Best Practices: How To…Respond Instead of React
The Aug. 9, 2014 shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, triggered a chain of events that changed how the public perceived law enforcement....
Stripes and Bars: Maintaining Focus
IF YOU ARE A STAR WARS FAN, you might remember that in Episode I, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn tells young Anakin Skywalker, "Always remember,...
Stripes and Bars: Don’t Be An Idea Person
THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF IDEAS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. However, there is a shortage of people who will actually implement them. In today's world,...
Stripes and Bars: Lead, Don’t Blame
WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG at an agency, administrators go into self-preservation mode. This, in turn, has a cascading effect all the way down to...
Best Practices: Responding vs Reacting
At face value, there doesn't seem to be much difference between the words responding and reacting. However, if you take a moment to look...
Best Practices: Maintain A Healthy Mind
It's not difficult to find information and inspiration about staying in shape and maintaining a healthy body. However, without maintaining a healthy mind, you...
Best Practices: Closing the Reactionary Gap
One of the most important things you can learn about dealing face to face with suspects is the concept of relative positioning. Relative positioning...
Best Practices: Why the OODA Loop is Still Relevant
The OODA loop was created by Air Force colonel John Boyd in the late 1950s. He was a Korean War fighter pilot and a...
Best Practices: Leading By Example
Respect comes from leading by example.
Anything I ever needed to know about leadership I learned serving in the U.S. Army prior to becoming a...
Best Practices: Warrior Mindset
You probably hear about needing to have a warrior mindset almost daily. Books are published about it, motivational speakers make money speaking of it,...
Best Practices: Teamwork Minus the B.S.
We live in an age of political correctness where saying the right things seems to have more value than doing the right things. People...
Best Practices: Goal-Oriented Training
Many in law enforcement view training as something to try to get out of. Since it’s often seen as a necessary evil, it’s always...
Best Practices: Stress Management
Stress is an officer’s number one nemesis. During a call, it creates automatic psychological and physiological responses that reduce your effectiveness. Too much stress...
Best Practices: Wargaming As Training
There is a school of thought that suggests good training is proportionate to the amount of money you spend; the more you spend the...
Best Practices: Dealing With Citizens Complaints
Dealing with Citizen complaints is not always easy, but treating irate citizens with respect and patience can help you stop serious trouble before it...
Best Practices: Critical Incident Delegation And Documentation
Critical incident delegation and documentation is as important as as the tactical side of an operation and Amaury Murgado explains how it will help...