Behavioral Threat Assessment Management (BTAM) stands as a crucial first line of defense in preempting and mitigating acts of mass violence, offering a systematic approach to identifying individuals who exhibit threatening or concerning behaviors. By analyzing these behavioral cues and assessing the potential risks they pose, law enforcement and threat assessment professionals can proactively intervene, providing support or taking action to prevent tragic incidents before they unfold. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, sponsored by OfficerStore.com, host Jim Dudley speaks with Dr. Jack Rozel, a Professor of Psychiatry and Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Pittsburgh, about how law enforcement, behavioral sciences professionals and the community can work together to identify those at risk of committing acts of mass violence.  About our sponsor This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is sponsored by OfficerStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting OfficerStore.com.

Policing can create a range of emotions and feelings such as fear, excitement, grief, anger and sadness. Do officers ever catch a break and enjoy some levity and laughter? While policing is mostly serious business, wouldn’t it be great to be entertained by someone who knows about comedy and police work? Today's guest fits that role. Vinnie Montez, a Colorado police officer with more than two decades of service, also happens to be a successful comedian. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, sponsored by OfficerStore.com, host Jim Dudley speaks with Vinnie about how his journey to better mental wellness led to a career in comedy.  About our sponsor This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is sponsored by OfficerStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting OfficerStore.com.

In 1954, the 83rd U.S. Congress amended the 1938 act that had made Armistice Day a holiday, striking the word “Armistice” in favor of “Veterans.” President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the legislation on June 1, 1954. From then on, November 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars. According to the Department of Justice COPS Office, nearly 25% of American law enforcement officers have a military background.  We thank them for their service. Sadly, the rate of suicide for veterans is roughly 57% higher than the general public for a variety of reasons, from PTSD to substance abuse to other mental health issues. With this in mind, The Independence Fund, headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, initiated the Veterans Justice Initiative under the guidance of Clark Pennington, a former police chief. The initiative's goal is to enhance law enforcement's comprehension of the challenges faced by veterans and facilitate their access to the necessary treatment. The first year was such a success that the state of North Carolina officially extended funding through its recently passed state budget. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, sponsored by Lexipol, host Jim Dudley speaks with Clark Pennington about the program, the goal of which is to confront deeply rooted mental health and substance abuse issues within the veteran community. About our sponsor This episode of the Policing Matters Podcast is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com.

Policing strategies based on data and research are needed more than ever in order to deflect criticisms of race, economics and other biases. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, sponsored by Lexipol, host Jim Dudley speaks with Dr. Phllip J. Cook, a criminologist and researcher, about the need to develop effective strategies and programs to reduce gun violence and hold offenders accountable. Dr. Cook, who co-authored "Policing Gun Violence" with Anthony Braga, is a renowned researcher and co-author of the Boston Gun Project's Operation Ceasefire. He has been a member of the Duke University faculty for 50 years, and is currently Professor Emeritus of Public Policy Studies. Dr. Cook was one of the first scholars to undertake research on gun violence prevention. In 2020 his contributions in this area were recognized by the award of the Stockholm Prize in Criminology.  About our sponsor This episode of the Policing Matters Podcast is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com.

Given the nature of the job, police officers will always sustain injuries. If you make an arrest, you may encounter a resistive suspect; if you make a traffic stop, an ensuing pursuit may lead to a traffic collision. Sometimes an injury may be obvious and apparent, but some may be deceptive. Have you ever “shaken it off” after a knockdown, drag-out fight? Ever get out of a minor vehicle fender bender and walk it off? Sure you have.  In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, sponsored by Lexipol, host Jim Dudley speaks with Stephanie Samuels, a psychotherapist who works exclusively with police officers, about her research into the role repeated head injuries play in mental health disorders in law enforcement. and a probable link to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in officer suicides. Stephanie is also the founder and director of Copline, a 24/7 hotline answered by retired LEOs to engage with callers who want to talk about anything from a bad day to a full-blown mental health crisis. Active and retired officers and their families can call the line. Call 1-800-COPLINE to access the service. ABOUT OUR SPONSOR This episode of the Policing Matters Podcast is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com.

Amid all the grumblings about law enforcement over the years, there have been bright spots of support, which can be hard to see among all the negative chatter. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, sponsored by OfficerStore.com, host Jim Dudley speaks with Craig W. Floyd, founder and president of Citizens Behind the Badge (CBB), a nonprofit advocacy organization formed in 2020 to end the disastrous “defund and defame the police” movement and ensure that our nation’s law enforcement professionals receive the support and respect needed and deserved to keep America safe. Craig is also the founding chief executive officer emeritus of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), a nonprofit organization he helped establish in 1984 to honor the service and sacrifice of America’s law enforcement officers. Craig retired from the Memorial Fund at the end of December 2018. About our sponsor This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is sponsored by OfficerStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting OfficerStore.com.

