Community Policing: To Serve, Protect, and Solve Problems, Part II

In the early 1990’s when I was a rookie officer in the now-defunct New York City Housing Police Department, I was often called to apartments for seemingly ordinary events such as water leaks. While this may not be considered a police matter, upon investigation, it is often discovered that the circumstances surrounding the water leak may require emergency personnel to respond. On numerous occasions, I discovered a person who had fallen in the bathtub and was unable to shut down the water and call for help. Other times, a person preparing dinner or washing dishes would succumb to an in-home mishap, or suffer a heart attack, and the faucet would overflow the sink. Only when the residents below noticed water dripping through their ceiling would the police be called, and the tragic discovery made in the apartment above. Or, overflowing water from an apartment where the residents were not at home would flood the apartment below. The police would be the responding agency to assure that there were no victims associated with the flooding other than property.

Because housing police patrol residential complexes, it is the duty of the officers to become familiar with the residents in the developments they are assigned to. As a rookie, I recall a senior officer making the observation that over the course of time, an active officer will notice that he is arresting the same ten to fifteen individuals over and over again in each neighborhood. The officer further stated that it behooves a cop new to an area to work all three tours of duty over a period of weeks and observe the comings and goings of the citizens on their beat. Beginning around 5:00 a.m. during the midnight tour, you will see people going to work on public transportation. A bit later, parents will escort their children to school bus stops. In the afternoons, starting at 3:00 p.m. or so, those same folks will begin to come home. By 9:00 p.m. on a warm, summer night, the working folks will start to go inside for the evening; the younger kids will go in later. His point to me was that in between the typical schedules of working adults and school aged children, the ten to fifteen repeat offenders will be on the street corners, in the playgrounds, or other common areas while everyone else is at work or school. In addition, there are unwanted visitors in public housing developments who buy drugs, commit robberies, burglaries, or worse. Officers who familiarize themselves with the routines of the residents they serve will spot those who do not live there and investigate their presence accordingly.

An observant and active officer will begin his tour by visiting all of the facilities located on his beat. Most of the public housing developments have health facilities, maintenance shops, community centers, pre-schools, and other social centers on the grounds. By speaking to those who operate the programs and the residents who patronize the facilities, and officer builds trust and keeps lines of communication open with them. Officers perform vertical patrols of the buildings and search the stairwells, roof landings, and roof tops for trespassers and others who may be engaged in law-breaking. Many buildings have active tenant patrols. These are residents who maintain a post in the lobby of their building, working in conjunction with the Housing Authority and in cooperation with the police, and screen visitors entering the building by signing them in and asking for identification. Patrol officers visit tenant patrols and sign their attendance records and inquire about any nuisances or occurrences. It is also important to attend regular community meetings to listen to and respond to the complaints of the residents and provide information on how various issues will be addressed by the police.

A Housing police officer will utilize field reports to alert maintenance about damaged locks on doors, shattered windows, broken lights, or poorly lit areas, downed fences and gates, and any other condition which leads to a lack of security. In addition, excessive graffiti, illegally dumped trash, uncollected garbage, and shattered windows lead outsiders to believe that there is a lack of oversight or weak law enforcement in the area and the building and grounds then become an attractive location for drug use or sales, robberies, burglaries, or large groups loitering in lobbies or obstructing pedestrian traffic. By maintaining close relationships with maintenance crews or other city agencies, community police officers can concentrate resources on these problematic concerns and improve the overall quality of life for the residents and reduce criminal activity.

End of Part II 

About the Author: Michael J. Kannengieser is the author of the police thriller, The Daddy Rock. He is a retired New York City police officer who lives on Long Island with his wife and two children. Michael worked as the Managing Editor for Fiction at The View from Here magazine, a U.K. based literary publication. Currently, he is employed at a performing arts college as an Instructional Technology Administrator. He has been published at The View from Here, and in Newsday, a Long Island newspaper. Michael is a contributor to Criminal Justice News. Click Here to buy a copy of Michael J. Kannengieser's new novel "The Daddy Rock."

Community Policing: To Serve, Protect, and Solve Problems, Part III

Working with the community also means utilizing discretion and taking reasonable actions when dealing with the public. Officers who are familiar with the residents of the development where they work may be more inclined to return juveniles to their parents if they are engaged in minor, nuisance activity, such as breaking housing authority rules against riding bicycles on the grass, staying in the park after the posted closing hours, or other minor infractions. Parents appreciate the discretion the officer exercises, and the rewards of appealing to the resident’s sense of empowerment in maintaining order and control in their living environment becomes tangible. A parent’s reprimand may do the child offender more justice than a juvenile report filed at the precinct. Residents who return home from work on a hot, summer evening and sit outside with an open container of beer may be better served with a request to conceal the container or to drink indoors rather than face a fine. An officer knows that any action he takes can escalate to an arrest in spite of his best intentions, but an experienced community police officer applies his discretion based on his knowledge and experience with the people her serves.

Officers operating under the community police model will investigate criminal activity to a wider extent than officers on routine patrol. If there is a suspected gambling location on his beat, drug sales, or other persistent illegal enterprises, the officer may call upon other specialized units at the precinct level or within the department after performing observations and preparing reports. In addition, the officer may be the source of intelligence for outside agencies who wish to execute a warrant or arrest a suspect. On different occasions, my partners and I reported our findings to the Organized Crime Control Bureau, detective units, and other narcotics units. Also, I provided detailed information to Postal Inspectors given to me by a member of the community who trusted me because of my history of fairness and effective policing in his community. Special Agents of the Secret Service visited out Police Service Area satellite to consult with us concerning a suspect who threatened former President Bill Clinton’s life. Because the officers I worked with and I knew the suspect and where he lived, he was arrested without incident by the Secret Service, and with Housing Police present at the scene. On numerous occasions, when responding to nine-one-one initiated calls for police assistance, we would knock on a resident’s door, and when the occupant asked who is was, we’d answer “It’s the police.” The follow-up question was almost always, “Are you Housing?” Then, we would respond with a reassuring, “Yes.”

