Police-Writers.com is a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books. The website added three police officers Gerald Garner, John Jardine and Victor Kim to the list of 576 police officers who have written books.
Gerald W. Garner is Chief of Police of the Greeley Police Department (Colorado). He is a 36-year veteran of law enforcement, having commenced his policing career as a patrolman at the Victoria, Texas Police Department in 1969. He spent 30 years with the nationally acknowledged Lakewood, Colorado Police Department, retiring at the rank of division chief in 2003. He then went on to become the Chief of Police for the Fort Lupton Police Department (Colorado), and now, the Chief of Police for the Greeley Police Department.
Chief Gerald Garner has amassed extensive experience in grass-roots policing. In addition to his work as a patrol officer, he has served as a patrol sergeant, detective supervisor, patrol watch commander, crime prevention and public information specialist, academy director internal affairs commander, and patrol division chief.
Chief Gerald Garner is the author of over 200 magazine and journal articles on law enforcement topics. Many of the articles address officer safety subjects. He has also authored six books on policing. He instructs widely and has served as a guest lecturer at the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Academy at Quantico, Virginia and for the International Association for Chiefs of Police.
Chief Gerald Garner is the author of Surviving the Street: Officer Safety and Survival Techniques; Common Sense Police Supervision: Practical Tips for the First-Line Leader; Chief, the Reporters Are Here: The Police Executive's Personal Guide to Press Relations; High Risk Patrol: Reducing the Danger to You; Police Role in Alcohol-Related Crises; and, Police supervision: A common sense approach.
John Jardine was twenty-one when he joined the Honolulu Police Department. Over time, he became a Honolulu Police Department legend. His autobiographical look at cases from the 1920s through the 1940s, is an exceptional look at underworld crime and Crimes in Honolulu.
Former Honolulu police officer Victor J. Kim was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. He began working for the Honolulu Police Department in 2004. His book is The Unofficial Honolulu Police Department Training Academy Guide: Tips and Advice on How To Succeed.
As a former Honolulu Police Department police officer, Victor Kim “offers his experience in training at the Honolulu Police Academy to help you get a head start in this difficult career. Filled with interesting and sometimes comedic insights on the police profession, Victor Kim discusses typical working hours, a police recruit's monthly salary, firearms training, and simulated crime investigations.’
Victor Kim also helps you prepare for this new and challenging period of your life by describing the typical life of a recruit. The Unofficial Honolulu Police Department Training Academy Guide also features: Past exam questions; Training academy experiences; DUI procedures and reports; and, Current information on the Honolulu Police Department.
Police-Writers.com now hosts 576 police officers (representing 242 police departments) and their 1216 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Friday, June 08, 2007
Law Enforcement Seeing Incremental Progress, Iraq Training Official Says
By Tim Kilbride
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 7, 2007 – Iraq's police force is seeing incremental improvements across the spectrum of its mandate, and the communities it serves are benefiting as a result, an official with the U.S. police training mission said yesterday. Tangible gains have been made in the police force's relationships with the Iraqi ministries of defense and justice, judicial capacity is on the rise, corruption is being pursued internally, and the training program is continuing to expand, said Army Brig. Gen. David Phillips, deputy commander of the Civilian Police Training Team, in a conference call with online journalists and military "bloggers."
The result is that day-to-day life in parts of Baghdad and Anbar province has improved dramatically in some cases as recruits continue to enter the police academies and enhanced police vigilance helps settle neighborhoods, Phillips said.
Looking back on 2004 to 2006, the general noted, "Anbar was an absolute combat zone. That was about as down and dirty as you could get. But now they've rallied together."
Referring to the recent bloom of cooperation between security officials and tribal sheikhs, Phillips said, "They're allowing their sons to go to the academies and train to be police officers, and they have their local groups, which are basically like community watch groups."
Results have come quickly as the local populations tire of the al Qaeda presence, Phillips said.
"They're working hand in hand with the Marine forces out there and the Army forces that are out there," he said. "They're turning in the insurgents. They're turning in caches of weapons. And I have to tell you that commerce is working, the stores are back open, and you get small kids on the streets now waving as you go by in a humvee."
Similar environmental changes have been seen in Baghdad, the general said, where the casual presence of people on the streets in some neighborhoods indicates a positive shift in how residents gauge the security situation.
"The fact that families were letting their kids play there again shows that there is some faith in the fact that these police officers are out there," Phillips noted.
There is a lingering distrust of the police in some sectors due to past experiences of corruption, he admitted, but vigorous oversight within the force is helping reduce the problem of "bad cops," Phillips said.
"Are there bad policemen?" he asked. "Every department has bad police officers. Are there more here than other places? Well, we've got some problems. But the internal affairs organization is working ruthlessly to capture them and take them into custody."
Phillips emphasized the Iraqi force is on par with any peer police force around the world. However, their potential is temporarily held in check by levels of insurgent violence they were neither trained nor intended to face, he said.
While the coalition and Iraqi army face down the insurgency, institutional progress is helping smooth the Iraqi police's operations, Phillips said.
Past friction with the ministry of defense has alleviated somewhat in recent months, with an agreement reached that located the Al Anbar-Habaniya Iraqi Police Academy on the same land as the 1st Iraqi Army Division Headquarters.
"That there is a big step in and of itself that the army and the police are starting to work together," Phillips said.
That the academy functions, he said, is a big step for the Iraqis. While Civilian Police Training Team advisors provide oversight, "the instructors are all Iraqi (and) the administration of the academy is Iraqi," Phillips said. "This is an Iraqi-run academy on an Iraqi military installation."
Like the relationship with the ministry of defense, the police's cooperation with the ministry of justice also has improved, Phillips said.
The criminal justice system has added capacity to address the backlog of untried cases, he explained, describing the development of a "rule of law" complex in Baghdad that would combine detention and trial facilities in order to speed the process of judicial review.
What remain outside of the police force's purview for now, Phillips said, are the political situation and sectarian tension in Baghdad and elsewhere.
"Baghdad is a crossroads where you have Christian, you have Kurdish, you have different sects from Sunni to Shiia, and wherever you have that, we see that you can have flashpoints," the general observed.
"That's why there's such an emphasis going on with our search here to try to get a reconciliation between the groups, such as we saw in South Africa years ago," he said. "We're waiting for those senior leaders to come forward and do that handshake."
(Tim Kilbride is assigned to New Media, American Forces Information Service.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 7, 2007 – Iraq's police force is seeing incremental improvements across the spectrum of its mandate, and the communities it serves are benefiting as a result, an official with the U.S. police training mission said yesterday. Tangible gains have been made in the police force's relationships with the Iraqi ministries of defense and justice, judicial capacity is on the rise, corruption is being pursued internally, and the training program is continuing to expand, said Army Brig. Gen. David Phillips, deputy commander of the Civilian Police Training Team, in a conference call with online journalists and military "bloggers."
The result is that day-to-day life in parts of Baghdad and Anbar province has improved dramatically in some cases as recruits continue to enter the police academies and enhanced police vigilance helps settle neighborhoods, Phillips said.
Looking back on 2004 to 2006, the general noted, "Anbar was an absolute combat zone. That was about as down and dirty as you could get. But now they've rallied together."
Referring to the recent bloom of cooperation between security officials and tribal sheikhs, Phillips said, "They're allowing their sons to go to the academies and train to be police officers, and they have their local groups, which are basically like community watch groups."
Results have come quickly as the local populations tire of the al Qaeda presence, Phillips said.
"They're working hand in hand with the Marine forces out there and the Army forces that are out there," he said. "They're turning in the insurgents. They're turning in caches of weapons. And I have to tell you that commerce is working, the stores are back open, and you get small kids on the streets now waving as you go by in a humvee."
Similar environmental changes have been seen in Baghdad, the general said, where the casual presence of people on the streets in some neighborhoods indicates a positive shift in how residents gauge the security situation.
"The fact that families were letting their kids play there again shows that there is some faith in the fact that these police officers are out there," Phillips noted.
There is a lingering distrust of the police in some sectors due to past experiences of corruption, he admitted, but vigorous oversight within the force is helping reduce the problem of "bad cops," Phillips said.
"Are there bad policemen?" he asked. "Every department has bad police officers. Are there more here than other places? Well, we've got some problems. But the internal affairs organization is working ruthlessly to capture them and take them into custody."
Phillips emphasized the Iraqi force is on par with any peer police force around the world. However, their potential is temporarily held in check by levels of insurgent violence they were neither trained nor intended to face, he said.
While the coalition and Iraqi army face down the insurgency, institutional progress is helping smooth the Iraqi police's operations, Phillips said.
Past friction with the ministry of defense has alleviated somewhat in recent months, with an agreement reached that located the Al Anbar-Habaniya Iraqi Police Academy on the same land as the 1st Iraqi Army Division Headquarters.
"That there is a big step in and of itself that the army and the police are starting to work together," Phillips said.
That the academy functions, he said, is a big step for the Iraqis. While Civilian Police Training Team advisors provide oversight, "the instructors are all Iraqi (and) the administration of the academy is Iraqi," Phillips said. "This is an Iraqi-run academy on an Iraqi military installation."
Like the relationship with the ministry of defense, the police's cooperation with the ministry of justice also has improved, Phillips said.
The criminal justice system has added capacity to address the backlog of untried cases, he explained, describing the development of a "rule of law" complex in Baghdad that would combine detention and trial facilities in order to speed the process of judicial review.
What remain outside of the police force's purview for now, Phillips said, are the political situation and sectarian tension in Baghdad and elsewhere.
"Baghdad is a crossroads where you have Christian, you have Kurdish, you have different sects from Sunni to Shiia, and wherever you have that, we see that you can have flashpoints," the general observed.
"That's why there's such an emphasis going on with our search here to try to get a reconciliation between the groups, such as we saw in South Africa years ago," he said. "We're waiting for those senior leaders to come forward and do that handshake."
(Tim Kilbride is assigned to New Media, American Forces Information Service.)
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Terrorists Using Chlorine Car Bombs to Intimidate Iraqis
Editor's Note: This is relevant to domestic law enforcement.
American Forces Press Service
June 6, 2007 – Anyone who doubts that al Qaeda would use chemical, nuclear or biological weapons need only look at the terror group's attacks in Iraq, Defense officials said. Al Qaeda and affiliated groups have used chlorine gas in attacks against civilians, Iraqi forces and coalition forces at least 15 times since October, according to U.S. officials in Baghdad.
"Chlorine is used by terrorists with the intent to harm or kill large numbers of civilians," an official said. "The attacks show that the terrorists are adaptable, but it reflects more on their maliciousness than their sophistication."
The first documented chlorine attack was Oct. 21, 2006, in Ramadi, a Multinational Force Iraq spokeswoman said. In that attack, terrorists drove a car bomb with 12 120 mm mortar shells and two 100-pound chlorine tanks. The attack wounded three Iraqi police officers and a civilian.
