APB American Police Beat

The past When I first learned how to do research, everything happened in person. You walked into the library, pulled one of those long wooden drawers from the card catalog, […]

I fully expect that this article may not sit well with some readers, but I believe that it will be helpful to others. It contains information that should be considered […]

Editor’s note: This is part 2 of a nine-part series reflecting on the September 11, 2001, terror attacks ahead of their 25th remembrance this year. Retired Port Authority Police Officer […]

Police work doesn’t fail due to a lack of bravery or dedication. Failures happen when officers reach their cognitive limits. These are very short instances when stress, perception, memory and […]

The strategy to combat drugs in the U.S. is quickly moving toward a three-fold enforcement approach that uses resources and laws to combat purveyors of narcotics. The strategy employs criminal, […]

The past 30 years have seen a revolution in law enforcement training. Rudimentary scenario training quickly evolved into computer-based scenario training. The use of inert weapons during scenarios progressed to […]

American policing stands at a pivotal moment. Every patrol officer, detective and front-line supervisor has encountered the drug crisis firsthand — during traffic stops, domestic disturbances driven by addiction or […]

The Roman poet Juvenal famously asked, “quis custodiet Ipsos custodes?” or “who guards the guards themselves?” More commonly, it’s phrased “who watches the watchmen?” Whatever translation you prefer, the modern […]

The city of Seattle has a new city attorney, and it seems the Seattle police union has job security. As one of her first moves in her new position, city […]

A 13-year-old boy in Woolwich Township, New Jersey, is still alive (and warm), thanks to the bold action of a few police officers. On January 6, a boy fell through […]

A police officer in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is getting kudos for a seemingly simple act of kindness that meant the world to an elderly woman in his community. On January 7, […]

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) on January 29 announced Officer Tevfik Koksaldi, Officer Nellie Carela and Officer Samuel Morgan IV of the Metropolitan Police Department (Washington, D.C.) […]

I realize that my statement may not sit well with some people and may arguably be unfair, but it is made based on extensive experience and a fair degree of […]

Ever since we were children, an emphasis has been placed on creativity. Parents lauded our ability to design and imagine, and educators rewarded work that delved deeper than the pedestrian […]

I have heard this both as a question — “Has law enforcement changed?” — and as a statement — “Law enforcement has changed!” Generally speaking, the question comes from the […]

“Ego is a toxic force that makes teamwork, as well as reaching one’s highest potential, impossible.” — Anonymous We all have an ego — our sense of identity, self-importance and […]

Schools in the U.S. have never had as much protection and police presence in our nation’s history as they do today. The unfortunate scourge of fanatical shooters targeting our schools […]

Policing the police, or creating systems for oversight and accountability within law enforcement communities, helps prevent misconduct, promotes fair and lawful treatment of the public and strengthens trust in America’s […]

A second-floor office with a view. Let’s go! I had finally arrived. I vaguely remembered a college psych course I had taken back in the mid-90s where Maslow’s “hierarchy of […]

Neighbors are shouting, there are multiple people in the house, a child is playing with a dog in the yard, the music is blaring from … somewhere, the radio on […]