Statistics on police health and wellness suggest police training and support programs have failed our profession. Police reform measures also seem to have overlooked a key ingredient in the matter of officer performance. Policing is considered a stressful and emotionally and physically demanding profession. We have succeeded in training our law enforcement officers on the…

Cops in schools: It’s a contentious issue in contemporary American society. Some people feel that we desperately need to place a sworn, local law-enforcement officer in schools, in addition to regular school security officers. Others are wary that such appointments lead to increases in arrests, with a disproportionate impact on students of color and students…

Several years ago, I wrote an article based on my dissertation in which I made the comment that Orange County police officers were “particularly well-educated” — many with a bachelor’s or master’s degree. It was obvious to me that they were. I had worked with them in California. I talked to them. I knew them….

Recently, at a speech and follow-up discussion with the global security department of a major multinational company, an interesting and lively discussion ensued over the topic of whether the presence of uniformed police officers increases the risk to a venue or location. The topic was raised in light of the police killings in Dallas and…

The Police Foundation’s mission is to advance policing through innovation and science. We pursue this mission by consistently seeking opportunities to impact the profession we were created to serve. Many opportunities to impact policing exist – new technologies emerge and evolve constantly.  New tactics and strategies are always debated. New research and analysis on programs…

Every day police officers risk their lives to keep our communities safe. Unfortunately, law enforcement’s heroic efforts are often not recognized by local communities.  One way we are building stronger community relationships with law enforcement and highlighting their outstanding work is through an innovative program, OC GRIP. OC GRIP (Orange County Gang Reduction & Intervention…

In the very beginning the law-enforcement arena had a difficult time establishing an effective training program. If you can’t simulate a hot situation, you have to train with real weapons that are made safe, the law enforcement officer doesn’t really feel that the training is real and you have to bring in lots of role…

These are tough times for those of us in policing… The crisis of confidence and legitimacy that characterizes post-Ferguson policing illustrates a vital lesson for local governments and their police.  We, the police, must hold ourselves accountable for the outcomes of our policing services. We must measure our work and our outcomes based on a…

My wife looked at me funny when I told her that I thought we could make a movie. I was a police officer in a big city and she was a nurse, but neither of us were filmmakers. What she said next I’ve rebroadcast when we’ve shown our film across the country: “It’s probably not…

I keep reading about how drones, artificial intelligence and facial-recognition technologies are going to take our industry of policing to an entirely new level. Technology will improve safety, they say. Cops will make quicker arrests, they argue. The world will be a better place for all, they assure. That’s all well and swell, but from my…

Law enforcement organizations, unlike any other, occupy a unique position in the consequences of cyber threats – often the forefront of investigative, interdiction or enforcement capacity, it’s becoming more common that they are the target. From the operational experience, law enforcement comes into contact with various cyber technologies used for malicious and illegal means by…

There is no question that the American flag is intrinsically linked to the men and women who make up the various police forces sprinkled across the United States. Seems only natural, right? Well, consider this. The United States does not have a national police force, which was intentional because the Founding Fathers made sure that…