The methods of community policing employed by the former, New York City Police Department, briefly outlined here are still utilized by the NYPD’s Housing Bureau created in 1995 after the merger of the Housing Police into the NYPD. While relationships between the police and the community can often times be strained or contentious, community policing, as exemplified by the NYPD’s Housing Bureau and the other housing police departments in cities across the nation, remains an effective and enduring model of policing.  

End of Series

About the Author: Michael J. Kannengieser is the author of the police thriller, The Daddy Rock. He is a retired New York City police officer who lives on Long Island with his wife and two children. Michael worked as the Managing Editor for Fiction at The View from Here magazine, a U.K. based literary publication. Currently, he is employed at a performing arts college as an Instructional Technology Administrator. He has been published at The View from Here, and in Newsday, a Long Island newspaper. Michael is a contributor to Criminal Justice News. Click Here to buy a copy of Michael J. Kannengieser's new novel "The Daddy Rock."

Community Policing: To Serve, Protect, and Solve Problems, Part I

When the public hears the term “community policing,” they envision a cop on the beat who knows the local shop owners and is familiar with the residents in town. The beat cop sees and hears everything, knows the routine of the townspeople, and exercises discretion for minor offenses. When police departments deploy community policing strategies, they see the same things as the public does, but their intentions go deeper. Their focus is on developing relationships with civic leaders to gain a better understanding of the needs of the public, identifying crime trends, and preventing law-breaking. Although various departments define community policing in different ways, the concept is not new, and certain agencies – in particular housing authority police departments – are models of community policing. In order to appreciate the difference between standard police model and community policing, it is important to define both and to illustrate the differences.

The standard police model (The Disparity Between Traditional and Community Policing) is a regimented and relatively anonymous, uniformed force which responds to nine-one-one initiated calls for police assistance and focuses on both preventing crime, solving past crimes, and “order maintenance,” also referred to as “keeping the peace.” Officers patrol in marked cars or on foot and concentrate on arresting offenders and upholding the law. Contact with the public is consistent with the motto: “To Protect and Serve,” (The Peelian Principles), and is typically the result of a “reactive policing” philosophy. Officers have little leeway, and the mandate for the department to enforce the law comes from the “coercive power of the law” to gain control.

Community policing is a different concept which has other names (Community-Orientated Policing, Problem Orientated Policing), and has slightly varying definitions, but boils down to the police department serving the community by getting more deeply involved in their problems and involving outside agencies. An officer is given wide-discretion to implement strategies and ideas, while working with businesses, community organizations, and individuals to address crime and quality of life issues. By engaging and interacting with shop owners, housing associations, and youth groups, police learn the specific problems related to a neighborhood and are able to call upon municipal, charitable, or police resources to address the community’s concerns. In addition, citizens feel empowered to report issues to police due to the buildup of trust through regular contact and communication.

The concept of community policing can best be demonstrated by the practices of housing authority police departments throughout the country. Directly serving the residents of public housing, police officers interact daily with tenant groups, community organizers, and individual residents. Officers are able to access the resources of the housing authority for assistance with issues ranging from criminal activity, to noise, to out-of-service elevators. In many areas, the police act as front-line representatives of government. The resourcefulness of street officers, combined with a service-orientated department focusing on community needs, fills the void where other city agencies may be lacking. Community policing is not limited to housing police agencies, but the model is best illustrated by agencies serving public housing due the physical and organizational structure of each public housing development. Individually, they are their own communities with their own unique problems, and housing police units employing community policing methods are best able to provide security for these locations.

End of Part I

About the Author: Michael J. Kannengieser is the author of the police thriller, The Daddy Rock. He is a retired New York City police officer who lives on Long Island with his wife and two children. Michael worked as the Managing Editor for Fiction at The View from Here magazine, a U.K. based literary publication. Currently, he is employed at a performing arts college as an Instructional Technology Administrator. He has been published at The View from Here, and in Newsday, a Long Island newspaper. Michael is a contributor to Criminal Justice News. Click Here to buy a copy of Michael J. Kannengieser's new novel "The Daddy Rock."

The February 22, 2013, episode of American Heroes Radio features a conversation between Michael J. Kannengieser, a retired NYPD police officer and the host, Raymond E. Foster, a retired LAPD Lieutenant, on the similarities and differences between NYPD and LAPD on community policing.

Program Date: February 22, 2013

Program Time: 1500 hours, PACIFIC

Topic: LAPD to NYPD: Community Policing

RSVP Via Facebook Event:  http://www.facebook.com/events/201293246678287

On the Job: Cops Staying Fit and Active

The nature of police work requires that officers remain physically fit, not just to avoid disease and other pitfalls of aging, but to withstand the rigors of uniformed patrol. It takes strength and agility to pursue suspects on foot or subdue a violent perpetrator. For these reasons, it is paramount that cops take care of themselves. On routine patrol, however, it is difficult to make the choices necessary to stay in shape.

