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The International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST) in partnership with Envisage Technologies unveiled the National Certification Program (NCP), a broadly supported national training standard for law enforcement continuing education programs. IADLEST is a catalyst for law enforcement innovation. The association focuses on the pressing issues of training and standards and created the NCP with the primary goal of improving training quality for law enforcement officers. The NCP applies rigorous standards on training content ensuring that providers incorporate best practices. IADLEST then enforces these standards for providers wishing to be recognized for excellence in law enforcement training. The NCP will also simplify access to quality training by aggregating certified courses in a national training catalog. Departments will be able to easily search for certified training from providers from around the Nation that have met the quality standard.

Unmanned aircraft systems can be used in a variety of contexts. Hobbyists fly them for private use, as they might a model aircraft. E-commerce giant Amazon is exploring the use of drones for rapid product delivery. Drones are also used for humanitarian purposes, surveying damage caused by natural disasters. The versatility of drones entices state and local law enforcement agencies, as well. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection, for example, deployed UAS to help monitor areas that are difficult to traverse along the Mexican and Canadian borders. When drones detect movement in these places, the CBP is able to send human agents equipped to deliver medical assistance. For local law enforcement, however, drone use is often misunderstood. As quickly as police departments find ways to leverage the benefits of unmanned vehicles, public criticism of such operations can shut them down. Along with an investment in technology and crafting good policy, public perception is a critical factor that law enforcement needs to address.

Law enforcement agencies across the U.S. are still experiencing the effects of a recovering economy. Lowered state funding continues to slash local budgets, compelling many departments to lay off officers. Agencies are faced with the choice to have their remaining officers focus on law enforcement or administrative duties, the former being the priority. As a result, they may look to engage people who are not sworn officers to complete critical administrative tasks. The concept of civilianization is not a new one, but the shift toward civilianization that occurred near the end of the 20th century was substantial. In 1965, the ratio of sworn officers to civilians employed by law enforcement agencies was 8.3:1, and in 1995 the ratio was 2.6:1. In general, civilians have been employed to a greater extent in large metropolitan police departments than small departments. They are employed more in the west than the east, and also are employed in greater proportions in city and county departments than in state agencies. Increasing civilian employment in law enforcement may help organizations address the diminished number of sworn officers. Civilianization of police departments offers many advantages and disadvantages for organizations that should be reviewed before making this transition.

The number of law enforcement line of duty deaths in the U.S. dropped to its lowest level in six decades in 2013. Preliminary data released Monday in the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund's annual research bulletin noted that this was also the second year in a row the number of fatalities dropped and that the fewest number of officers were killed in firearms-related incidents since the 1800s

Driven by shrinking public coffers, state and local governments face a growing number of challenges. Law enforcement organizations are particularly at risk due to legacy technologies that compound costs through implementation expenses, maintenance fees, software upgrades and hardware purchases. More and more, this hidden price is motivating law enforcement departments to try cloud computing-Software as a Service (SaaS), in particular-to bring down costs and increase flexibility. To gain those benefits, however, departments must be able to overcome new issues involving information security, data management, and protecting confidentiality.

Through the first half of fiscal year 2015, the Department of Justice distributed $505 million in grants to law enforcement agencies. Since each grant serves a distinct purpose, departments are required to follow specific guidelines both as part of the application process and after funding begins. Local precincts and sheriff's offices are advised to anticipate the depth and bureaucracy that accompanies such opportunities by thoroughly understanding how grants work and how they benefit law enforcement operations.

The interests of public safety demand that law enforcement training programs should be continuously updated. Over the past few decades, federal and state authorities responded to this demand by passing legislation geared toward improving basic law enforcement training programs. This legislation intended to present officers with realistic challenges they may face and solutions they must employ in the line of duty. Within this real-life frame, individual departments can tailor their own local training strategies to provide the most effective tactics for their specific jurisdictions.