The first attack that received media attention was at Taji, where terrorists remotely detonated a 5-ton truck packed with 100 pounds of high explosives and two 1-ton chlorine tanks. The attack killed one civilian and wounded 114 others.
Other chlorine attacks occurred in Fallujah, Balad and Ramadi. The most recent attack was June 3 against Forward Operating Base Warhorse, in Diyala province. Again, a suicide car bomber launched the attack, and officials estimate it included two tanks of chlorine and 1,000 pounds of explosive. The cloud from the attack blew over Warhorse and sickened 65 servicemembers, Multinational Force Iraq officials said. All were examined and returned to duty.
Officials in Baghdad cannot tell from their records if anyone has died from chlorine inhalation. A Multinational Force Iraq spokesman said there are anecdotal reports that while the blasts from the attacks have killed, few have died solely from the gas. "We hear that an old man and some babies may have been killed, but we can't pin that down," the spokesman said.
"We have seen attempts made by insurgent forces - al Qaeda in particular - to use debilitating agents like chlorine in their (improvised explosive devices and car bombs) to cause casualties beyond just concussion and blast," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.
Whitman said the attacks have been of limited effectiveness, but that does not lessen concerns. "We continue to look at ways to prevent those materials from making their way to those who plant explosive devices," he said.
This is a difficult proposition because many chemicals, like chlorine, have legitimate civilian uses. Chlorine is used to purify water and in other industrial processes.
Without getting into details that could jeopardize operational security, U.S. servicemembers have gear to protect them from such weapons, a Pentagon official said. So the terrorists aim the weapon at civilians in an effort to intimidate populations.
"The car bombs themselves are designed to target innocent civilians," Whitman said. "It reflects the brutality of the enemy we are facing and the total disregard of life to use such an indiscriminate nature."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
June 6, 2007 – Anyone who doubts that al Qaeda would use chemical, nuclear or biological weapons need only look at the terror group's attacks in Iraq, Defense officials said. Al Qaeda and affiliated groups have used chlorine gas in attacks against civilians, Iraqi forces and coalition forces at least 15 times since October, according to U.S. officials in Baghdad.
"Chlorine is used by terrorists with the intent to harm or kill large numbers of civilians," an official said. "The attacks show that the terrorists are adaptable, but it reflects more on their maliciousness than their sophistication."
The first documented chlorine attack was Oct. 21, 2006, in Ramadi, a Multinational Force Iraq spokeswoman said. In that attack, terrorists drove a car bomb with 12 120 mm mortar shells and two 100-pound chlorine tanks. The attack wounded three Iraqi police officers and a civilian.
The first attack that received media attention was at Taji, where terrorists remotely detonated a 5-ton truck packed with 100 pounds of high explosives and two 1-ton chlorine tanks. The attack killed one civilian and wounded 114 others.
Other chlorine attacks occurred in Fallujah, Balad and Ramadi. The most recent attack was June 3 against Forward Operating Base Warhorse, in Diyala province. Again, a suicide car bomber launched the attack, and officials estimate it included two tanks of chlorine and 1,000 pounds of explosive. The cloud from the attack blew over Warhorse and sickened 65 servicemembers, Multinational Force Iraq officials said. All were examined and returned to duty.
Officials in Baghdad cannot tell from their records if anyone has died from chlorine inhalation. A Multinational Force Iraq spokesman said there are anecdotal reports that while the blasts from the attacks have killed, few have died solely from the gas. "We hear that an old man and some babies may have been killed, but we can't pin that down," the spokesman said.
"We have seen attempts made by insurgent forces - al Qaeda in particular - to use debilitating agents like chlorine in their (improvised explosive devices and car bombs) to cause casualties beyond just concussion and blast," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.
Whitman said the attacks have been of limited effectiveness, but that does not lessen concerns. "We continue to look at ways to prevent those materials from making their way to those who plant explosive devices," he said.
This is a difficult proposition because many chemicals, like chlorine, have legitimate civilian uses. Chlorine is used to purify water and in other industrial processes.
Without getting into details that could jeopardize operational security, U.S. servicemembers have gear to protect them from such weapons, a Pentagon official said. So the terrorists aim the weapon at civilians in an effort to intimidate populations.
"The car bombs themselves are designed to target innocent civilians," Whitman said. "It reflects the brutality of the enemy we are facing and the total disregard of life to use such an indiscriminate nature."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
General Says Insurgency Connected to Afghan Opium Industry
By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service
June 5, 2007 – The problems plaguing the Afghan government cannot be taken on without taking on the problem of poppy production, the commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan told Pentagon reporters in a teleconference today. Although he's not suggesting changing the charter of NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, Army Gen. Dan K. McNeill said coalition forces can likely work within the eight pillars of the Afghan National Strategy for Counternarcotics to help fight against the opium cultivation in the country.
"Poppy is a defining characteristic for this country at present," McNeill said. "And it's a negative definition any way you look at it."
In years past, Afghans have had to turn to growing opium poppy largely due infrastructure problems such as poor roads and destroyed irrigation systems. Since poppies need moisture once every five days, the plant was heavily relied upon to provide an income for farmers in the drought-stricken country.
With increased moisture from the snow melt in the Hindu Kush Mountains this year and the best spring rain the country has received in more than 50 year, the general said prime conditions have been set for optimum narcotic cultivation.
"I don't think there's any doubt that there is some connection between the insurgency and poppy," McNeill said. He said that while monitoring of convoys for insurgents and munitions, coalition troops have frequently come across narcotics convoys.
"It occurs to me that when I put all this together, that is some places in Afghanistan, probably especially in the south, they're almost inextricable - what the insurgents are doing and what the 'narco' dealers are doing," he said.
The general said that he didn't have any numerical evidence to assign to the relationship, but he is convinced of the relationship. And the NATO force, he said, isn't designed to challenge the poppy trade militarily.
"(Coalition troops) are not an eradication force," he said. "We're not trained, we're not equipped, we don't have the requisite number of helicopters, and we're not manned to do it."
However, McNeill said that NATO forces will be able to work within the country's counternarcotics pillars to operate against the problem.
"I don't believe that we can deal with the insurgency in a complete fashion without taking on the issue of poppy," McNeill said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
June 5, 2007 – The problems plaguing the Afghan government cannot be taken on without taking on the problem of poppy production, the commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan told Pentagon reporters in a teleconference today. Although he's not suggesting changing the charter of NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, Army Gen. Dan K. McNeill said coalition forces can likely work within the eight pillars of the Afghan National Strategy for Counternarcotics to help fight against the opium cultivation in the country.
"Poppy is a defining characteristic for this country at present," McNeill said. "And it's a negative definition any way you look at it."
In years past, Afghans have had to turn to growing opium poppy largely due infrastructure problems such as poor roads and destroyed irrigation systems. Since poppies need moisture once every five days, the plant was heavily relied upon to provide an income for farmers in the drought-stricken country.
With increased moisture from the snow melt in the Hindu Kush Mountains this year and the best spring rain the country has received in more than 50 year, the general said prime conditions have been set for optimum narcotic cultivation.
"I don't think there's any doubt that there is some connection between the insurgency and poppy," McNeill said. He said that while monitoring of convoys for insurgents and munitions, coalition troops have frequently come across narcotics convoys.
"It occurs to me that when I put all this together, that is some places in Afghanistan, probably especially in the south, they're almost inextricable - what the insurgents are doing and what the 'narco' dealers are doing," he said.
The general said that he didn't have any numerical evidence to assign to the relationship, but he is convinced of the relationship. And the NATO force, he said, isn't designed to challenge the poppy trade militarily.
"(Coalition troops) are not an eradication force," he said. "We're not trained, we're not equipped, we don't have the requisite number of helicopters, and we're not manned to do it."
However, McNeill said that NATO forces will be able to work within the country's counternarcotics pillars to operate against the problem.
"I don't believe that we can deal with the insurgency in a complete fashion without taking on the issue of poppy," McNeill said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
1200 Cop Books
Police-Writers.com is a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books. With the addition of three new authors, the website now lists 1200 books written by 567 state and local police officers from 238 police departments.
Lynda Sandoval spent seven years with the Wheat Ridge Police Department (Colorado). While a police officer, she wrote three books. In 1998, she left the Wheat Ridge Police Department to become a full-time writer. She has since published fourteen books. In her book True Blue, “she explores topics such as the classes officers have to take at the police academy, including everything from U.S. Constitutional law and firearms training to stress management and ethics; an average day on the job, including typical uniform and equipment and an example of a call; arrest procedures; basics of crime scene investigation; search warrants and interrogations; officer-involved shootings and the aftermath; gang slang; Ten-Code system; radio codes; and a listing of additional research resources. True Blue is a must-have for every writer who has cops traipsing through her work.”
Mark Walerysiak has over ten years of law enforcement experience with the Meriden Police Department (Connecticut). Currently, he is a detective working the Special Crime Unit. Earlier in his career he was a School Resource Officer assigned to a local high school for four years. During his time as a School Resource Officer he wrote School Resource Officer: Functioning as a Cop in Today's High School.
According to the book description, School Resource Officer: Functioning as a Cop in Today's High School “is a short, fun, fascinating look into the world of police officers who are assigned to schools. This relatively new law enforcement position is gaining popularity and acceptance at a feverish rate. A former SRO himself, the author depicts many experiences and opinions regarding the job. He also takes the reader through the process of starting, adjusting to, and maintaining an effective SRO program.”
William Glenn is a retired Sergeant from the Norwich Police Department (Connecticut). Currently, his is a private investigator in Connecticut. He has been an adjunct police academy instructor as well as criminal justice instructor at local community colleges. William Glenn is the author of the novel The Sailor’s Death. According to the book’s description, “Five years prior, a merchant marine is murdered. Political forces at work cause the case to be unsolved and forgotten. Aiden O’Brien is a retired cop turned private detective. He works cold cases on the side for the New Jersey Deputy Attorney General’s office. O’Brien, following leads, uncovering evidence, and using all of his senses, brings the case to a surprising and exciting conclusion.”
Police-Writers.com now hosts 567 police officers (representing 238 police departments) and their 1184 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.
Lynda Sandoval spent seven years with the Wheat Ridge Police Department (Colorado). While a police officer, she wrote three books. In 1998, she left the Wheat Ridge Police Department to become a full-time writer. She has since published fourteen books. In her book True Blue, “she explores topics such as the classes officers have to take at the police academy, including everything from U.S. Constitutional law and firearms training to stress management and ethics; an average day on the job, including typical uniform and equipment and an example of a call; arrest procedures; basics of crime scene investigation; search warrants and interrogations; officer-involved shootings and the aftermath; gang slang; Ten-Code system; radio codes; and a listing of additional research resources. True Blue is a must-have for every writer who has cops traipsing through her work.”
Mark Walerysiak has over ten years of law enforcement experience with the Meriden Police Department (Connecticut). Currently, he is a detective working the Special Crime Unit. Earlier in his career he was a School Resource Officer assigned to a local high school for four years. During his time as a School Resource Officer he wrote School Resource Officer: Functioning as a Cop in Today's High School.