Police officers eat in fast food restaurants, drink a lot of coffee and sugary beverages, and smoke cigarettes. Cops spend long hours in a sector car, or perform lengthy observations and that equals a lack of exercise. This routine is not conducive to healthy living and eventually makes the job harder. A physically fit officer has the energy to make arrests and is able to defend themselves more easily than a cop who is out of shape. Officers do not set out to become overweight and less active, but the nature of their work often leads to this.

In the course of an eight hour tour of duty, an officer will have at least one meal period. Food choices in many neighborhoods consist of mostly fast food eateries or small restaurants. The quality of the food can be poor, at best. Fatty burgers, take out dinners, and other greasy dishes eaten on a regular basis take their toll. The best an officer can do is to bring their own lunch from home. It is difficult to “brown bag it” as a cop because the vagaries of the job often dictate that officers make arrests, investigate crime scenes, guard prisoners in the hospital, or engage in dozens of other time-consuming activities. The sandwich or leftovers a cop brings to work can sit in a break room refrigerator or in the back seat of a squad car for many hours. By the time the officer has a chance to eat, their food will be unpalatable. As a result, fast food becomes an unhealthy alternative for most officers of patrol.

So, what are cops to do as they succumb to poor diets and the grind of law enforcement? Quitting smoking is a no-brainer; much has been done in recent years in the way of public education to explain the risks associated with tobacco intake. As for eating, officers can still bring healthy food to their precinct if they have a reasonable expectation they will be able to have a meal period during their shift.

In the event that police activity keeps one from away from the station house, opt to eat from the healthier selections on a fast food menu. Many burger chains offer salads or low-calorie wraps which are preferable to burgers and fries. While on patrol, seek out eateries with take-out menus conducive to a proper diet. Drink water instead of coffee or soft drinks, and get out of the squad car and walk when the radio is quiet. Use the stairs when responding to non-emergencies as opposed to the elevator. Many precincts now have gym equipment and officers should take advantage of treadmills or other aerobic machines to maintain stamina for foot pursuits. A gym membership is beneficial as well, and finding fellow officers to work out with will make visits to the gym a social experience.

Police work will always be physically demanding, and officers will continue to suffer the strains of the job. But making an effort to eat healthfully and maintaining a steady workout regimen can help officers maintain their productivity. 

About the Author: Michael J. Kannengieser is the author of the police thriller, The Daddy Rock. He is a retired New York City police officer who lives on Long Island with his wife and two children. Michael worked as the Managing Editor for Fiction at The View from Here magazine, a U.K. based literary publication and is a contributor to Criminal Justice News. Currently, he is employed at a performing arts college as an Instructional Technology Administrator. He has been published at The View from Here, and in Newsday, a Long Island newspaper. Michael speaks as a guest lecturer on campus. Click Here to buy a copy of Michael J. Kannengieser's new novel "The Daddy Rock."

A Simple Lesson: Veteran Cop Shares His Wisdom

On December 15^th, 1989, I graduated from the New York City Police Academy. As a member of the now-defunct New York City Housing Authority Police Department, I was assigned to Police Service Area #6 (P.S.A. 6) in the confines of the 32^nd precinct in Harlem. My field training officer was a man named Joe Brown. Joe was a twenty-year veteran and a long-time field training officer who took his duties seriously. We were gathered in a classroom in the community center of the Drew Hamilton Houses on 143^rd Street near the PSA for in service training. Joe was the first of the field training officers to address us. He stood in the front of the room and eyed all of us young rookies with a serious stare.

“Let me start by saying that the only people who are impressed that you’re a cop are your parents,” he said. “The way you’re going to get respect and earn the trust of the people in the community is by treating the folks you meet the way you’d want another cop to treat your mother. If a cop pulled over your mom and talked to her rudely, you’d chew his head off.” Joe paused and observed us. “If someone stops you on the street, talk to them. Help an old woman with her packages. Hold the door for the person behind you. Be nice and don’t act like you’re someone special. You need to give respect to get respect, and if you run around thinking you’re Dirty Harry, you’re going to get killed.”

After our lesson in the community room, we went on patrol. I was stationed on a foot post at the corner of Amsterdam Avenue and 125^th Street. Being from Long Island, I was unused to the hustle and bustle of the city, yet I had an appreciation for the neighborhood I was assigned to protect. A gentleman in his forties approached me and asked me if I was new. The grin on his face indicated that he knew the answer. I told him I was in field training, and he said that he could tell because I was a “new jacket.” The man referred to my brand new duty jacket with the clean patches and my shiny, new shield pinned to my chest.

We spoke for several minutes. After exchanging pleasantries, he said goodbye and walked away. Days later, I was given the same post. I noticed a limousine parked at the curb not too far ahead of me. The limo driver opened the rear door and a man in a tuxedo stepped out. He paused, turned around, and took the hand of a beautiful woman wearing a fur coat. The man in the tuxedo saw me and called out, “Hello Officer, remember me?” I approached him and tried to play it off as though I knew exactly who he was.

“You don’t remember me do you? That’s okay, I wasn’t wearing this.” The man pointed to his attire and smiled wide. It dawned on me that he was the gentleman I spoke to a few nights before. We shook hands and he introduced me to his wife and then turned his attention back to me.

“I’m glad you’re here in this neighborhood, officer. We need young cops like you who are polite and willing to do the job. I’m a doctor. I grew up in this building here, and tonight, I took my lovely wife to a Broadway show. I feel safer knowing that you’re around when I come home each night.”

