disaster, plane crash, school bus wreck, these drones can track people with their infrared vision. Then the pilot can relay that information back to the feet on the ground so they can take care of business.
Drones will keep a lot of officers out of harm’s way. With officers piloting these murder planes from air-conditioned office back at headquarters, when problems are spotted proper steps can be taken towards a response. If there is a traffic accident, street officers can be dispatched to take statements and determine who’s at fault. Sure that could be done with just a phone call from the people involved, but that four million has already been spent. Same for highway patrol, they wouldn’t have to leave their station until something happens one hundred miles away.
What about little robot cameras that can be thrown into a room to observe the situation? A robot called the Recon Scout XT built by ReconRobotics can do just that. These little devices can be used to observe a group of people in a room before the SWAT Team comes in and shoots everyone, or by looking for bombs in tight areas. The camera can send footage back to a smartphone or tablet. Both of which are common enough that these Scouts can fit in to any department.
Shootings happen all the time, which is why Gunshot Detection Systems are helpful. These systems use many sensors to determine almost the exact location where a gun was fired. These are useful in areas that have frequent shootings and witnesses are afraid to speak up. Systems can be used to effectively determine where to send patrols, or possibly a drone, to dissuade violence in areas.
Tablets such as iPads are a great tool in helping police. They can be used to take notes and take statements via written, audio, or video. They can be used to write electronic tickets, and take electronic signatures. Maps can be viewed of unknown areas, or live feed from an aerial drone. Pictures can be taken and shared with other officers of important details or random shit the officer finds. The possibilities of tablets for police work are nearly endless. Not only are they versatile in function, they are also lighter than laptops. Smaller tablets could be carried on the officer at all times, or mounted in the patrol car so the information contained can be backed up to a black box constantly. With all this technology there is no reason why citizens in the United States shouldn’t feel safe.
Sources:
Image from google images
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9224053/Cool_cop_tech_5_new_technologies_helping_police_fight_crime
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/dec/10/homeland-security-increasingly-loaning-drones-to-l/

Stafan Bradley
0ct 7, 2014
Dr. Thompson

How the S.W.A.T Team Works

A police officer who wishes to join SWAT must have an excellent service record and secure a recommendation from a superior officer. marksmanship and physical fitness. Candidates must also be able to pass a rigorous psychological interview that tests their suitability for service in a high-stakes environment. Other desirable qualities include emotional stability, physical courage and the ability to make quick decisions under stress. Because SWAT units operate as a close-knit team, strong communication and interpersonal skills,
Your physical strengths and abilities, and your mental fortitude, will play a big role in your success as part of a SWAT team, so your conditioning and preparation for the job are vital.

As a SWAT team member, you will have to dedicate yourself 100%. Your dedication will pay off when the Chief or Sheriff calls to thank you for your service. The job will demand an enormous amount of your time, so your degree of respect and caring for your fellow man – and your desire to make your community a better place to live must be at their peak.

http://blog.discoverpolicing.org/uncategorized/so-you-want-to-be-a-special-weapons-and-tactics-swat-team-member/
http://people.howstuffworks.com/swat-team.htm

Eduardo Romero
Future Of Policing

The future of policing lies in the hands of our men and women in the workforce as well as the community it is built around. “The police are the public and the public are the police”. This is an old concept stated by Sir Robert Peel in the 1800’s. The community as well as the police workforce must work together in stopping and preventing crimes that may or may not hurt everyone involved. Examples may include a hit and run, a robbery, or something as big as a terrorist attack and etc. One way to better the future of policing is by the use of “predictive policing”. Predictive policing is a way to predict the crime before it is committed. It includes more efficient police agencies and a rapid response and proactive intelligence based tactics.

An issue that arises with future policing is job security. There were 1800 officers 10 years ago in Boston, now there are less than 1400. We have more than 15 times the amount of work but the financial issues are great and being laid off is quite common. There are many policing jobs to be filled but they cannot be filled due to budget cuts and the great debt that the United States is in.

The members of the Society of Police Futurists International (PFI) have more than 30 years of experience training and teaching police. “PFI brings together the finest minds in policing—practitioners and scholars—to focus on researching ways to better anticipate future issues through the use of scientific methods and application of high technology,” says PFI founder William Tafoya. The police futurists are able to tell us of the threats and the outlook of the next few years. Panelists include Alan Beckley, Maj. Tyree Blocker, Capt. Gordon Bowers, Jim Conser, Tom Cowper, Joe Grebmeier, Kenneth Hailey,Steve Hennessy, Eugene Hernandez, Bernard “Bud” Levin, Judith Lewis, Gary Sykes, and William Tafoya the founder of the PFI.

Technologies will improve in the coming years assisting crime as well as fighting it. Budgets will be lower and expectations will be higher. In the future we hope to have more intelligent vehicles to prevent car accidents and less use of cash to prevent robbery. We hope to have nonlethal weapons as an option rather than using deadly force and digital documentation for officers. In my opinion, society has to make a change as well. Society must not ignorantly place themselves in harms way, even if unintentional, we can take steps starting now so that being in harms way is drastically reduced.
In conclusion, the future of policing seems somewhat promising-as long as there are jobs, the police will continue to grow and flourish into a new era. An era where we can feel safe in almost all of the time and look back at the past and be proud of what we have accomplished. Crime will never cease and as long as it continues, the peacekeepers known as the police will continue to do their job to their utmost potential and I am proud to have them on my side.

Sources
http://www.govtech.com/public-safety/Real-Life-Police-Technology-Catches-up-With.html

http://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_arch&article_id=1209&issue_id=62007