According to the book description, School Resource Officer: Functioning as a Cop in Today's High School “is a short, fun, fascinating look into the world of police officers who are assigned to schools. This relatively new law enforcement position is gaining popularity and acceptance at a feverish rate. A former SRO himself, the author depicts many experiences and opinions regarding the job. He also takes the reader through the process of starting, adjusting to, and maintaining an effective SRO program.”
William Glenn is a retired Sergeant from the Norwich Police Department (Connecticut). Currently, his is a private investigator in Connecticut. He has been an adjunct police academy instructor as well as criminal justice instructor at local community colleges. William Glenn is the author of the novel The Sailor’s Death. According to the book’s description, “Five years prior, a merchant marine is murdered. Political forces at work cause the case to be unsolved and forgotten. Aiden O’Brien is a retired cop turned private detective. He works cold cases on the side for the New Jersey Deputy Attorney General’s office. O’Brien, following leads, uncovering evidence, and using all of his senses, brings the case to a surprising and exciting conclusion.”
Police-Writers.com now hosts 567 police officers (representing 238 police departments) and their 1184 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.
Saturday, June 02, 2007
The Moral Warrior
Police-Writers.com is a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books. The website has added Rocky Warren and David Rose, who co-authored Paradigm of the Moral Warrior.
Rocky Warren is a retired Sergeant from the Placer County Sheriff's Department (California). He has more than twenty-eight years of experience of law enforcement experience. As a former SWAT member, defensive tactics, impact weapon, firearms, and police use of force instructor he’s formed Warren Consulting to offer police training and expert witness services. Rocky is currently on staff at two community colleges.
Rocky Warren is a court tested expert in use of force, choking, firearms and police practices. He is the author of two published books; Behind the Badge: Real Stories from the Police Beat and Police Use of Force Case Law: Instructor's Manual. He is also the co-author of Paradigm of the Moral Warrior with Lieutenant David Rose, Placer County Sheriff’s Department (ret.).
Pulitzer Prize nominated author Lt. Colonel Dave Grossman (ret.) endorsed Paradigm of the Moral Warrior, saying, “The Paradigm of the Moral Warrior has the highest concentration of warrior wisdom I have ever found. Not just the remarkable, valuable and useful quotations, but the wise words of the authors will be of great service to warriors, (be they cops, soldiers or Marines) for many years to come. I will personally be mining nuggets (for my own writing) from this rich vein for many years to come.”
David Rose is a retired lieutenant from the Placer County Sheriff’s Department (California). He was with the Sheriffs Department since 1978. He was the departments lead physical skills instructor since 1982. Dave was a member of the department's Special Weapons and Tactics Team (S.E.T) since 1980. He has been a team member, entry team leader, assistant team leader, team leader, and retired as the team commander. He has planned, participated in, or commanded over 200 Critical Incidents in his career.
David Rose has been awarded 2 Bronze Medals of Honor, 1 Bronze Medal of Valor, and 3 Silver Stars for Bravery. He received the J. Edgar Hoover Memorial Gold Medal for Distinguished Public Service from the American Police Hall of Fame (Nov. 2002). He appeared in the premier edition of the American Police Hall Fame "Heroes in Blue" baseball card edition. He is a U.S. Army Military Police Vietnam Veteran and was awarded a Bronze Star for his tour of duty.
Police-Writers.com now hosts 563 police officers (representing 235 police departments) and their 1183 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.
Rocky Warren is a retired Sergeant from the Placer County Sheriff's Department (California). He has more than twenty-eight years of experience of law enforcement experience. As a former SWAT member, defensive tactics, impact weapon, firearms, and police use of force instructor he’s formed Warren Consulting to offer police training and expert witness services. Rocky is currently on staff at two community colleges.
Rocky Warren is a court tested expert in use of force, choking, firearms and police practices. He is the author of two published books; Behind the Badge: Real Stories from the Police Beat and Police Use of Force Case Law: Instructor's Manual. He is also the co-author of Paradigm of the Moral Warrior with Lieutenant David Rose, Placer County Sheriff’s Department (ret.).
Pulitzer Prize nominated author Lt. Colonel Dave Grossman (ret.) endorsed Paradigm of the Moral Warrior, saying, “The Paradigm of the Moral Warrior has the highest concentration of warrior wisdom I have ever found. Not just the remarkable, valuable and useful quotations, but the wise words of the authors will be of great service to warriors, (be they cops, soldiers or Marines) for many years to come. I will personally be mining nuggets (for my own writing) from this rich vein for many years to come.”
David Rose is a retired lieutenant from the Placer County Sheriff’s Department (California). He was with the Sheriffs Department since 1978. He was the departments lead physical skills instructor since 1982. Dave was a member of the department's Special Weapons and Tactics Team (S.E.T) since 1980. He has been a team member, entry team leader, assistant team leader, team leader, and retired as the team commander. He has planned, participated in, or commanded over 200 Critical Incidents in his career.
David Rose has been awarded 2 Bronze Medals of Honor, 1 Bronze Medal of Valor, and 3 Silver Stars for Bravery. He received the J. Edgar Hoover Memorial Gold Medal for Distinguished Public Service from the American Police Hall of Fame (Nov. 2002). He appeared in the premier edition of the American Police Hall Fame "Heroes in Blue" baseball card edition. He is a U.S. Army Military Police Vietnam Veteran and was awarded a Bronze Star for his tour of duty.
Police-Writers.com now hosts 563 police officers (representing 235 police departments) and their 1183 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.
Friday, June 01, 2007
Post Traumatic Stress in Law Enforcement
Police-Writers.com is a website dedicated to researching and listing state and local police officers who have written books. The website now hosts 560 police officers (representing 234 police departments) and their 1179 books in six categories. The website also researches and lists separately, federal law enforcement writers, civilian police personnel and international law enforcement officers. The website added a new international police writer from Australia, Esther Mckay.
Esther McKay served in the New South Wales (NSW) Police Force (Australia) for seventeen years, attaining the rank of Detective (technical) Senior Constable. She worked in Forensic Services for fifteen years, specializing in crime-scene examination and vehicle identification. She has a Diploma of Applied Science in Forensic Investigation (NSW Police) and was awarded the National Medal of service in 2001. Esther Mckay retired in 2001 after becoming medically unfit with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Esther Mckay is the president of the Police Post Trauma Support group; and, a strong advocate for improving the mental health conditions for both active and retired law enforcement officials. She is the author of the Australian bestseller Crime Scene.
Esther Mckay said of Crime Scene, “it is an autobiographical account of my work as a Crime Scene Examiner and the gradual onset of PTSD due to the constant exposure to trauma. Day after day my life was consumed by killings, distress and gruesome sites, each one adding another piece to an ever-growing mosaic that seemed to be made up of bloodied disposable gloves, plastic bags and human waste.”
According to the book description, “When Esther McKay, an idealistic young constable with the NSW police, entered the tough, male-dominated world of forensic investigation; she was determined to hold her own. She soon found herself at deeply confronting crime scenes, often working alone and without supervision. After years of long, lonely, exhausting days and nights, and following a particularly harrowing high-profile case involving the disappearance of two young boys, Esther had a break-down and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. This is Esther's story. Powerful, moving and unforgettable, Crime Scene takes us inside the life of a forensic investigator, and reveals as never before the extraordinary demands and dangers of forensic work.”
The New South Wales (NSW) Police Force was established by the Police Regulation Act 1862, which was replaced by the Police Regulation Act 1899. In June 1987, the NSW Police Force (operations) and the NSW Police Department (policy and administrative support) were combined.
The NSW Police Force is Australia's oldest and largest police organization and one of the biggest in the English speaking world. It has 17,000 employees, including more than 13,300 police officers. The police officers serve a population of seven million in the state of New South Wales, an 801,600 square kilometer area comparable in size to Texas, and double the combined geographic areas of England, Scotland and Wales. The New South Wales Police Force operates on land, sea and from the air; and, provides community based policing from more than 500 police stations to a wide range of ethnic communities speaking more than 30 languages.
Esther McKay served in the New South Wales (NSW) Police Force (Australia) for seventeen years, attaining the rank of Detective (technical) Senior Constable. She worked in Forensic Services for fifteen years, specializing in crime-scene examination and vehicle identification. She has a Diploma of Applied Science in Forensic Investigation (NSW Police) and was awarded the National Medal of service in 2001. Esther Mckay retired in 2001 after becoming medically unfit with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Esther Mckay is the president of the Police Post Trauma Support group; and, a strong advocate for improving the mental health conditions for both active and retired law enforcement officials. She is the author of the Australian bestseller Crime Scene.
Esther Mckay said of Crime Scene, “it is an autobiographical account of my work as a Crime Scene Examiner and the gradual onset of PTSD due to the constant exposure to trauma. Day after day my life was consumed by killings, distress and gruesome sites, each one adding another piece to an ever-growing mosaic that seemed to be made up of bloodied disposable gloves, plastic bags and human waste.”
According to the book description, “When Esther McKay, an idealistic young constable with the NSW police, entered the tough, male-dominated world of forensic investigation; she was determined to hold her own. She soon found herself at deeply confronting crime scenes, often working alone and without supervision. After years of long, lonely, exhausting days and nights, and following a particularly harrowing high-profile case involving the disappearance of two young boys, Esther had a break-down and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. This is Esther's story. Powerful, moving and unforgettable, Crime Scene takes us inside the life of a forensic investigator, and reveals as never before the extraordinary demands and dangers of forensic work.”
The New South Wales (NSW) Police Force was established by the Police Regulation Act 1862, which was replaced by the Police Regulation Act 1899. In June 1987, the NSW Police Force (operations) and the NSW Police Department (policy and administrative support) were combined.
The NSW Police Force is Australia's oldest and largest police organization and one of the biggest in the English speaking world. It has 17,000 employees, including more than 13,300 police officers. The police officers serve a population of seven million in the state of New South Wales, an 801,600 square kilometer area comparable in size to Texas, and double the combined geographic areas of England, Scotland and Wales. The New South Wales Police Force operates on land, sea and from the air; and, provides community based policing from more than 500 police stations to a wide range of ethnic communities speaking more than 30 languages.
Military author selected for prestigious academic fellowship
Editor's Note: Historically, the development of the paramilitary model of policing becomes imbedded during the late 19th Century as the model of policing transitioned from the political to the professional. As an example, Theodore Roosevelt, as the New York City Police Department commissioner, clearly led the NYPD (and others would follow) into adopting military like uniforms, rank structure, jargon and bureaucracy. Of course, there are many other authors of this paramilitary model. What is clear is that Wally Adamchik’s book is applicable to criminal justice practitioners, especially those in law enforcement.
Military-Writers.com is a website dedicated to researching and listing current, former and active United States Military personnel who have authored books. Wally Adamchik, the author of No YELLING: The Nine Secrets of Marine Corps Leadership you MUST know to WIN in business, has been selected as a Non-Resident Fellow for Marine Corps University for the 2007-2008 academic year.