When we parted ways, I was impressed that a man of his stature appreciated the presence of motivated police officers in his neighborhood. If I had been aloof or dismissive during our first encounter, I not only would have missed out on meeting a remarkable person, but I would have lessened his confidence in the police. 

Throughout my career, I treated citizens with dignity and respect. I was impatient with officers who would no adhere to the basic rule of “do unto others,” and I passed on this insight to rookies who came on the job after me. Joe Brown’s wisdom was proof that courtesy and respect are crucial for police to win the public trust.

After field training, the officers in my unit and our instructors gathered at a local watering hole. Joe was uncharacteristically bright and cheery. He hugged each of us and wished us all long and healthy careers. It was on that night Joe announced his retirement. We were the last class of rookies he would ever train. The job would soon be in his past, and it would be our duty to carry on where he left off. Six months later, the sad news came. Officer Joe Brown had died. Each day on patrol, I recalled Joe and his simple, yet valuable lesson. I’d like to think I made him proud.

About the Author: Michael J. Kannengieser is the author of the police thriller, The Daddy Rock. He is a retired New York City police officer who lives on Long Island with his wife and two children. Michael worked as the Managing Editor for Fiction at The View from Here magazine, a U.K. based literary publication. Currently, he is employed at a performing arts college as an Instructional Technology Administrator. He has been published at The View from Here, and in Newsday, a Long Island newspaper. Michael speaks as a guest lecturer on campus. Click Here to buy a copy of Michael J. Kannengieser's new novel "The Daddy Rock."

Good Cops Develop Safe Habits

Police officers rely on their training and experience to get through a single tour of duty. No matter what shift an officer is assigned to, the day tour, four-to-twelve, or midnight tours, the one thing keeping law enforcement officers attentive and careful is the desire to go home at the end of their shift. Much of the training recruits receive in the academy is focused on remaining alert and vigilant while on routine patrol. The ability to concentrate on details such as suspicious vehicles or individuals behaving in an unusual way, or hearing cries for help, are key aspects of effective policing. However, it is human nature to become lax, careless, and tired; this could be dangerous. Boredom and a fatigue are huge factors leading to poor performance, and to combat this, officers can develop good habits while on patrol.

There are techniques cops can use which will keep them safe even when they are suffering from exhaustion and there seems to be no activity in their sector. An officer can enter a dangerous situation and need emergency backup while on foot patrol or in a marked sector car quite unexpectedly. Calling for assistance on the radio and while unaware of one’s precise location can prove fatal. When chasing a suspect into a building, failure to take note of the address and losing track of which floor you’re on will prevent you from getting backup. An experienced officer will be able to inform the central dispatcher of their street address, the floor they are on, apartment number, and the nearest cross street without having to think about it. The ability to recite vital information under duress comes from not only becoming familiar with the area where the officer is assigned, but from taking note of the street name, direction of travel, and numbers of the businesses or homes. By keeping a running, internal monologue of these details, especially during periods of inactivity, cops can save themselves and citizens in need when a call for urgent backup is necessary.

Another technique employed by experienced officers in urban locations is to always look up before entering a building. Veteran cops will take the time to scan the structure from the top down from a safe distance to notice anyone who may be on the roof, or at the windows, and to also observe any items tossed at them from above by individuals willing to hurt them. As a rookie New York City police officer, I was taught by senior officers in my squad to beware of debris tossed from rooftops and out of windows at unsuspecting officers. While many in the community welcome police patrols in their neighborhoods, the sad reality is that there are those who do not. As such, there are individuals who will harm police officers by such means, and often they can escape arrest by retreating anonymously into the building.

Reciting aloud license plate numbers of suspicious vehicles, before pulling them over helps cops remember them more effectively in case the officer needs to provide this information to the central dispatcher if the driver pulls away. Saying the description of a vehicle (color, year, make, model, etc.) or a suspect (their clothing, hair color, height, build, etc.) audibly helps an officer recall these details efficiently. Getting into the habit of speaking the numbers, a person’s description, and even one’s location, increases your ability to remember them.

Finally, monitoring the radio for activity outside your sector is of extreme importance while on patrol. In busy precincts, officers have all they can do to pay attention to what is going on in their immediate surroundings. However, staying aware of the activity in neighboring sectors and precincts is crucial because often times officers will call for backup and you may need to come to their aid. There are also scenarios where other units are in pursuit of a vehicle or a suspect on foot who is heading in your direction and you will find yourself in position to intercept them. Also, if an officer informs the central dispatcher that they have a vehicle stopped at a certain location, and later on you hear that officer calling for assistance, knowing that officer’s last known location is vital to being able to respond to their call for backup.

Police work is inherently dangerous, and when performed with due diligence while utilizing proper training one can still fall victim to harm. However, if officers develop good habits while on patrol, they reduce the risk associated with their duties and may return home safely after a successful tour of duty. 

About the author: Michael J. Kannengieser is the author of the police thriller, The Daddy Rock. He is a retired New York City police officer who lives on Long Island with his wife and two children. Michael worked as the Managing Editor for Fiction at The View from Here magazine, a U.K. based literary publication. Currently, he is employed at a performing arts college as an Instructional Technology Administrator. He has been published at The View from Here, and in Newsday, a Long Island newspaper. Michael speaks as a guest lecturer on campus.