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, sponsored by OfficerStore.com, host Jim Dudley speaks with Alicia Wadas, who has been honored by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for her exceptional service in the public interest.  The award is a one-time, first-ever recognition that spotlights her impact while serving as president of the FBI National Citizens Academy Alumni Association (FBINCAAA), an FBI community outreach partner. Alicia Wadas is a successful businesswoman with Lavidge, a Phoenix advertising agency, where she has been for 20 years and is currently the chief operating officer and executive vice president. About our sponsor This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is sponsored by OfficerStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting OfficerStore.com.

Force is inevitable in law enforcement situations with non-compliant suspects. Police officers know how to use de-escalation, but sometimes voice commands are not effective in dealing with subjects under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or if they are in a mental health crisis. De-escalation does not work well when a suspect flees, so what are your options? In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, sponsored by Lexipol, host Jim Dudley speaks with Kevin Mullins from WRAP Technologies about the BolaWrap, a remote restraint device officers can use to safely detain individuals without injury or the need to use higher levels of force. About our sponsor This episode of the Policing Matters Podcast is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com.

Ghost guns are firearms that are privately assembled and untraceable. They can be assembled from "buy build shoot" kits or from other parts, or they can be 3D-printed. Unlike other guns, these weapons don't have serial numbers. Google “ghost guns” to see the ubiquity of them and that they have been used to assault law enforcement officers and commit crimes by people who most likely would not be able to lawfully purchase a firearm otherwise. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, sponsored by Lexipol, host Jim Dudley speaks with Tom Chittum, who recently retired from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), about the proliferation of ghost guns, as well as the value of gunshot detection systems. About our sponsor This episode of the Policing Matters Podcast is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com.

The future of policing is in the hands of our best recruiting efforts. In a world where most careers have swift hiring procedures, why does law enforcement take up to nine months? Can we continue to rely on passive strategies like billboards to attract quality applicants?  In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Coach George Rush, a legend in the realm of college football with an impressive record of 326 wins, 22 conference titles, 7 state titles and 7 national championships in his 38-year career. Post-retirement, Rush has taken on a new challenge – working with the San Francisco Police Department on their recruitment efforts. Can the strategies that led to overwhelming success on the football field be replicated in the law enforcement recruitment process? Tune in to find out as Coach Rush shares his experiences, strategies and vision for the future of police recruitment. ABOUT OUR SPONSOR This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is sponsored by OfficerStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting OfficerStore.com.

A critical incident causes a full-on agency response, perhaps it involves fatalities, or perhaps it involves the use of force. The scene is secured and the media creates a narrative about the event that is not quite right. Does your agency respond? Does your agency have a policy? How soon does the agency chief or sheriff explain the facts to the media and the public? In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Judy Pal, founder and principal of 10-8 Communications LLC, about best practices in crisis communications – both internal and external to your agency. Judy is a co-author of the recently released "Strategic Communications for Law Enforcement Executives" published by the COPS Office. Prior to teaching and consulting full-time, Judy Pal was an assistant commissioner with the NYPD serving as an advisor to the Police Commissioner. Before that, she was Director of Operations for FBI-LEEDA, Chief of Staff with the Baltimore and Milwaukee Police Departments, and served as a member of the command staff overseeing public information with the Atlanta, Savannah and Halifax (Canada) police departments.  About our sponsor This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is sponsored by OfficerStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting OfficerStore.com.

Imagine you are a law enforcement officer first on scene of a mass shooting, or a choking child, or another officer or civilian has been critically injured and needs immediate attention. Are you up to the task? Is it even something you have been trained to handle? In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, sponsored by Lexipol, host Jim Dudley speaks with Eric Thomas O'Neal about adding yet another dimension to today's law enforcement officer, that of a trained emergency medical responder. ABOUT OUR SPONSOR This episode of the Policing Matters Podcast is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com.

In this special crossover episode of the Policing Matters, Better Every Shift and Inside EMS podcasts, cohosts Jim Dudley, Aaron Zamzow and Chris Cebollero come together to discuss preserving the legacy of 9/11 responders and to assess our readiness to respond to a large-scale MCI in our communities. Together, they dive into technology trends used to improve the security of citizens and first responders, from license plate readers to crime mapping, facial recognition, drone surveillance and AI analysis. Tune in as our panel discusses: Keeping the 9/11 legacy alive with new generationsHow awareness of occupational cancer and mental health concerns is more prevalent todayCommunity preparedness and incident command9/11-related illness and its continued impact and devastation todayHow AI can contribute to the security of citizens and first respondersThe importance of information sharing and security ABOUT OUR SPONSOR This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is sponsored by Verizon Frontline. The advanced network for first responders on the front lines. Learn more at verizon.com/frontline.