The Non-Resident Fellows is a distinguished group of leadership experts and practitioners from active duty as well as the civilian sector; but the common thread with all Fellows is the desire to increase the study and application of leadership in the Marine Corps. Fellows will work with the Lejeune Leadership Institute by providing non-resident perspective and expertise. This may include: contributing to leadership curricula at various schools; writing papers for publication; assisting with the development of case studies or tools for use in the operating forces; and, assisting in local Lejeune Leadership Institute support visits to USMC bases and stations.
The mission of Lejeune Leadership Institute is to advance the study and practice of leadership excellence throughout the Marine Corps, focusing on leader development founded on core values. Institute Director, Dr. Joseph Thomas points out, “there are many, many needs. The Fellows perspective from outside of Marine Corps University is most welcome and we look forward to their input.”
When asked how he felt about this selection Adamchik commented, “It is kind of amazing that I can continue to make a contribution to the Marines in a very significant way a decade after I served. In fact, it is what I learned since the Marines that gives me a perspective they want to hear. We will learn from each other and make our Corps better. It is a bonus that my clients will benefit from this also.”
Major Wally Adamchik, a former tank commander and helicopter pilot with the United States Marine Corps, is the founder and president of FireStarter Speaking and Consulting, a national leadership development and consulting firm. His book, No Yelling: The 9 Secrets of Marine Corps Leadership You Must Know to Win in Business, draws upon the real-life experiences of those currently serving in the Marines and those now in the civilian sector to explain how anyone can incorporate the nine essential behaviors of Marine Corps leadership into their daily business life.
The book includes more than 100 interviews with current and former Marines, and offers side-by-side comparisons of their application in military and civilian settings. “The leadership techniques displayed by the United States Marine Corps have proven themselves time and again in battle,” says Adamchik. “These same principles can be applied from the break room to the board room to help anyone excel in business.”
For more information contact Wally Adamchik at wally@beafirestarter.com or 919-673-9499; or, for more information on his book, go to www.military-writers.com/wally_adamchik.html.
Military-Writers.com is a website dedicated to researching and listing current, former and active United States Military personnel who have authored books. Wally Adamchik, the author of No YELLING: The Nine Secrets of Marine Corps Leadership you MUST know to WIN in business, has been selected as a Non-Resident Fellow for Marine Corps University for the 2007-2008 academic year.
The Non-Resident Fellows is a distinguished group of leadership experts and practitioners from active duty as well as the civilian sector; but the common thread with all Fellows is the desire to increase the study and application of leadership in the Marine Corps. Fellows will work with the Lejeune Leadership Institute by providing non-resident perspective and expertise. This may include: contributing to leadership curricula at various schools; writing papers for publication; assisting with the development of case studies or tools for use in the operating forces; and, assisting in local Lejeune Leadership Institute support visits to USMC bases and stations.
The mission of Lejeune Leadership Institute is to advance the study and practice of leadership excellence throughout the Marine Corps, focusing on leader development founded on core values. Institute Director, Dr. Joseph Thomas points out, “there are many, many needs. The Fellows perspective from outside of Marine Corps University is most welcome and we look forward to their input.”
When asked how he felt about this selection Adamchik commented, “It is kind of amazing that I can continue to make a contribution to the Marines in a very significant way a decade after I served. In fact, it is what I learned since the Marines that gives me a perspective they want to hear. We will learn from each other and make our Corps better. It is a bonus that my clients will benefit from this also.”
Major Wally Adamchik, a former tank commander and helicopter pilot with the United States Marine Corps, is the founder and president of FireStarter Speaking and Consulting, a national leadership development and consulting firm. His book, No Yelling: The 9 Secrets of Marine Corps Leadership You Must Know to Win in Business, draws upon the real-life experiences of those currently serving in the Marines and those now in the civilian sector to explain how anyone can incorporate the nine essential behaviors of Marine Corps leadership into their daily business life.
The book includes more than 100 interviews with current and former Marines, and offers side-by-side comparisons of their application in military and civilian settings. “The leadership techniques displayed by the United States Marine Corps have proven themselves time and again in battle,” says Adamchik. “These same principles can be applied from the break room to the board room to help anyone excel in business.”
For more information contact Wally Adamchik at wally@beafirestarter.com or 919-673-9499; or, for more information on his book, go to www.military-writers.com/wally_adamchik.html.
New Scam Targets Military Spouses
American Forces Press Service
May 31, 2007 – The American Red Cross is warning military spouses about a new identity-theft scam that targets family members of deployed troops. The Red Cross was alerted of the scam earlier this month, said Devorah Goldburg of the Red Cross.
The scam involves a person with an American accent calling a military spouse, identifying herself as a representative of the Red Cross, and telling the spouse that her husband was hurt in Iraq and was medically evacuated to Germany. The caller then says that doctors can't start treatment until paperwork is completed, and that to start the paperwork they need the spouse to verify her husband's social security number and date of birth.
It is hard to determine how many spouses have been targeted by this scam, Goldburg said, as there are many ways for spouses to report problems like this. However, one confirmed report was enough for the Red Cross to act, she said.
"We know that it happened to one person; it was probably going to happen to others, and we wanted to be prudent and alert people," she said.
American Red Cross representatives typically do not contact military members or dependents directly and almost always go through a commander or first sergeant, according to a Red Cross news release. Military family members are urged not to give out any personal information over the phone if contacted by unknown individuals, including confirmation that their spouse is deployed.
In addition, Red Cross representatives contact military members or dependents directly only in response to an emergency message initiated by a family member, the news release said. The Red Cross does not report any type of casualty information to family members; the Defense Department will contact families directly about family members' injuries.
It is a federal crime, punishable by up to five years in prison, for a person to fraudulently pretend to be a member of, or an agent for, the American Red Cross for the purpose of soliciting, collecting, or receiving money or material, according to the news release. Any military family member that receives such a call is urged to report it to their local family readiness group or military personnel flight.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
May 31, 2007 – The American Red Cross is warning military spouses about a new identity-theft scam that targets family members of deployed troops. The Red Cross was alerted of the scam earlier this month, said Devorah Goldburg of the Red Cross.
The scam involves a person with an American accent calling a military spouse, identifying herself as a representative of the Red Cross, and telling the spouse that her husband was hurt in Iraq and was medically evacuated to Germany. The caller then says that doctors can't start treatment until paperwork is completed, and that to start the paperwork they need the spouse to verify her husband's social security number and date of birth.
It is hard to determine how many spouses have been targeted by this scam, Goldburg said, as there are many ways for spouses to report problems like this. However, one confirmed report was enough for the Red Cross to act, she said.
"We know that it happened to one person; it was probably going to happen to others, and we wanted to be prudent and alert people," she said.
American Red Cross representatives typically do not contact military members or dependents directly and almost always go through a commander or first sergeant, according to a Red Cross news release. Military family members are urged not to give out any personal information over the phone if contacted by unknown individuals, including confirmation that their spouse is deployed.
In addition, Red Cross representatives contact military members or dependents directly only in response to an emergency message initiated by a family member, the news release said. The Red Cross does not report any type of casualty information to family members; the Defense Department will contact families directly about family members' injuries.
It is a federal crime, punishable by up to five years in prison, for a person to fraudulently pretend to be a member of, or an agent for, the American Red Cross for the purpose of soliciting, collecting, or receiving money or material, according to the news release. Any military family member that receives such a call is urged to report it to their local family readiness group or military personnel flight.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
2007 Conference on Sex Offender Registration and Management
This conference is recommended for Law Enforcement, Corrections Agencies, Prosecutors, Elected Officials and Social Services.
According to Ian Faigley, Director, Leadership Against Sex Offenders, “as a first responder or social servant, you are faced with the constant challenges of managing and registering sex offenders and deterring them from future crimes. At the same time, you
are tasked with protecting the community from existing and emerging threats. Situations involving sex crimes can pose a number of problems for law enforcement and social service agencies.
The appropriate response from your agency is essential to maintaining the security of your community. Within this ever-changing environment, it is critical that your agency effectively manages sex offender registries and response procedures and takes the steps necessary to minimize the occurrence of sexual offenses.
To assist you in meeting these challenges, I invite you to attend the 2007 National Conference on Sex Offender Management & Registration, being hosted in San Diego, CA, on June 25–27, 2007. This conference offers two days of interactive speaker presentations and a workshop designed to equip you and your agency with innovative strategies and mechanisms to keep the community safe and informed and to improve the agency’s sex crimes and management response.”
Visit the Conference Website:
http://www.performanceweb.org/CENTERS/LE/Events/L227/l227.htm
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
According to Ian Faigley, Director, Leadership Against Sex Offenders, “as a first responder or social servant, you are faced with the constant challenges of managing and registering sex offenders and deterring them from future crimes. At the same time, you
are tasked with protecting the community from existing and emerging threats. Situations involving sex crimes can pose a number of problems for law enforcement and social service agencies.
The appropriate response from your agency is essential to maintaining the security of your community. Within this ever-changing environment, it is critical that your agency effectively manages sex offender registries and response procedures and takes the steps necessary to minimize the occurrence of sexual offenses.
To assist you in meeting these challenges, I invite you to attend the 2007 National Conference on Sex Offender Management & Registration, being hosted in San Diego, CA, on June 25–27, 2007. This conference offers two days of interactive speaker presentations and a workshop designed to equip you and your agency with innovative strategies and mechanisms to keep the community safe and informed and to improve the agency’s sex crimes and management response.”
Visit the Conference Website:
http://www.performanceweb.org/CENTERS/LE/Events/L227/l227.htm
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Department Readies Pandemic Flu Guidebook for Civilians
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
May 29, 2007 – The Defense Department is preparing a pandemic flu guide for civilian managers and rank-and-file employees, a senior official said. The Defense Department released its Pandemic Influenza Implementation Plan in April, Patricia S. Bradshaw, deputy undersecretary of defense for civilian personnel policy, said May 25 in an interview with the Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service.
The department's plan is part of the president's initiative to prepare the nation for a potential mass outbreak of deadly flu virus.
"And now, we're going to top that off with a DoD civilian human resources guide with a target audience of managers and employees," Bradshaw said.
She said the guide will outline specific things that managers, supervisors and employees need to do to prepare themselves for a possible flu pandemic or any other type of crisis. It's to be issued within the next four to six weeks, she said, and will be available on the Defense Department's pandemic flu Web site, fhp.osd.mil/aiWatchboard.
Pandemic flu is a fast-spreading human flu that causes a global outbreak, or pandemic, of serious illness that could sicken or kill hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of people, according to the U.S. government's pandemic flu Web site. For example, the 1918 flu epidemic killed more than half a million Americans.
Any challenges inherent in preparing the department's roughly 600,000 civilian employees for a possible flu epidemic or other crisis aren't dissimilar to those faced by the private-sector work force, Bradshaw noted.
"I think the challenges are not unlike any (other) work force," Bradshaw explained. "If we have a crisis such as a pandemic, the real challenge here is maximizing social distancing as the preferred technique to employ, because it's a contagious disease."