Beyond the Badge: Making a Healthy Second Career Choice

Life after retiring from the police department can be a challenge for many as they deal with the transition from law enforcement to civilian occupations. Some officers stay until they reach the maximum age for retirement and return to civilian life having given their all to police service. Many who joined the force in their early twenties accept a pension in their forties and realize that they miss the job so much that they look for employment at another agency with no maximum age requirements. The allure of being a cop is so great, that they simply cannot walk away. For those officers who seek a sworn position in another municipal or federal police agency, and for those who work well past twenty-year anniversary at their current agency, a few health factors need to be understood.

Police work is a young person’s job. Patrolling the streets in a marked sector car and chasing criminals becomes more dangerous with age no matter what kind of shape you’re in. According to an article in Medline Plus, as we get older, our bones become brittle and may break more easily. Inflammation, pain, stiffness, and deformity may result from breakdown of the joint structures. These are just a couple of the physical transformations which take place over time as detailed in the article. Chasing bad guys – many armed with firearms – while suffering from sciatica and arthritic joints is not the safest career decision. You wouldn’t pitch in the major leagues in that condition, let alone wrestle with suspects while attempting to handcuff them.

One of the most harmful aspects of policing is stress. The effects of stress on the human body can be both physical and psychological. Moreover, in older adults also, the consequences of long-term stress can be very damaging. The Yale School of Medicine’s website, Yale Medical Group, cites a number of effects stress has on older adults. Chief among them is that long-term stress can damage brain cells and lead to depression. The WebMd website states that “untreated depression increases the chance of risky behaviors such as drug or alcohol addiction. It also can ruin relationships, cause problems at work, and make it difficult to overcome serious illnesses.” An article in Psychology Today, "Double Trouble: Depression and Heart Disease,"  reports that “depression and heart disease frequently travel together” and also “clinical depression and heart disease are the two leading causes of disability worldwide.” An officer can complete twenty years of service in one department, and take a position in another, only to risk serious health issues in an already hazardous profession due to the aging process. Meanwhile, another aging officer who refuses early retirement takes greater health risks with lengthy service to the department.

Indeed, law enforcement is a unique an rewarding vocation; but, knowing when to leave the job and look for something both less stressful and less dangerous can be a challenging decision. Considering the psychological and physiological effects of long-term police service may make the disadvantages seem to outweigh the advantages of continuing a law enforcement career. The choice is up to the individual. Changing careers is often the healthy choice.

About the Author: Michael J. Kannengieser is a retired New York City police officer who lives on Long Island with his wife and two children. Michael worked as the Managing Editor for Fiction at The View from Here magazine, a U.K. based literary publication. Currently, he is employed at a performing arts college as an Instructional Technology Administrator. He has been published at The View from Here, and in Newsday, a Long Island newspaper. Michael speaks as a guest lecturer on campus. Click Here to buy a copy of Michael J. Kannengieser's new novel "The Daddy Rock."

Beyond the Badge: Life After the Police Department

Back in the early 1990’s when I was a member of the now-defunct, New York City Housing Police Department, I sat with a group of NYPD officers in a routine Borough Based Training class. These are bi-annual meetings where officers are taught new laws and are brought up to date on departmental policy. In one particular session, a sergeant asked the cops in the room if they had any plans for employment after retiring.

Some of the officers stated that prior to joining the force they were carpenters, plumbers, electricians, or licensed in another skilled trade. However, they were in the minority. Most of the men and women in the room couldn’t see that far into the future to consider what life would be like without a gun on their hip and a shield pinned to their uniform. A general uneasiness filled the classroom. Some fidgeted with the papers on their desk and others sank back in their chairs.

The sergeant’s demeanor became serious. He placed his hands behind his back and pursed his lips. “The good news is that when you retire, there will be plenty of jobs waiting for all of you,” he said. “Employers love hiring ex-cops. But, the skills you bring to the table are hard to qualify in the civilian world. You can drive a truck, work as a guard, and become a bartender or a bus driver, but unless you have another skill like the electricians or carpenters in this room, you better get an education.” The sergeant nodded his head, satisfied that he got through to all of us and began talking about the subject matter at hand.

Police officers don’t want to talk about life after “the job.” Once a cop, always a cop, that’s what we’re told. Television shows, movies, and even books portray officers as die-hard civil servants who live police work as opposed to merely performing their duties. Being a cop denotes a certain attitude, an innate suspicion, a dispassionate appearance, and a jaded view of society as seen from its underside. Police are the community’s protectors, yet they’re the first in line to receive complaints for enforcing the very rules society puts in place. A thick skin is necessary to deal with seeing the human tragedy witnessed on a routine basis and for handling the trauma of losing fellow officers in the line of duty. Cops insulate themselves from others outside their vocation to guard against criticism and to commiserate with their colleagues.

When retirement finally comes, it takes a while to shed the habits of a law enforcement officer. The retiree has no authority. Even in the field of private security, the luster of fighting crime has dimmed. Others call you by your first name and the word “officer” no longer applies to you. Any employment you find does not have the same level of excitement and boredom becomes commonplace. A sense of dissatisfaction dulls the accomplishments at a civilian job, except where earning a paycheck is concerned. There are those who will congratulate you on your years of service, and others who will ask you for a good cop story from your experiences on patrol; but, as the years pass, your connection to police work and the honor of wearing the uniform fades. In spite of joining police fraternities and hanging around with your retired cop buddies, no one calls you in the middle of the night to investigate a suspicious noise.

Working as a bartender, a security guard, a truck driver, or any of the professions the sergeant mentioned in his cautionary monologue long ago in the classroom where I sat and listened with alarm, are fine jobs to have. Financially, a retiree should be able to raise a family with the wages earned while working such a job in conjunction with a police pension, but, looking back, I think the sergeant was projecting his own fears on room full of officers before him. Perhaps the message he wanted to get across is that there is no other job in the world like being a police officer.