In the sphere of public safety, we often overlook the crucial role of those people who answer 911 calls, gather necessary information, and relay it to law enforcement personnel. There's a vast amount of unseen work, and more often than not, the circumstances are filled with high stress. Carbyne, a leader in cloud-native emergency call management, in partnership with NENA: The 9-1-1 Association, recently announced the groundbreaking findings of their inaugural "Pulse of 9-1-1 State of the Industry Survey." This first-of-its-kind survey unveils compelling insights into the critical challenges faced by the 9-1-1 call center staff. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Karima Holmes, MPA, vice president of public safety at Carbyne about the survey's results. Karima Holmes has served as executive director at emergency communications centers (ECC) across the U.S. where she overhauled technical infrastructure and critical public safety programs. Holmes has also leveraged her industry experience to establish partnerships with local, federal and international public safety and homeland security response agencies. ABOUT OUR SPONSOR This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is sponsored by OfficerStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting OfficerStore.com.

Law enforcement officers may encounter situations where an individual may be unresponsive, appearing confused, agitated, or acting in a manner that doesn’t quite fit the situation. How can an assessment be made to help connect with this person? People with intellectual and developmental disabilities or IDD continue to be overrepresented in the criminal justice system as suspects, defendants and incarcerated persons, often because the manifestations of their disability can cause suspicion. This is especially true for individuals with invisible disabilities, such as autism. People with IDD may also unknowingly confess to a crime they didn’t commit. After arrest, the problem worsens as they often can’t assist in their own defense and often alienate juries. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Leigh Anne McKingsley, director of The Arc's National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability, about how law enforcement can improve response to persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Topics covered include how officers can identify and best respond to a person with a disability, the use of modified Miranda warnings, Crisis Response and Intervention Training (CRIT), success stories after officer training and much more.  ABOUT OUR SPONSOR This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is sponsored by OfficerStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting OfficerStore.com.

Artificial intelligence technology is impacting all aspects of our lives. In today's episode, sponsored by Lexipol, host Jim Dudley speaks with ZeroEyes' Chief Customer Officer and Co-Founder Dustin Brooks about how his company uses AI to detect firearms.  ZeroEyes is a proactive visual gun detection and situational awareness software platform based on computer vision and advanced machine learning AI. It is layered on existing digital security cameras at schools, businesses and government offices. The technology is designed to identify illegally brandished guns and instantly send images to the ZeroEyes Operation Centers, which are staffed by military and law enforcement veterans for human verification. Once these experts verify that a gun has been identified, they dispatch alerts and provide situational awareness and actionable intelligence, including visual description, gun type and last known location of the shooter, to local staff and law enforcement as fast as 3 to 5 seconds from detection.  ABOUT OUR SPONSOR This episode of the Policing Matters Podcast is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com. ABOUT OUR GUEST Dustin Brooks is the chief customer officer and co-founder of ZeroEyes. Before founding ZeroEyes in 2018, Dustin worked at Global Asset Technologies as a military instructor developing Navy SEAL candidates. He served as a U.S. Navy SEAL for six years. Brooks earned his MBA from the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University, and a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Pennsylvania State University. CONNECT WITH ZEROEYES Website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube POLICE1 RESOURCES ON SCHOOL SAFETY Prevention, disruption & response: The strategies communities must deploy to stop school shootingsOn-demand webinar: Building safer schoolsOn-demand webinar: Developing effective strategies to prevent and respond to school shootingsHow can we stop school shootings in America?Building a multi-disciplinary school threat assessment teamHow a threat assessment team tracks students of concernAn 8-step plan to stop school shootingsReflecting on a year since Uvalde: Improving incident response and school safety