Increased shift work, phone usage, teleconferencing and working from home are among the options DoD could employ to continue operations in the event a flu pandemic reaches the United States, Bradshaw said.
"You're trying to figure out how to keep people safe and well and, at the same time continue the operations of the department," Bradshaw said. "And so, we'll really be looking at ways to do that."
Federal government guidance to state and local authorities has recommended the launch of pandemic flu preparedness exercises, she said.
"You can test to see where your gaps are and (where) your potential problems would be," Bradshaw explained, noting the federal government and the military already have conducted some exercises with civilian authorities.
The Defense Department plans to continue to provide work and pay to its civilian employees during a potential pandemic flu crisis, Bradshaw said. Again, the focus will be on employing social distancing to minimize potential devastating effects during a pandemic, she said.
"We're going to tell you, 'Please, don't come to work,'" Bradshaw said. Such a practice, she said, minimizes the spread of disease during a pandemic.
Additionally, Defense Department civilian managers need to determine how they'll continue performing their organization's core functions during a pandemic, Bradshaw said.
"What are the mission-essential functions that absolutely need to be done?" Bradshaw asked, especially tasks that can be accomplished online from home.
"The managers really need to think through what kind of work can be done away from the work site," she said. "Our goal is to ensure that our employees, to the maximum extent possible, can continue to work during such a pandemic."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 29, 2007 – The Defense Department is preparing a pandemic flu guide for civilian managers and rank-and-file employees, a senior official said. The Defense Department released its Pandemic Influenza Implementation Plan in April, Patricia S. Bradshaw, deputy undersecretary of defense for civilian personnel policy, said May 25 in an interview with the Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service.
The department's plan is part of the president's initiative to prepare the nation for a potential mass outbreak of deadly flu virus.
"And now, we're going to top that off with a DoD civilian human resources guide with a target audience of managers and employees," Bradshaw said.
She said the guide will outline specific things that managers, supervisors and employees need to do to prepare themselves for a possible flu pandemic or any other type of crisis. It's to be issued within the next four to six weeks, she said, and will be available on the Defense Department's pandemic flu Web site, fhp.osd.mil/aiWatchboard.
Pandemic flu is a fast-spreading human flu that causes a global outbreak, or pandemic, of serious illness that could sicken or kill hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of people, according to the U.S. government's pandemic flu Web site. For example, the 1918 flu epidemic killed more than half a million Americans.
Any challenges inherent in preparing the department's roughly 600,000 civilian employees for a possible flu epidemic or other crisis aren't dissimilar to those faced by the private-sector work force, Bradshaw noted.
"I think the challenges are not unlike any (other) work force," Bradshaw explained. "If we have a crisis such as a pandemic, the real challenge here is maximizing social distancing as the preferred technique to employ, because it's a contagious disease."
Increased shift work, phone usage, teleconferencing and working from home are among the options DoD could employ to continue operations in the event a flu pandemic reaches the United States, Bradshaw said.
"You're trying to figure out how to keep people safe and well and, at the same time continue the operations of the department," Bradshaw said. "And so, we'll really be looking at ways to do that."
Federal government guidance to state and local authorities has recommended the launch of pandemic flu preparedness exercises, she said.
"You can test to see where your gaps are and (where) your potential problems would be," Bradshaw explained, noting the federal government and the military already have conducted some exercises with civilian authorities.
The Defense Department plans to continue to provide work and pay to its civilian employees during a potential pandemic flu crisis, Bradshaw said. Again, the focus will be on employing social distancing to minimize potential devastating effects during a pandemic, she said.
"We're going to tell you, 'Please, don't come to work,'" Bradshaw said. Such a practice, she said, minimizes the spread of disease during a pandemic.
Additionally, Defense Department civilian managers need to determine how they'll continue performing their organization's core functions during a pandemic, Bradshaw said.
"What are the mission-essential functions that absolutely need to be done?" Bradshaw asked, especially tasks that can be accomplished online from home.
"The managers really need to think through what kind of work can be done away from the work site," she said. "Our goal is to ensure that our employees, to the maximum extent possible, can continue to work during such a pandemic."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
LAPPL MAKES SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE THE LAPD
The Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Police Protective League today issued the following statement regarding ways in which the LAPD might improve training and command and control in the wake of the incident in MacArthur Park on May 1st.
"Training is the backbone of good police work. Constant, updated training ensures that officers know not only what to do, but can implement the Department's policies, procedures and expectations for any given incident. The May 1 incident revealed the downside of the Department's cost-based decision over the past several years to abandon introductory training for new Metropolitan Division (Metro) officers, and to not train all officers for large tactical situations. Moving forward, the LAPD leadership also needs to evaluate the training of command staff to respond to large demonstrations."
The LAPPL recommends that any command, control and training changes in the wake of theMacArthur Park incident should include the following:
All new Metropolitan Division (Metro) officers attend "new person school" in their first deployment period assigned to Metro. Class size should be limited to 18 officers, the maximum number that can effectively be trained at one time.
All Bureau-dedicated officers assigned to the Mobile Field Force (MFF) citywide should attend a Metro-coordinated MFF training class on a quarterly basis. Thereafter, Metro training cadre should conduct random realistic readiness audits of each Bureau MFF.
A clear use-of-force policy regarding the use of batons in crowd control procedures needs to be reiterated as part of on-the-job training and disseminated to MFF officers during pre-event briefings.
All Command officers should be required to attend a full day of crowd control management classes on a yearly basis.
All LAPD officers deployed to a major crowd event should be allowed to carry on their person appropriate safety equipment, including helmet with face shield, batons and protective masks.
Anytime LAPD officers are deployed to a major incident, undercover officers should be deployed into the crowd-however, only for intelligence gathering purposes.
Anytime undercover officers are deployed into the crowd for intelligence gathering purposes, an adequate number of high-ground officers should be utilized.
Media procedures (consistent with the Crespo settlement) should be communicated to all officers assigned to an event during pre-event briefings.
In order for media to be credentialed, members of the media should be required to attend a yearly LAPD media training where they will be informed of proper procedures concerning safe areas. The continued goal of the LAPD should be to provide full and safe access to events in the city.
Officers authorized to use 37 millimeter (less lethal munitions) should receive quarterly or semi-annual training.
Metro officers should continue to test and evaluate modernized protective equipment for crowd control purposes, to ensure that the Department is using the most effective equipment at all times.
Officers assigned to reserve resources at a standby staging area during an event should not be re-assigned to non-event duties until after the event has concluded peacefully and the crowd has cleared.
Endorsing and implementing these measures will help to prevent the repetition of the kind of missteps that were made on May 1.
About the LAPPL
Formed in 1922, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents the more than 9,000 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education. The LAPPL can be found on the Web at www.LAPD.com.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
"Training is the backbone of good police work. Constant, updated training ensures that officers know not only what to do, but can implement the Department's policies, procedures and expectations for any given incident. The May 1 incident revealed the downside of the Department's cost-based decision over the past several years to abandon introductory training for new Metropolitan Division (Metro) officers, and to not train all officers for large tactical situations. Moving forward, the LAPD leadership also needs to evaluate the training of command staff to respond to large demonstrations."
The LAPPL recommends that any command, control and training changes in the wake of theMacArthur Park incident should include the following:
All new Metropolitan Division (Metro) officers attend "new person school" in their first deployment period assigned to Metro. Class size should be limited to 18 officers, the maximum number that can effectively be trained at one time.
All Bureau-dedicated officers assigned to the Mobile Field Force (MFF) citywide should attend a Metro-coordinated MFF training class on a quarterly basis. Thereafter, Metro training cadre should conduct random realistic readiness audits of each Bureau MFF.
A clear use-of-force policy regarding the use of batons in crowd control procedures needs to be reiterated as part of on-the-job training and disseminated to MFF officers during pre-event briefings.
All Command officers should be required to attend a full day of crowd control management classes on a yearly basis.
All LAPD officers deployed to a major crowd event should be allowed to carry on their person appropriate safety equipment, including helmet with face shield, batons and protective masks.
Anytime LAPD officers are deployed to a major incident, undercover officers should be deployed into the crowd-however, only for intelligence gathering purposes.
Anytime undercover officers are deployed into the crowd for intelligence gathering purposes, an adequate number of high-ground officers should be utilized.
Media procedures (consistent with the Crespo settlement) should be communicated to all officers assigned to an event during pre-event briefings.
In order for media to be credentialed, members of the media should be required to attend a yearly LAPD media training where they will be informed of proper procedures concerning safe areas. The continued goal of the LAPD should be to provide full and safe access to events in the city.
Officers authorized to use 37 millimeter (less lethal munitions) should receive quarterly or semi-annual training.
Metro officers should continue to test and evaluate modernized protective equipment for crowd control purposes, to ensure that the Department is using the most effective equipment at all times.
Officers assigned to reserve resources at a standby staging area during an event should not be re-assigned to non-event duties until after the event has concluded peacefully and the crowd has cleared.
Endorsing and implementing these measures will help to prevent the repetition of the kind of missteps that were made on May 1.
About the LAPPL
Formed in 1922, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents the more than 9,000 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education. The LAPPL can be found on the Web at www.LAPD.com.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Arizona, Arkansas and Georgia
Police-Writers.com is a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books. Four police officers from Arizona, Arkansas and Georgia was added to the website: Bryan Muth; Frank Gillette; Cory Harris; and, Harold Goldhagen.
Bryan Muth was a police officer for the Phoenix Police Department (Arizona). After his retirement in 2005, he began working as a private investigator in the Phoenix area. Bryan Muth is the author of Judging the Police. According to the book description, “the post Rodney King era police officer is more tenuous fearful of citizen complaint or prosecution than ever before in history. The "L" word (liability) is fast becoming the first concern of a cop not public safety. Officers are being reviewed through citizen groups, ADHOC committees, or civil juries whose members only yesterday told a police officer "I wouldn't do your job for a million bucks". Offenders as young as ten years old are trying to intimidate an officer from doing his job by demanding to talk to the officer's supervisor. Unfortunately, it is working! You are not as safe from crime as you would think or that police administrators and politicians would like you to believe.”
Bryan Muth is currently working on his second book, How Near Anarchy. A portion of the proceeds from his second book are slated to go a law enforcement legal defense fund based in Washington, DC, that defends police officers from unwarranted prosecution.
Frank V. Gillette retired from the Arizona Department of Public Safety. He is the author of two books, A Cop’s Diary and Pleasant Valley. In addition to his writing, he apparently stayed alert and involved. According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety monthly newsletter, in August 1984, Frank Gillette was gathering firewood west of Young Airport when he saw a large aircraft making its final approach. Frank Gillette also noted unusual activity on nearby roads. He called a narcotics officer and reported the activity, leading to one of the largest cocaine seizures in Arizona history; over 1,370 pounds with a street value of $148 million.