Wearing a police shield, carrying a gun, donning the uniform, driving a sector car, and being a hero to those who call nine-one-one in an emergency are all positive, tangible aspects of a fine and noble profession. Losing the privilege of being called “officer,” and the respect one is extended while serving is difficult for most. Becoming a civilian after decades of wielding authority is an adjustment that takes a lot of getting used to. An education for another professional position where one is able to earn a lucrative salary or achieve success on a level an ordinary cop cannot aspire to without that education is a lofty goal; yet, after separating from the department, no matter what a retiree decides to do for a living, the title “retired police officer” is an honor well deserved.

About the Author:
Michael J. Kannengieser is a retired New York City police officer who lives on Long Island with his wife and two children. Michael worked as the Managing Editor for Fiction at The View from Here magazine, a U.K. based literary publication. Currently, he is employed at a performing arts college as an Instructional Technology Administrator. He has been published at The View from Here, and in Newsday, a Long Island newspaper. Michael speaks as a guest lecturer on campus.

Click Here to buy Michael J. Kannengieser's new novel, "The Daddy Rock," at Amazon

Nine Aurora Residents Facing Federal Gun and/or Drug Charges; 10 Others Charged with State Drug or Weapons Offenses

CHICAGO – Nine Aurora residents are facing federal drug and/or gun charges for allegedly selling crack or powder cocaine, as well as heroin and firearms in some cases, federal and local law enforcement officials announced today. An additional 10 defendants are facing state drug or weapons charges in Kane County. The charges stem from an investigation of firearms and narcotics trafficking in Kane County led by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, together with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Aurora Police Department.

Five of the nine federal defendants were arrested today and the remaining four were already in custody. During the investigation, which began in the spring of 2011, agents seized five firearms, including two 12 gauge shotguns, and various amounts of crack and powder cocaine and heroin.

The federal defendants were charged in nine separate complaints that were filed Tuesday and unsealed today in U.S. District Court. The five defendants arrested today appeared this afternoon before Magistrate Judge Jeffrey T. Gilbert in U.S. District Court.

Gary S. Shapiro, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, praised the teamwork of the ATF and HSI agents, along with the Aurora Police Department and the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office. Mr. Shapiro announced the charges with Larry Ford, Special Agent-in-Charge of ATF in Chicago; Gary Hartwig, Special Agent-in-Charge of HSI in Chicago; and Greg Thomas, Aurora Police Chief. The investigation was conducted under the umbrella of the U.S. Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).

“Today’s charges demonstrate ATF’s commitment to get illegal firearms, narcotics, and the alleged criminals who use them, off the streets. We look forward to continuing to work closely with our federal, state and local law enforcement colleagues to combat violent crimes in Aurora, Kane County, and the entire state of Illinois,” Mr. Ford said.

“This operation exemplifies the ongoing partnerships the Aurora Police Department has established with our federal law enforcement partners to reduce criminality by relentlessly attacking the nexus between gangs, drugs, and illegal weapons,” Chief Thomas said.

All nine federal defendants were charged with at least one count of distribution of a controlled substance for allegedly selling various amounts of crack or powder cocaine, or heroin, to an individual who was cooperating with law enforcement. Two defendants were also charged with being a felon-in-possession of a firearm for allegedly selling a weapon to a cooperating individual. The primary confidential source (“CS1” in the affidavits) is described as an admitted member of an Aurora street gang.

Lawrence Donaldson, 26, allegedly sold two 12 gauge shotguns, a .45 caliber pistol, and a .38 caliber handgun, as well as heroin. Kendrick Webber, 27, allegedly sold a .22 caliber revolver and ammunition, as well as crack cocaine.

Also charged with distribution of a controlled substance were: Antoine Harris, 30; Maurice Payne, 43; Johnathon Ibister, 31; Rasheed Naylor, 31; Keiotto Tennial, 33; Arnoldo Cepeda, 36; and Mark Jones, 36, all of Aurora.

Harris and Payne each face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years to a maximum of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. The other seven federal defendants each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.

The government is being represented by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony Garcia and Dylan Smith.
The public is reminded that complaints contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Cybercrime: Managing Offender Risk in the 21st Century

The May 24, 2012, episode of American Heroes Radio features a conversation with Art Bowker the author of The Cybercrime Handbook for Community Corrections: Managing Offender Risk in the 21st Century.

Program Date: May 24, 2012

Program Time: 1500 hours, PACIFIC
Topic: Cybercrime: Managing Offender Risk in the 21st Century
Listen Live:  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lawenforcement/2012/05/24/cybercrime-managing-offender-risk-in-the-21st-century

About the Guest

Art Bowker began his career in criminal justice as a probation officer for the Cuyahoga County Adult Probation Department.  In 1989, he went to work as a law enforcement investigator for the US Department of Labor where he was responsible for financial investigations of labor organizations.   Currently, he is a Special Offender Specialist focusing on cybercrime.   An expert in cybercrime, he has been both the Secretary and President of the High Technology Crime Investigation Association.  Art Bowker is the author of The Cybercrime Handbook for Community Corrections: Managing Offender Risk in the 21st Century.