There is no question that advancements in technology are helping communities fight crime as the number of law enforcement officers continues to diminish. But are we the technology efficiently and effectively? Are we integrating various applications to address crime prevention? Can we do it in small, medium and large agencies, and in urban and rural areas? In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, sponsored by Lexipol, host Jim Dudley speaks with Jamie Hudson, Real-Time Information Center Manager at the Elk Grove (California) Police Department, about how his agency is using technology to harness information and intelligence. ABOUT OUR SPONSOR This episode of the Policing Matters Podcast is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com. About our guest Jamie Hudson is the Real-Time Information Center (RTIC) Manager at the Elk Grove (California) Police Department. He has led the RTIC since its opening in 2019 and together with his dedicated group of RTIC professionals, has built it into a model for other agencies to use as a resource when exploring building their own. Jamie was an inaugural Board of Directors member of the National Real Time Crime Center Association and currently serves on the Association’s Advisory Board. Jamie and the Elk Grove Police Department team held the Real-Time Symposium in May 2022, which was the first of its kind in the real-time center space, which was then continued by the NRTCCA.  Jamie began his career as a police dispatcher and after 28 years, moved from the dispatch world into the real-time world. He is a California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Master Instructor and a career-long learner. He co-owns IXII Group, Inc., a training and consulting company. Jamie has been an instructor and presenter for 26 years. Additional resources on fighting crime with technology National Real Time Crime AssociationThe 3 fundamentals of an effective real-time crime centerCrime surging? Here’s how technology can helpHow a camera registry program can benefit both law enforcement and the community

The death of George Floyd in 2020 from the unlawful actions of a Minneapolis police officer sparked the largest protests in U.S. history – resulting in the erosion of community trust in law enforcement, particularly for youth. After connecting with distraught students who expressed confusion and fear at several organized protests in the summer of 2020, then Fremont Police Captain Sean Washington recognized that the youths’ voices needed to be heard.  When he later became police chief in Fall 2021, he made it one of his priorities to listen – resulting in the establishment of the Chief’s Youth Advisory Board, enabling a direct line of transparent communication between Fremont youth and the Fremont Police Department (FPD).   In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, sponsored by Lexipol, host Jim Dudley speaks with Chief Sean Washington about the work of the youth advisory board.  ABOUT OUR SPONSOR This episode of the Policing Matters Podcast is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com. ABOUT OUR GUEST Police Chief Sean Washington joined the Fremont (California) Police Department in 1997 and worked several assignments gaining experience as a detective, field training officer, SWAT team member, arrest control instructor, driving instructor, and member of the School Resource Officer unit. Chief Washington was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2007, lieutenant in 2011, and captain in 2015 as commander of the Special Operations Division. He was appointed police chief on October 1, 2021. As police chief, he is responsible for all aspects of the Fremont Police Department, including emergency services provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Fremont Police Department has 319.5 full-time employees of which 199 are sworn positions. The Department is a full-service law enforcement agency and also provides some services by contract to other agencies. Chief Washington remains actively involved in Special Olympics Northern California and other community-based events, such as hosting Shop With a Cop and mentoring local children. Previously, he also led one of the nation’s first Electric Patrol Vehicle Pilot Programs in 2019 when the Fremont Police Department deployed its first fully electric-powered vehicle, a Tesla Model S 85, as part of its patrol fleet. Chief Washington earned a Bachelor's degree (Criminal Justice) from California State University, Hayward in 1997 and a Master's degree (Administration of Justice) from San Jose State University in 2007. In 2015, Chief Washington graduated from the Police Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) Command College, Class #57. CONNECT WITH THE FREMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT & CHIEF SEAN WASHINGTON https://www.fremontpolice.gov/homeAbout the Chief's Youth Advisory BoardFacebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedInThe Leadership Beat: Fremont Police Chief Sean Washington details how his agency seeks to serve by hearing the perspectives of both their personnel and their community

Ever walk the beat or head into a coffee shop and hear, “See that police officer over there? If you don’t behave, they will arrest you!” Most officers have heard a parent say those exact words to a wide-eyed child and it infuriates them. Wouldn’t it be great to have a positive image of police and deputies portrayed to children? In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, sponsored by Lexipol, host Jim Dudley speaks to veteran NYPD officer Adrian S. Goodwin about her mission to deliver that positive image through her newly released children's book titled "Twins in the City: Let's Learn About Police Officers."   ABOUT OUR SPONSOR This episode of the Policing Matters Podcast is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com.

We often discuss the impact of vicarious trauma witnessed by public safety personnel. Not many in the profession joined with the intent of being mental health counselors to those on the street. The city of Aurora, Colorado has a series of programs that takes the pressure off law enforcement officers by pairing them with civilian mental health clinicians. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, sponsored by Lexipol, host Jim Dudley speaks with Courtney Tassin, LPC, who is the Crisis Intervention Program Manager for the City of Aurora, Colorado where she oversees four mental health/emergency services collaboration programs to include an alternative response, law enforcement co-response, targeted violence prevention program and a cold weather emergency activation team. Prior to this role, she served three years on the Aurora Police Department’s co-responder model, the Crisis Response Team, and was then chosen to build the City’s first alternative response model, the Aurora Mobile Response Team. ABOUT OUR SPONSOR This episode of the Policing Matters Podcast is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com.