Cory B. Harris has over 13 years of military and law enforcement experience. He has served with The United States Air Force, Little Rock Police Department (Arkansas), United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the United States Marshal Service. He has law enforcement training and experience in field training, crime prevention, investigations, operations, apprehension, and protection. He is also a recipient of the Little Rock Police Department’s Medal of Merit. Moreover, he is the first law enforcement official from the state of Arkansas to be added to the website.
Cory B. Harris is the author of Zipper Le Series One: Outlook on Leadership And Liability Issues in the Criminal Justice System. According to the book description, Cory B. Harris’ book, “takes you behind the badge to examine tough issues in the criminal justice system. It tackles civil liability, race, and leadership issues to name a few from the outlook of the author. The author gives examples using his own experiences that are simple and easy to understand to give the reader unique insight. The book contains many case studies, and stories that are interesting yet they have a simple meaning. The book explores how different groups of people look at these issues in different ways, as well as how important it is for criminal justice officials to stay mentally fit.”
Harold Goldhagen is a retired captain from the Atlanta Police Department. He is also the author of Signal 63: Officer Needs Help. According to the book description, “As the Civil Rights Movement changed everything, Atlanta, Georgia could be any city. Cops are cops; people are people; crime is crime. Serving in the police is tough, and Officer Harold's circumstances were anything but ordinary.”
Police-Writers.com now hosts 557 police officers (representing 231 police departments) and their 1174 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.
Bryan Muth was a police officer for the Phoenix Police Department (Arizona). After his retirement in 2005, he began working as a private investigator in the Phoenix area. Bryan Muth is the author of Judging the Police. According to the book description, “the post Rodney King era police officer is more tenuous fearful of citizen complaint or prosecution than ever before in history. The "L" word (liability) is fast becoming the first concern of a cop not public safety. Officers are being reviewed through citizen groups, ADHOC committees, or civil juries whose members only yesterday told a police officer "I wouldn't do your job for a million bucks". Offenders as young as ten years old are trying to intimidate an officer from doing his job by demanding to talk to the officer's supervisor. Unfortunately, it is working! You are not as safe from crime as you would think or that police administrators and politicians would like you to believe.”
Bryan Muth is currently working on his second book, How Near Anarchy. A portion of the proceeds from his second book are slated to go a law enforcement legal defense fund based in Washington, DC, that defends police officers from unwarranted prosecution.
Frank V. Gillette retired from the Arizona Department of Public Safety. He is the author of two books, A Cop’s Diary and Pleasant Valley. In addition to his writing, he apparently stayed alert and involved. According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety monthly newsletter, in August 1984, Frank Gillette was gathering firewood west of Young Airport when he saw a large aircraft making its final approach. Frank Gillette also noted unusual activity on nearby roads. He called a narcotics officer and reported the activity, leading to one of the largest cocaine seizures in Arizona history; over 1,370 pounds with a street value of $148 million.
Cory B. Harris has over 13 years of military and law enforcement experience. He has served with The United States Air Force, Little Rock Police Department (Arkansas), United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the United States Marshal Service. He has law enforcement training and experience in field training, crime prevention, investigations, operations, apprehension, and protection. He is also a recipient of the Little Rock Police Department’s Medal of Merit. Moreover, he is the first law enforcement official from the state of Arkansas to be added to the website.
Cory B. Harris is the author of Zipper Le Series One: Outlook on Leadership And Liability Issues in the Criminal Justice System. According to the book description, Cory B. Harris’ book, “takes you behind the badge to examine tough issues in the criminal justice system. It tackles civil liability, race, and leadership issues to name a few from the outlook of the author. The author gives examples using his own experiences that are simple and easy to understand to give the reader unique insight. The book contains many case studies, and stories that are interesting yet they have a simple meaning. The book explores how different groups of people look at these issues in different ways, as well as how important it is for criminal justice officials to stay mentally fit.”
Harold Goldhagen is a retired captain from the Atlanta Police Department. He is also the author of Signal 63: Officer Needs Help. According to the book description, “As the Civil Rights Movement changed everything, Atlanta, Georgia could be any city. Cops are cops; people are people; crime is crime. Serving in the police is tough, and Officer Harold's circumstances were anything but ordinary.”
Police-Writers.com now hosts 557 police officers (representing 231 police departments) and their 1174 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Gates Offers Leadership Philosophy to Graduating Midshipmen
Editor's Note: Gates' speech is applicable to criminal justice practitioners in leadership positions.
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates urged graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy accepting commissions today into the Navy and Marine Corps to apply the lessons they learned here to become strong, decisive leaders who motivate and inspire their sailors and Marines. Speaking to the Class of 2007 at its graduation and commissioning ceremony, Gates thanked the 1,028 graduating midshipmen for choosing to serve the country at a particularly challenging time in its history.
"Today, you take on the awesome responsibility of protecting and defending the constitution of the United States and the American people," he said. "Today we ask you to make the extraordinary the expected. Today, we ask you to lead free men and women by summoning each to his or her nobility."
Gates noted the midshipmen have studied a lot about leadership during their four years in Annapolis, and said he has come to realize that real leadership is a rare commodity.
He offered his personal insights into what makes a leader, citing vision, integrity, conviction, self-confidence, courage and common decency.
Leadership takes vision, Gates told the midshipmen, and the ability to see beyond immediate tasks and challenges to what's ahead. "You must see what others do not or cannot, and then be prepared to act on your vision," he said.
Real leadership also demands integrity, Gates said, acknowledging with dismay that it's a notion many tend to consider curious and old-fashioned.
"For a real leader, personal values - self-reliance, self-control, honor, truthfulness, morality - are absolute," he said. "These are the building blocks of character, of integrity, and only on that foundation can true leadership be built."
Gates called deep conviction another critical leadership quality. "True leadership is a fire in the mind" that's able to transform and transfix others, he said "It is a strength of purpose and belief in a cause that reaches out to others, touches their hearts, and makes them eager to follow."
A true leader exhibits self-confidence, the secretary said. He emphasized that he wasn't referring to "chest-thumping, strutting egotism," but rather, "a quiet self-assurance that allows a leader to give others both real responsibility and credit for success."
A self-confident leader is able to make decisions, then delegate and trust others to carry them out, he said. In doing so, Gates said, the leader "doesn't cast such a large shadow that no one else can grow."
As essential as vision, integrity, deep conviction and self-confidence are to leadership, they aren't enough to make a leader, he told the midshipmen. "A leader must have the courage to act, often against the will of the crowd," he said.
A true leader works as a team, but also must be willing to buck popular opinion and take an independent stand when it's necessary, the secretary said. "Don't kid yourself," he told the midshipmen. "That takes courage."
As the graduates move on to their Navy and Marine Corps careers, Gates reminded them to apply another quality of real leadership: common decency. A true leader treats everyone - superiors, peers and subordinates alike - with fairness, respect and dignity, he said.
Gates urged the graduates to use their authority as military officers constructively to care for their sailors and Marines and help them improve and advance themselves. This, in turn, will build respect and loyalty, he said.
"Common decency builds respect and, in a democratic society, respect is what prompts people to give their all for a leader, even at personal sacrifice," he said.
Gates thanked the graduating midshipmen for choosing to serve the country at a time their country needs them and their leadership abilities.
He noted that most were high school juniors when the United States came under terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001, and all could have chosen an easier, less demanding path.
"You, however, are special, because you are among those who have chosen to deserve, to defend the dreams of others," he said. "And that sets you apart."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 25, 2007 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates urged graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy accepting commissions today into the Navy and Marine Corps to apply the lessons they learned here to become strong, decisive leaders who motivate and inspire their sailors and Marines. Speaking to the Class of 2007 at its graduation and commissioning ceremony, Gates thanked the 1,028 graduating midshipmen for choosing to serve the country at a particularly challenging time in its history.
"Today, you take on the awesome responsibility of protecting and defending the constitution of the United States and the American people," he said. "Today we ask you to make the extraordinary the expected. Today, we ask you to lead free men and women by summoning each to his or her nobility."
Gates noted the midshipmen have studied a lot about leadership during their four years in Annapolis, and said he has come to realize that real leadership is a rare commodity.
He offered his personal insights into what makes a leader, citing vision, integrity, conviction, self-confidence, courage and common decency.
Leadership takes vision, Gates told the midshipmen, and the ability to see beyond immediate tasks and challenges to what's ahead. "You must see what others do not or cannot, and then be prepared to act on your vision," he said.
Real leadership also demands integrity, Gates said, acknowledging with dismay that it's a notion many tend to consider curious and old-fashioned.
"For a real leader, personal values - self-reliance, self-control, honor, truthfulness, morality - are absolute," he said. "These are the building blocks of character, of integrity, and only on that foundation can true leadership be built."
Gates called deep conviction another critical leadership quality. "True leadership is a fire in the mind" that's able to transform and transfix others, he said "It is a strength of purpose and belief in a cause that reaches out to others, touches their hearts, and makes them eager to follow."
A true leader exhibits self-confidence, the secretary said. He emphasized that he wasn't referring to "chest-thumping, strutting egotism," but rather, "a quiet self-assurance that allows a leader to give others both real responsibility and credit for success."
A self-confident leader is able to make decisions, then delegate and trust others to carry them out, he said. In doing so, Gates said, the leader "doesn't cast such a large shadow that no one else can grow."
As essential as vision, integrity, deep conviction and self-confidence are to leadership, they aren't enough to make a leader, he told the midshipmen. "A leader must have the courage to act, often against the will of the crowd," he said.
A true leader works as a team, but also must be willing to buck popular opinion and take an independent stand when it's necessary, the secretary said. "Don't kid yourself," he told the midshipmen. "That takes courage."
As the graduates move on to their Navy and Marine Corps careers, Gates reminded them to apply another quality of real leadership: common decency. A true leader treats everyone - superiors, peers and subordinates alike - with fairness, respect and dignity, he said.
Gates urged the graduates to use their authority as military officers constructively to care for their sailors and Marines and help them improve and advance themselves. This, in turn, will build respect and loyalty, he said.
"Common decency builds respect and, in a democratic society, respect is what prompts people to give their all for a leader, even at personal sacrifice," he said.
Gates thanked the graduating midshipmen for choosing to serve the country at a time their country needs them and their leadership abilities.
He noted that most were high school juniors when the United States came under terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001, and all could have chosen an easier, less demanding path.
"You, however, are special, because you are among those who have chosen to deserve, to defend the dreams of others," he said. "And that sets you apart."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Service Academies Retain Principles, Embrace Change to Train Future Leaders
Editors Note: Some excellent advice in here for domestic law enforcement.
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 24, 2007 – As "ruffles and flourishes" rings through the three U.S. military academies over the next few days, several thousand new graduates will accept their commissions and join the military ranks. These young second lieutenants and ensigns all enrolled in their respective schools -- the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y.; the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.; and the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. -- recognizing they'd graduate into a wartime force.
Most were sophomores in high school when they watched televised images of the Twin Towers falling and the Pentagon burning, then the U.S. going to war in Afghanistan. Most hadn't yet been to their senior proms when the country entered Iraq. This week they'll leave their schoolhouses behind to join their fellow soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines serving around the world in the war on terror.