According to the book description of The Cybercrime Handbook for Community Corrections: Managing Offender Risk in the 21st Century, “In the early 1990s, professionals began to question how to address offender computer use while on supervision, but in the past ten years, tools emerged that were specifically developed for triage and field forensics. As these were rapidly embraced, it was still unclear what professionals could look for, how to look for it, and how to interpret what they found. This unique book resolves those issues. The book provides a clear outline of what can and should be done regarding the management of offender computer use. Not only does the text help community corrections professionals understand how to monitor computer use, but it helps realize how information gained during monitoring can assist in overall case management. The book takes the reader through all the paces of managing offender cyber-risk and is meant specifically for pretrial, probation, parole, and community sanction officers. The chapters are organized by major areas, such as community corrections and cyberspace, understanding the options, condition legality, operational legality, accessing cyber-risk, computer education, principles of effective computer monitoring, search and seizure, deploying monitoring software, and online investigations. Additionally, numerous appendices provide a wealth of information regarding model forms, questionnaires, and worksheets. This book moves the reader toward a more informed use of the technology that is now readily available to effectively manage offenders’ digital behavior.

About the Watering Hole

The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life.  Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

About the Host

Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years.  He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant.  He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University.  He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, law enforcement technology and leadership.  Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One.  He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in law enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lawenforcement/2012/05/24/cybercrime-managing-offender-risk-in-the-21st-century

Listen from the Archive:

http://www.americanheroesradio.com/cybercrime_managing_offender_risk.html

Program Contact Information

Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530

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Retired FBI Agent Wins Coveted Fiction Award

John M. Wills’ novel Targeted was awarded first place in the Public Safety Writers Association Fiction Novel category.

John M. Wills “was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago. After spending two years in the Army, he returned home to join the Chicago Police Department. During his 12 years on the force he received numerous awards and commendations, including the Award of Valor and The Blue Star Award.

John left the Department to become an FBI Special Agent, and was assigned to Chicago, Alexandria, Detroit, Houston, and the FBI Academy in Quantico, VA. He taught street survival to in-service and new agents, as well as internationally, to police in Budapest, Moscow, and Tashkent. He worked undercover for 2 ½ years in the Bureau’s first ever steroid investigation entitled, “Operation Equine.” John M. Wills is the author of Targeted.

According to the book description of Targeted, “Chicago Police Detectives Pete Shannon and Marilyn Benson are thrust into a homicide investigation, taking them away from the Violent Crimes Unit where they are normally assigned. A crazed gunman has been targeting cops, killing them for no apparent reason, other than for his own deranged satisfaction. The duo find themselves teamed with a pair of tough talking, abrasive, seasoned cops who do their best to interfere with the young detectives at every juncture, making their lives miserable. The hunt for the serial killer becomes a life-altering experience for the partners as they face individual challenges that threaten to destroy them.

A Cop’s Life

The July 21, 2011, episode of American Heroes Radio features a conversation with award winning writer Allan Cole about his book A Cop’s Life.


Program Date: July 21, 2011
Program Time: 1500 hours, PACIFIC
Topic: A Cop’s Life


Listen Live
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lawenforcement/2011/07/21/a-cops-life

About the Guest
Allan Cole is a best-selling author, screenwriter and former prize-winning newsman. The son of a CIA operative, Cole was raised in Europe, the Middle East and the Far East. His works include the groundbreaking science fiction series Sten, fantasy novels such as the Timura Trilogy and the Far Kingdoms series. His other books range from the landmark Vietnam novel, A Reckoning For Kings, and the Civil War novel, The Wars Of The Shannons, to nonfiction books like Lucky In Cyprus and Tales Of The Blue Meanie.


About Thomas Grubb
Thomas Grubb, a thirty-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department, co-authored an autobiography with his nephew, Allan Cole. According to the book description, “Christmas, 1953: While the rest of Philadelphia sings "Jingle Bells," Tom Grubb gets his first taste of a cop's life. Before he cashes his first paycheck he encounters: A man gutted by a knife-wielding mugger; A fighting-mad mental case intent on destroying a hospital emergency room; The hushed-up shooting death of an undercover cop. That first week is nothing compared to what lies ahead during the next thirty years. A Cop's Life is the remarkable story of a truly remarkable man.”


About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.


About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, law enforcement technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in law enforcement.


Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lawenforcement/2011/07/21/a-cops-life

Listen from the Archive:
http://www.americanheroesradio.com/cops_life.html


Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Charges Bronx Man with Sex Trafficking of 16-Year-Old

May 10, 2010 - PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, GEORGE VENIZELOS, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI"), and RAYMOND W. KELLY, the Police Commissioner of the City of New York, announced that RASHEED DAVIS, of the Bronx, New York, was arrested yesterday on charges of sex trafficking of a 16-year-old girl ("Victim-1"). DAVIS recruited Victim-1 to engage in multiple commercial sex acts that he arranged and, on at least one occasion, threatened and assaulted Victim-1 to force her to participate in such acts. DAVIS was arrested by the New York City Police Department ("NYPD") on May 6, 2010, in the Bronx. He is expected to be presented later today in Manhattan federal court.

According to the criminal Complaint filed today in Manhattan federal court:

In April 2010, DAVIS offered Victim-1 a place to live for approximately $150 per week (the "Premises") and told Victim-1 that DAVIS had a way for Victim-1 to make money. Thereafter, DAVIS arranged for Victim-1 to engage in multiple commercial sex acts with various individuals. DAVIS set the prices for the various sex acts and received the proceeds. On one or more occasions, DAVIS gave Victim-1 narcotics, including Ecstasy and marijuana, prior to causing Victim-1 to engage in commercial sex acts.

