By Terri Wilkin, JD
As a state trooper, I had preset beliefs about the criminal justice system and the individuals that I dealt with daily. I was very conservative and looked at issues as black and white with no middle ground. I did not have much sympathy for the individuals I brought to justice. Attending law school was an eye-opener for me. Law school makes students look at both sides of a situation. Students must delve deep into the circumstances and reasoning behind the law, the criminal justice system, politics and society. Read more about how this intensive process challenged (and changed) my views that seemed at one time to be set in stone.
By Leischen Stelter
As many of you probably know, FEMA has designated September as National Preparedness Month. It’s the time when the government asks citizens to prepare themselves for an emergency. I often run scenarios through my head about what I would do if I had to evacuate right now. What would I take with me? I’ve run the list through my mind, but one night last week it occurred to me that I would likely not have time (or a clear mind) to actually put together what I would need if I had to evacuate. So, I did it, I put together an emergency bag. Read more about what it took to get me to actually do it.
By Leischen Stelter
When Deputy Chief Kim Derry (retired) of the Toronto Police Service was acting president of the FBINAA in 2010, he traveled around the world meeting with different FBINAA chapters. One of the issues that kept coming up, time and time again, was the issue of human trafficking and the tremendous growth and impact modern-day slavery was having around the world. On November 4-7, many of these international agencies and organizations will come together to discuss how to develop a central coordination center focusing on gathering and processing data and information about human trafficking.
This August was a tough month for law enforcement officers. In a report released today, August was the second deadliest month of the year, with 14 police officers killed in the line of duty. In total, 76 law officers have fallen in the line of duty since Jan. 1, 2012. However, 2012 is still on track to be the safest year for police in 60 years. What’s causing this shift?
By Leischen Stelter
One of those closely monitoring Hurricane Isaac is Dr. Christopher Reynolds, interim Program Director for Emergency & Disaster Management at American Public University System. Reynolds is currently on active duty with the U.S. Air Force as an Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer (EPLO) assigned to the National Security Emergency Preparedness Directorate (NSEP) at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, Florida. Read what his team has done to prepare for Hurricane Isaac and how emergency preparedness has changed dramatically since Hurricane Katrina.
By Michael Sale
In the August/September 2012 edition of Blue Line Magazine, psychology columnist, Dr. Dorothy Cotton, asks an old question: “Is it useful for a police officer to have some higher education?” By higher education, she means something beyond the traditional high-school diploma.
It was not so long ago that many police officers with a post-secondary education would not let it be known that they possessed a university degree for fear of incurring a negative reaction from peers and supervisors.
By Michael Sale
Recently, while attending the annual conference of the FBI National Academy Associates, I sat through my fifth presentation by Gordon Graham, law enforcement’s leading expert on risk management. I realize, now, that risk management should be a way of life and not something we simply apply to our professional responsibilities.
Many officers are pursuing college degrees to advance their careers. An officer with a degree is more likely to stay with his or her agency longer and less likely to receive discipline. They are often better suited to take on higher-level positions. Many supervisors encourage officers to earn degrees in nontraditional subjects that will help them develop skills and knowledge that will shape them into well-rounded people. Read more about some of the most common nontraditional degree programs for LEOs.
One of my all-time favorite movies is Cecil B. DeMille’s, The Buccaneer, with Yul Brynner (Paramount Pictures, 1958). While there are many aspects of this picture that raise questions about Hollywood’s creative historical license, I often recall that this was where I learned my first important lesson about responsibility.