To get a better picture of how their schools have prepared them for this calling, American Forces Press Service spoke with their academic deans and alumni who have risen to the senior military ranks.
Here's what they had to say about what has changed at their institutions and what remains fundamental, and how they're helping ensure their graduates are ready for the challenges they'll confront as military officers.
The Basics
Although they're four-year schools like thousands of others that dot the United States, the U.S. service academies stand uniquely apart. All were founded with the specific goal of educating military leaders -- people who understand not just the art and science of war, but also the fundamentals of leadership.
That's a principle the academies have held at their core as they strive to develop what Army Col. Dan Ragsdale, vice dean at West Point and a 1981 graduate, calls "critical thinkers" armed with the education and training they need to think on their feet.
"Our expectations are that these future leaders are going to have to draw on a relatively broad set of skills, backgrounds and experiences to help solve the problems that they are going to confront in ... a greatly ambiguous world in which they are going to have to operate," he said.
To develop those skills, the academies offer curricula that recently retired Army Gen. John Abizaid, a 1973 West Point graduate who went on to lead U.S. Central Command, described as "some of the most challenging in the nation today."
The coursework is steeped in science, math and engineering so graduates are prepared to enter a highly technical military, whether they'll be flying aircraft, serving on nuclear-powered submarines or calling in air strikes as they lead ground forces in combat, explained William Miller, academic dean and provost at the Naval Academy and a 1962 graduate.
"We want to ensure all our graduates have a good, solid technical foundation for serving as an officer in a very, very technically demanding environment," he said.
Equally important, officials agree, is an understanding of the world in which they'll operate. All three academies have expanded their curricula to increasingly focus on regional studies and language skills.
"The kinds of problems that our ... graduates will face are across a broad spectrum, so we have to give them a technological foundation," Ragsdale said. "But we also have to give them a social and cultural perspective around which to address and solve problems. We have to help them understand and appreciate the political aspects of any problem they are trying to address."
More Than Academics
There may be no pat formula for preparing new officers to serve in wartime, but officials agreed it requires more than mastery of academics.
"Our graduates are not going to be historians and mechanical engineers," Miller said. "They are going to be leaders and problem solvers in a very demanding environment."
There's no possible way to train students for every possible situation they'll encounter when they enter military service, the officials agreed.
"That's a given," Ragsdale said. "But because we know that, we have worked to create an environment where they can develop as the adaptable, agile, critical thinkers they need to be to lead the soldiers who will be entrusted to their care."
The academies strive to prepare cadets and midshipmen to look at problems from multiple dimensions and to juggle priorities.
Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that's one of the biggest lessons he took away from his Naval Academy experience.
"At school, there was always too much to do, and in the Marine Corps, there has always been too much to do," Pace said. "Therefore, you really have to take the important and set it aside to do the critical."
Pace said being bombarded with myriad demands as a midshipman reinforced the importance of teamwork, another principle he said he's carried throughout his career. "In combat, there is nothing you do as an individual," he said. "It's all based on teamwork."
Developing Leaders
While developing their cadets and midshipmen intellectually, the academies also focus on developing them as leaders.
Abizaid said the most important lesson the academies need to instill is "the ability to lead people in a positive, inspirational way."
From their first days at their respective schools, cadets and midshipmen get exposed to valuable lessons in leadership. Initially they observe upperclassmen serving in various leadership positions -- some successfully, some less so. Later, students try their own hand at leadership posts. Through this process, they begin to understand what leadership style works for them, what doesn't, and how they can improve their leadership skills.
Gen. John Corley, Air Force vice chief of staff and a 1973 graduate of the Air Force Academy, described his alma mater as a "leadership laboratory" where cadets exposed him and his fellow cadets to "a set of experiences that you just don't find in other places."
"They also provided challenges," Corley said. "It was a test ... in terms of your development (and) ... your ability to grow and become a leader of character."
"I learned a lot from observing good leadership, and from observing bad leadership, and through experimentation on my own part, trying things that worked or didn't work for me," Pace said of his time at the Naval Academy.
That's the single biggest difference between the military academies and traditional civilian colleges and universities, the deans and alumni agreed.
"Our first and foremost overarching outcome is to commission ... leaders of character who embody our ... core values of integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do," said Brig. Gen. Dana Born, dean of faculty for the Air Force Academy and a 1983 graduate. "It stands at the very foundation of what we do."
Miller said leadership lessons learned at the academies have a long-lasting impact on how graduates confront problems.
"No matter what (military) community our graduates enter, ... they are going to be leaders, and we want to ensure they have a good ethical foundation for the decisions they are going to make," he said.
Educating for the Future
While preparing their cadets and midshipmen for the immediate requirements they'll face as graduates, academy officials say they recognize the need to keep their eyes focused on the horizon.
"We try to stay balanced and not hyper-reactive," Ragsdale said. "We recognize that we're providing a foundation upon which they can develop as successful officers."
"We can't just focus on the fact that we are currently engaged in a shooting war ... and think only about what (midshipmen) are going to need right after graduation," agreed Miller. "We need to look at what (future officers) are going to need for the longer term and recognize that we're preparing them for a career of service."
By approaching education as a "strategic investment," Miller said, the academies are helping students recognize that their education will be just beginning as they accept their commissions.
"We are trying to lay a foundation on which they can build over their career and continue to learn," he said. "That's important, because being in the armed services demands lifetime learning."
Change
The biggest misconception about the academies is that they're so embedded in tradition that they can't or won't change with the times, officials said.
"That is about as far from the truth as you can get," Ragsdale said. "On the contrary, we understand ... that our graduates have to be prepared for a changing world. So while we hold on to our firm foundations upon which the institution was built, we have embraced change to ensure we are providing the kinds of experiences our cadets need to be successful in the world they are going to face when they graduate."
Born described sweeping changes in the Air Force Academy's core curriculum so courses build on previous lessons and broaden students' exposure to new concepts and approaches. The other academies have instituted similar changes.
These changes are helping ensure students have a foundation from which to draw when they graduate into a wartime environment. "We need students to learn and be able to build upon prior learning, as opposed to just teaching and hoping that they remember it when they need it when they are in downtown Baghdad making decisions," Born said.
Intraservice Cooperation
An intensive system of sharing and cooperation is helping the academies evolve to better serve their students' and services' needs. Staffs meet in person and share e-mails regularly to keep each other informed about new initiatives they're trying and what they've learned along the way.
"We are trying to learn from each other in a leap-frog fashion rather than all of us learning linearly and stumbling over the same obstacles," Miller said.
"We have very common goals and a common set of outcomes that we would like all our graduates to achieve," Ragsdale agreed. "So we share those things that have worked, and on the flip side, those initiatives that have not been successful so they can learn from our mistakes."
Born said the academies recognize their similarities and build on each others' strengths. "We ... team together to share lessons learned and best practices. We learn from each other and are able to progress more quickly by sharing our lessons learned," she said.
So despite infamous interservice rivalry in the sports arena, Born said, there's a healthy respect and common understanding among academy students, graduates and staffs.
"When it comes to the football field, there is all kinds of talk and all kinds of competition," she said. "But when it comes right down to it, we are all working toward commissioning officers and leaders of character for our nation."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
May 24, 2007 – As "ruffles and flourishes" rings through the three U.S. military academies over the next few days, several thousand new graduates will accept their commissions and join the military ranks. These young second lieutenants and ensigns all enrolled in their respective schools -- the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y.; the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.; and the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. -- recognizing they'd graduate into a wartime force.
Most were sophomores in high school when they watched televised images of the Twin Towers falling and the Pentagon burning, then the U.S. going to war in Afghanistan. Most hadn't yet been to their senior proms when the country entered Iraq. This week they'll leave their schoolhouses behind to join their fellow soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines serving around the world in the war on terror.
To get a better picture of how their schools have prepared them for this calling, American Forces Press Service spoke with their academic deans and alumni who have risen to the senior military ranks.
Here's what they had to say about what has changed at their institutions and what remains fundamental, and how they're helping ensure their graduates are ready for the challenges they'll confront as military officers.
The Basics
Although they're four-year schools like thousands of others that dot the United States, the U.S. service academies stand uniquely apart. All were founded with the specific goal of educating military leaders -- people who understand not just the art and science of war, but also the fundamentals of leadership.
That's a principle the academies have held at their core as they strive to develop what Army Col. Dan Ragsdale, vice dean at West Point and a 1981 graduate, calls "critical thinkers" armed with the education and training they need to think on their feet.
"Our expectations are that these future leaders are going to have to draw on a relatively broad set of skills, backgrounds and experiences to help solve the problems that they are going to confront in ... a greatly ambiguous world in which they are going to have to operate," he said.
To develop those skills, the academies offer curricula that recently retired Army Gen. John Abizaid, a 1973 West Point graduate who went on to lead U.S. Central Command, described as "some of the most challenging in the nation today."
The coursework is steeped in science, math and engineering so graduates are prepared to enter a highly technical military, whether they'll be flying aircraft, serving on nuclear-powered submarines or calling in air strikes as they lead ground forces in combat, explained William Miller, academic dean and provost at the Naval Academy and a 1962 graduate.
"We want to ensure all our graduates have a good, solid technical foundation for serving as an officer in a very, very technically demanding environment," he said.
Equally important, officials agree, is an understanding of the world in which they'll operate. All three academies have expanded their curricula to increasingly focus on regional studies and language skills.
"The kinds of problems that our ... graduates will face are across a broad spectrum, so we have to give them a technological foundation," Ragsdale said. "But we also have to give them a social and cultural perspective around which to address and solve problems. We have to help them understand and appreciate the political aspects of any problem they are trying to address."
More Than Academics
There may be no pat formula for preparing new officers to serve in wartime, but officials agreed it requires more than mastery of academics.
"Our graduates are not going to be historians and mechanical engineers," Miller said. "They are going to be leaders and problem solvers in a very demanding environment."
There's no possible way to train students for every possible situation they'll encounter when they enter military service, the officials agreed.
"That's a given," Ragsdale said. "But because we know that, we have worked to create an environment where they can develop as the adaptable, agile, critical thinkers they need to be to lead the soldiers who will be entrusted to their care."
The academies strive to prepare cadets and midshipmen to look at problems from multiple dimensions and to juggle priorities.
Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that's one of the biggest lessons he took away from his Naval Academy experience.
"At school, there was always too much to do, and in the Marine Corps, there has always been too much to do," Pace said. "Therefore, you really have to take the important and set it aside to do the critical."
Pace said being bombarded with myriad demands as a midshipman reinforced the importance of teamwork, another principle he said he's carried throughout his career. "In combat, there is nothing you do as an individual," he said. "It's all based on teamwork."
Developing Leaders
While developing their cadets and midshipmen intellectually, the academies also focus on developing them as leaders.
Abizaid said the most important lesson the academies need to instill is "the ability to lead people in a positive, inspirational way."