On May 5, 2010, DAVIS sent Victim-1 one or more text messages, in which DAVIS told Victim-1, in sum and substance, that DAVIS wanted Victim-1 to engage in a commercial sex act that night with a third party who would pay $300 in cash ("Client-1"). Victim-1 refused, at which time DAVIS sent threatening and intimidating text messages to Victim-1.

When Victim-1 returned to the Premises that same day, DAVIS physically assaulted Victim-1 in an effort to force Victim-1 to participate in a commercial sex act with Client-1. DAVIS told Victim-1 to tell Client-1 that Victim-1 was 19 years old. DAVIS then drove Victim-1 to a hotel outside of New York City ("Hotel-1"), where Victim-1 engaged in one or more commercial sex acts with Client-1 while DAVIS waited outside in a vehicle.

Victim-1 was paid $300 in cash by Client-1, and Victim-1 turned the cash over to DAVIS. DAVIS drove Victim-1 back to the Bronx in the early morning of May 6, 2010. Meanwhile, during the evening of May 5, 2010, and into the morning of May 6, 2010, Victim-1 sent text messages to a relative in an effort to get help. DAVIS was subsequently arrested in his car by the NYPD as he was driving with Victim-1 in the Bronx. At the time of DAVIS's arrest, DAVIS had in his possession the name and address of Hotel-1 and a hotel room number. Following DAVIS's arrest, law enforcement officers searched DAVIS's car and found, among other things, approximately $300 in cash.

On May 6, 2010, Client-1 was arrested by the Town of Ramapo Police Department. Following his arrest, Client-1 was advised of his Miranda rights, voluntarily waived those rights, and agreed to speak with law enforcement officers. Among other things, Client-1 stated, in sum and substance, that he had taken a car service from Newark International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, to Hotel-1, where he met with a female, who law enforcement officers identified as Victim-1. Client-1 also stated that, after engaging in sex acts with Victim-1, Client-1 paid Victim-1 $300 in cash.

DAVIS, 36, is charged with one count of sex trafficking involving a minor through the use of force, fraud, or coercion. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a maximum sentence of life in prison, and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.

Mr. BHARARA praised the work of the FBI and the NYPD. Mr. BHARARA also thanked the Town of Ramapo Police Department and the Office of the District Attorney for Bronx County for their assistance. Mr. BHARARA added that the investigation is continuing.

U.S. Attorney PREET BHARARA stated: "Rasheed Davis allegedly lured a vulnerable, 16-year-old girl into the sex trade, and drugged and beat her into having sex for money. Sex trafficking is a brutal crime that, sadly, seems to be on the rise in this country. The Southern District of New York is committed to working with our partners at the FBI and NYPD to stop the shameless sexual exploitation of young girls and women."

Special Agent-in-Charge GEORGE VENIZELOS said: "Sex trafficking of a minor is a crime of such depravity that the potential sentence is life. The FBI's commitment to the protection of children is commensurate with the seriousness of the offense."

New York City Police Commissioner RAYMOND W. KELLY: "I want to commend the U.S. Attorney and his Assistants for swiftly prosecuting this allegation of child exploitation. Regrettably, it's a scourge that law enforcement encounters more than it should have to."

This case is being prosecuted by the Complex Frauds Unit. Assistant United States Attorney AMANDA KRAMER is in charge of the prosecution.

The charges in the criminal Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Social Media and Law Enforcement

On February 18, 2010, Conversations with American Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a discussion with Lauri Stevens on Social Media and Law Enforcement.

Program Date: February 18, 2010
Program Time: 1700 hours, Pacific
Topic: Social Media and Law Enforcement
Listen Live: http://www.americanheroesradio.com/social_media_law_enforcement.html

About the Guest
Lauri Stevens “is an interactive media professional with over 25 years of media experience. She is the Department Chair of Web Design & Interactive Media at The New England Institute of Art (NEiA) in Boston, a position she's held for over ten years. During her tenure at NEiA she has written several bachelors’ programs, served on NEASC accreditation review committees and visiting teams, and chaired several groups to further the college's mission.

Lauri is passionate about the Internet, the web, social media and helping law enforcement leverage these tools to help them do their jobs, connect with their communities, and promote their departments. Having used the net since the mid-80s, before the web existed, makes her one of the first fraction of a 1% of people in the world on the net.

She holds an MBA in eBusiness from Bentley University, an MS in Mass Communication/Communication Technology from Boston University, and a BA in Political Science from Clemson University.”

About LAwS Communications
LAwS Communications has been providing web design and interactive media advice to law enforcement since 2005. They “offer media expertise at all levels, traditional and interactive. LAwS Communications specialize in offering consultative services in the world of web 2.0 (and beyond) to law enforcement agencies. Web 2.0 and Open Source communication technologies available today allow organizations to efficiently gather and distribute information like never before. Many law enforcement agencies are catching on to and using the new social media technologies. LAwS Communications can help make sense of the tools available, help your agency craft a plan and social media policy as well as provide the training needed to get your organization running. LAwS Communications can help law enforcement organizations not only understand why your organization should take advantage of Web 2.0 technologies, but also how to leverage these vast resources.

The agencies that are effectively using these tools are shrinking their communities, improving communication with citizens and enhancing their reputations through the transparency provided. Other agencies are developing sophisticated methods for investigation, crime solving and prevention. Police departments, in particular, have an opportunity to better educate their communities about who they are and what they do and to therefore increase and improve communication with the public they serve.”

About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Public Safety Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
http://www.americanheroesradio.com/social_media_law_enforcement.html
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530