By Leischen Stelter

The ability of law enforcement to take DNA samples from a person arrested for a felony offense will soon be under review by the United States Supreme Court. On Nov. 9 the U.S. Supreme Court decided to take on Maryland v. Alonzo Jay King, Jr., a case that could have national implications for law enforcement regarding how arrested subjects are processed, what biological or biometric samples may be taken from those subjects, and what investigative use may be made of those samples. What is the potential impact on law enforcement?

By Leischen Stelter

Today is the first day of the Maritime Risk Symposium at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles (Nov. 14 & 15). Patrick Forrest, the Director of Homeland Security Programs at American Military University and American Public University, is one of the featured speakers at this conference. As a former senior official at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Forrest’s presentation will focus on the need for the DHS to reevaluate its capacity to conduct long-term strategic planning and to evolve from an all-hazards approach to a targeted-hazard approach.

By Vincent Giordano

This year’s election was a contentious one. No matter who you might have supported for President, it is clear that most of us ignored the fact that two states (Colorado and Washington) had ballot initiatives to legalize the use of small amounts of marijuana for recreational purposes, and Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly voted in favor of legalized medical marijuana. Many have cited fears that medical marijuana is nothing but a spring board for the total legalization of marijuana, but until the 2012 election, total legalization of marijuana had not come to pass. What does this legislation mean for the law enforcement community?

By Timothy Hardiman

Unfortunately, tragedies like Hurricane Sandy bring out the worst as well as the best in people. People want to help those in need, but they want their donations to go to the victims – not predators taking advantage of a bad situation. Read what alert the FBI just put out to make sure your donations are going to a legitimate charity.

By Vincent Giordano

In 1996, California was the first state to legalize small amounts of marijuana for medical use. Soon after, dozens of other states followed California’s lead with little regard for the federal law prohibiting the sale of marijuana. The question remains to be resolved if medical marijuana is “ruse” to work toward total legalization, and that medical marijuana is simply being diverted to people with no true ailment?

By Michael Sale

Be a Fan Day on Thursday, October 25, was a big hit in Canada. This national celebration honors those who make Special Olympics possible, including athletes, volunteer and in particular those in the Canadian law enforcement community. Learn more about about why law enforcement agencies across Canada were seen wearing red laces in their boots.

By Leischen Stelter

Like it or not, social media is here to stay. It’s a tool fire departments can use to build goodwill within their communities and improve how they communicate with the people they serve, however, it’s also something that fire departments should enter into cautiously. Read more as two fire experts weigh-in on social media best practices in the fire services.

By Timothy Hardiman

The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is announcing a scam that extorts money from people who visit online dating sites. The targets of this scam are people who frequent online dating sites, but may be in a relationship with someone and do not want their online activity publicized. Learn more about this scam and how to keep yourself from being a victim.

By James Deater

Violence on the U.S./Mexico border continues to escalate as Mexican cartels and drug-trafficking organizations fight for control of smuggling routes. Throughout the last 5-to-8 years, many tactics have been employed on the border with no real long-term effects. Not only has the violence affected U.S. citizens, but the extreme cost of fighting this “unknown war” has caused many of the smaller municipal governments to go bankrupt and close down. Is this really the answer, to continue letting villages and towns die as they try to combat these known threats? What is the solution?