From their first days at their respective schools, cadets and midshipmen get exposed to valuable lessons in leadership. Initially they observe upperclassmen serving in various leadership positions -- some successfully, some less so. Later, students try their own hand at leadership posts. Through this process, they begin to understand what leadership style works for them, what doesn't, and how they can improve their leadership skills.
Gen. John Corley, Air Force vice chief of staff and a 1973 graduate of the Air Force Academy, described his alma mater as a "leadership laboratory" where cadets exposed him and his fellow cadets to "a set of experiences that you just don't find in other places."
"They also provided challenges," Corley said. "It was a test ... in terms of your development (and) ... your ability to grow and become a leader of character."
"I learned a lot from observing good leadership, and from observing bad leadership, and through experimentation on my own part, trying things that worked or didn't work for me," Pace said of his time at the Naval Academy.
That's the single biggest difference between the military academies and traditional civilian colleges and universities, the deans and alumni agreed.
"Our first and foremost overarching outcome is to commission ... leaders of character who embody our ... core values of integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do," said Brig. Gen. Dana Born, dean of faculty for the Air Force Academy and a 1983 graduate. "It stands at the very foundation of what we do."
Miller said leadership lessons learned at the academies have a long-lasting impact on how graduates confront problems.
"No matter what (military) community our graduates enter, ... they are going to be leaders, and we want to ensure they have a good ethical foundation for the decisions they are going to make," he said.
Educating for the Future
While preparing their cadets and midshipmen for the immediate requirements they'll face as graduates, academy officials say they recognize the need to keep their eyes focused on the horizon.
"We try to stay balanced and not hyper-reactive," Ragsdale said. "We recognize that we're providing a foundation upon which they can develop as successful officers."
"We can't just focus on the fact that we are currently engaged in a shooting war ... and think only about what (midshipmen) are going to need right after graduation," agreed Miller. "We need to look at what (future officers) are going to need for the longer term and recognize that we're preparing them for a career of service."
By approaching education as a "strategic investment," Miller said, the academies are helping students recognize that their education will be just beginning as they accept their commissions.
"We are trying to lay a foundation on which they can build over their career and continue to learn," he said. "That's important, because being in the armed services demands lifetime learning."
Change
The biggest misconception about the academies is that they're so embedded in tradition that they can't or won't change with the times, officials said.
"That is about as far from the truth as you can get," Ragsdale said. "On the contrary, we understand ... that our graduates have to be prepared for a changing world. So while we hold on to our firm foundations upon which the institution was built, we have embraced change to ensure we are providing the kinds of experiences our cadets need to be successful in the world they are going to face when they graduate."
Born described sweeping changes in the Air Force Academy's core curriculum so courses build on previous lessons and broaden students' exposure to new concepts and approaches. The other academies have instituted similar changes.
These changes are helping ensure students have a foundation from which to draw when they graduate into a wartime environment. "We need students to learn and be able to build upon prior learning, as opposed to just teaching and hoping that they remember it when they need it when they are in downtown Baghdad making decisions," Born said.
Intraservice Cooperation
An intensive system of sharing and cooperation is helping the academies evolve to better serve their students' and services' needs. Staffs meet in person and share e-mails regularly to keep each other informed about new initiatives they're trying and what they've learned along the way.
"We are trying to learn from each other in a leap-frog fashion rather than all of us learning linearly and stumbling over the same obstacles," Miller said.
"We have very common goals and a common set of outcomes that we would like all our graduates to achieve," Ragsdale agreed. "So we share those things that have worked, and on the flip side, those initiatives that have not been successful so they can learn from our mistakes."
Born said the academies recognize their similarities and build on each others' strengths. "We ... team together to share lessons learned and best practices. We learn from each other and are able to progress more quickly by sharing our lessons learned," she said.
So despite infamous interservice rivalry in the sports arena, Born said, there's a healthy respect and common understanding among academy students, graduates and staffs.
"When it comes to the football field, there is all kinds of talk and all kinds of competition," she said. "But when it comes right down to it, we are all working toward commissioning officers and leaders of character for our nation."
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program (CEDAP) FY2007
CEDAP Application Period Extended!
Application Deadline: June 29, 2007, 23:59EDT
The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program (CEDAP) is an important component of the Administration's larger, coordinated effort to strengthen the Nation's overall level of preparedness. CEDAP transfers specialized commercial equipment, equipment training, and equipment technical assistance directly to smaller jurisdictions and eligible metropolitan areas.
TThe FY 2007 CEDAP will provide equipment, equipment training, and equipment technical assistance valued at approximately $33.7 million to first responder organizations across the Nation. This competitive program is a direct assistance program, not a grant program, and FEMA will provide the equipment and technical assistance directly to the selected jurisdictions.
CEDAP's equipment offerings include:
Personal Protective Equipment
Thermal Imaging, Night Vision, and Video Surveillance
Chemical and Biological Detection
Information Technology and Risk Management Tools
Interoperable Communications Equipment/Technology
Eligible Agencies
Eligible applicants include law enforcement agencies, fire, and other emergency responders who demonstrate that the equipment will be used to improve their ability and capacity to respond to a major critical incident or work with other first responders. Awardees must not have received equipment/funding under the Urban Areas Security Initiative or the Assistance to Firefighters Grants program for which the Award Date is October 1, 2005 or later. Awardees that have received grant assistance from FEMA under FEMA's Interoperable Communications Equipment (ICE) program are not eligible for interoperable communications equipment under CEDAP. Organizations must submit applications through the Responder Knowledge Base (RKB) website at www.rkb.mipt.org.
Agencies and departments are allowed to submit only one application per year under CEDAP. Receipt of multiple applications from different divisions or units of the same agency or department will automatically disqualify the applicant from consideration for all CEDAP applications submitted. Applicants should select items from the CEDAP Equipment Catalog that they have been unable to acquire through other DHS programs.
Apply Online
The CEDAP application is online at the Responder Knowledge Base (RKB) website at http://www.rkb.mipt.org/.
You must register as an RKB user before you can access the application form.
For More Information
Prospective applicants should direct any questions regarding CEDAP, the application process, or the awards process to the Centralized Scheduling and Information Desk (CSID) at 1-800-368-6498 or via e-mail at askcsid@dhs.gov.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Application Deadline: June 29, 2007, 23:59EDT
The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program (CEDAP) is an important component of the Administration's larger, coordinated effort to strengthen the Nation's overall level of preparedness. CEDAP transfers specialized commercial equipment, equipment training, and equipment technical assistance directly to smaller jurisdictions and eligible metropolitan areas.
TThe FY 2007 CEDAP will provide equipment, equipment training, and equipment technical assistance valued at approximately $33.7 million to first responder organizations across the Nation. This competitive program is a direct assistance program, not a grant program, and FEMA will provide the equipment and technical assistance directly to the selected jurisdictions.
CEDAP's equipment offerings include:
Personal Protective Equipment
Thermal Imaging, Night Vision, and Video Surveillance
Chemical and Biological Detection
Information Technology and Risk Management Tools
Interoperable Communications Equipment/Technology
Eligible Agencies
Eligible applicants include law enforcement agencies, fire, and other emergency responders who demonstrate that the equipment will be used to improve their ability and capacity to respond to a major critical incident or work with other first responders. Awardees must not have received equipment/funding under the Urban Areas Security Initiative or the Assistance to Firefighters Grants program for which the Award Date is October 1, 2005 or later. Awardees that have received grant assistance from FEMA under FEMA's Interoperable Communications Equipment (ICE) program are not eligible for interoperable communications equipment under CEDAP. Organizations must submit applications through the Responder Knowledge Base (RKB) website at www.rkb.mipt.org.
Agencies and departments are allowed to submit only one application per year under CEDAP. Receipt of multiple applications from different divisions or units of the same agency or department will automatically disqualify the applicant from consideration for all CEDAP applications submitted. Applicants should select items from the CEDAP Equipment Catalog that they have been unable to acquire through other DHS programs.
Apply Online
The CEDAP application is online at the Responder Knowledge Base (RKB) website at http://www.rkb.mipt.org/.
You must register as an RKB user before you can access the application form.
For More Information
Prospective applicants should direct any questions regarding CEDAP, the application process, or the awards process to the Centralized Scheduling and Information Desk (CSID) at 1-800-368-6498 or via e-mail at askcsid@dhs.gov.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
Program Takes 'LEEP' for America
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
May 23, 2007 – U.S. servicemembers are working overseas to build capable police forces, and a member organization of the Defense Department's America Supports You program is helping that cause. America Supports You connects citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
"The Law Enforcement Equipment Program facilitates the transfer of used law enforcement equipment to any American armed forces unit to be used to equip or train a friendly foreign police force," said Steve Newton a former police chief, who founded LEEP.
"We do not carry an inventory of equipment," he explained. "We simply act as a go-between for the American law enforcement community and the military."
The program also will assist in the transfer of needed equipment directly to the foreign police units if they're supervised by the United States, Newton, who also is a Marine and Navy veteran, added.
The Law Enforcement Equipment Program began to help an under-equipped Iraqi police force, he said. The program has since expanded to include Afghanistan and other areas where U.S. forces are training, or supervising the training, of foreign law officers.
"I believe that it is our responsibility to assist our armed forces in any and all ways possible," he said on the program's Web site.
The needs expressed by the servicemembers on behalf of the foreign law officers include everything from reflective belts and vests to body armor, batons and handcuffs. Some areas also are asking for riot control sets, gloves and even traffic cones.
America Supports You often serves as a way for a group to network and find another group that can fulfill a request it can't. This has been the case for The Law Enforcement Equipment Program, Newton said. His program has received several referrals from other America Supports You members.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
May 23, 2007 – U.S. servicemembers are working overseas to build capable police forces, and a member organization of the Defense Department's America Supports You program is helping that cause. America Supports You connects citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.
"The Law Enforcement Equipment Program facilitates the transfer of used law enforcement equipment to any American armed forces unit to be used to equip or train a friendly foreign police force," said Steve Newton a former police chief, who founded LEEP.
"We do not carry an inventory of equipment," he explained. "We simply act as a go-between for the American law enforcement community and the military."
The program also will assist in the transfer of needed equipment directly to the foreign police units if they're supervised by the United States, Newton, who also is a Marine and Navy veteran, added.
The Law Enforcement Equipment Program began to help an under-equipped Iraqi police force, he said. The program has since expanded to include Afghanistan and other areas where U.S. forces are training, or supervising the training, of foreign law officers.
"I believe that it is our responsibility to assist our armed forces in any and all ways possible," he said on the program's Web site.
The needs expressed by the servicemembers on behalf of the foreign law officers include everything from reflective belts and vests to body armor, batons and handcuffs. Some areas also are asking for riot control sets, gloves and even traffic cones.
America Supports You often serves as a way for a group to network and find another group that can fulfill a request it can't. This has been the case for The Law Enforcement Equipment Program, Newton said. His program has received several referrals from other America Supports You members.
Article sponsored by criminal justice online leadership; and, police and military personnel who have authored books.
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