By Michael Kashiktchian
There are currently differing perspectives on the use of body worn cameras. One of the most controversial aspects of body worn cameras is the question of whether to allow line-level officers to view their recorded video prior to writing a police report. What are the pros and cons of allowing officers to review footage from body worn cameras?
By Daniel Scorza
Undetectable weapons like the nylon fiber knife are often overlooked by police because they are intended to bypass metal detectors and security wands. However, these knives are just as capable as their metal cousins of causing great bodily harm and even death. Police must be aware of these types of weapons and enhance their security screening techniques.
By Christopher L. McFarlin, J.D., Criminal Justice
Police agencies must consider the potential liability of having reserve officers who are undertrained, insufficiently equipped, or poorly screened. Some police agencies create a substantial contrast between their reserve officers and their full-time officers. It is essential for administrators to understand that the courts do not make this distinction when assessing liability. With no effective distinction in the views of the law or the public, agencies must hold their reserves to the same level of scrutiny as regular officers when hiring, terminating, training, and developing them.
By Leischen Stelter
It is estimated that between 1.5 and 2 million older adults are abused every year, however, only 1 in 24 cases are reported. This means that law enforcement is missing or overlooking a lot of cases. Learn more about the signs of elder abuse and how police should investigate suspected cases.
As Kim Davis heads back to court, human-resources staff and employment lawyers around the country are revisiting their policies and practices around accommodating workers’ religious beliefs and practices. Davis is the Rowan County, Kentucky clerk who refused to issue marriage certificates to same-sex couples, contending that doing so would contravene her religious beliefs. Religious accommodation requests occur in many public agencies, including police departments. AMU professor Gary Minor writes about cases involving religious accommodation requests and their impact law enforcement agencies.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced the creation of a new office, the domestic terrorism counsel, which will focus on countering homegrown extremists. However, much of the responsibility to fight domestic terrorism has fallen on the shoulders of local law enforcement. Will the DOJ’s creation of the domestic terrorism counsel help determine how law enforcement fits into the fight against domestic terrorism?
President Obama delivered a nearly hour-long address during the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) annual conference in an effort to gain support from law enforcement for his efforts to reform the criminal justice system and implement stricter gun-control laws. To build support from this skeptical audience, Obama delivered a speech that addressed many of the challenges police face and offered measures such as increasing budgets so agencies can hire more officers to focus on enhancing community relationships. Learn more about what Obama proposed to help police agencies across the nation.