The introduction of the iPhone, and with it the smartphone revolution in 2007, has been both a boon and a bane for law enforcement. While apps and constant connectivity have enhanced police officers' productivity, the legal landscape surrounding society's use of these devices continues to evolve. The resulting uncertainty occasionally leads to makeshift policies, undesirable press coverage, and lengthy court battles. As the law in this domain solidifies, departments must be quick to recognize appropriate tactics and quickly adopt effective policies. A more pronounced area of smartphone jurisprudence centers around citizens recording on-duty police officers, which is now legal in every jurisdiction of the United States. Nevertheless, misunderstandings about two-party consent laws and wiretap statutes have resulted in a substantial number of improper arrests and detentions in recent years. As a result, departments have not only been responsible for more than $1 million in related settlements over the past three years, but have also faced heavy scrutiny by the public and in the media for these events. Through proactive training, departments have an opportunity to stop the bleeding of public trust and shape perception of law enforcement for the better.

Bloomington-based Envisage Technologies, the leading provider of law enforcement and public safety training and compliance solutions, announced today that the Wyoming Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST) and Law Enforcement Academy has awarded them a contract for the Acadis® Readiness Suite. This will support legally defensible training and certification records for their 4,000 sworn law enforcement officers.

New York State is offering a unique training program for law enforcement today in Utica, aimed at giving agencies resources and information to better address critical incidents, such as the death of one of their own in the line of duty or as a result of suicide. The state Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) developed the TRAUMA (Trauma Resources and Unified Management Assistance) program as part of its mission to offer trainings for law enforcement agencies and officers so they can better serve their communities. DCJS Executive Deputy Commissioner Michael C. Green said: "As a former prosecutor, I have seen first-hand the toll that a line-of-duty death or devastating injury can have on a department. Men and women on the front lines of this state's fight against crime may be reluctant to share their grief or on-the-job experiences with co-workers, family, and friends, which can lead to extreme stress. The aim of this training is to provide a line of defense for those officers to help themselves, each other and their families."

New technology is changing the way law enforcement agencies fight crime. Wearable tech is already being tested in police departments, and the next wave of gadgets could consist of applications that predict crime before it even occurs.

Law enforcement training requires a significant investment of resources. The time, money and manpower needed to conduct proper training practices can drain even the largest and most well-funded department. Training compliance is particularly difficult for agencies in smaller communities.

The International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST) announced a partnership with Envisage Technologies to develop a National Certification Program for law enforcement continuing education.

Law enforcement agents are trained to handle a variety of life-threatening situations, from talking down a suspect wielding a weapon to evacuating large areas following a natural disaster. Even when officers are well prepared, certain situations may require the assistance of other professionals. These professionals become especially important when law enforcement agents engage people with severe mental illness (SMI). In the U.S., one in four adults experiences mental illness. For 9.3 million Americans the problems can be severe enough to impede their ability to act rationally. Most people suffering a mental illness are not violent, criminal or dangerous. Yet, they are ten times more likely to be incarcerated than committed to a state psychiatric hospital. Increasingly, police officers serve as the first line of contact when those living with mental illness are at their most disoriented.

Law enforcement agencies depend on new technology to help them ensure public safety. One such innovation is virtual firearms training, a practice facility that replaces traditional guns with digital ones. Several agencies across the U.S. are exploring use of virtual firearms training to save costs, increase efficiency and flexibility, and dramatically lower the risks to officers.

No matter the industry, your job requires you to develop a particular mindset in order to perform well. Whether you fabricate metal, perform surgery, or control operations in a large company, your mind must be focused on the task at hand. For law enforcement professionals, the right mindset necessitates some cynicism. Cynicism is an inherent part of police culture. Outside of the first responder and military network, law enforcement officers face situations unlike other professions. Officers constantly assess situations by determining the credibility and potential threat of people they encounter. In a 2012 publication, researchers Juha Kaarianen and Reino Siren noted how this practice can slip into other interactions: "The suspicious, cynical attitude of the police towards citizens is a natural consequence of their constant interactions with dangerous unreliable individuals." The cynical mind begins to diminish trust and drives constant assessment of others. Whether on- or off-duty, constant questions linger in an officer's mind: Can you trust that the person approaching you is going to simply walk by without attempting to harm you? Can you trust that the figure walking down a residential sidewalk is not looking for an easy target to attack or the next home to burglarize? A cynical mind may seem like a negative facet of police life, but the ability to carefully assess situations and react accordingly is a sign of a seasoned and well-trained officer.

Gary Sommers has over 40 years service in law enforcement first with the Prince George's Police Department and now with the Montgomery County Police Department both of which are in Maryland. It was while he was working on the Prince George's County SWAT Team in 1988 that Gary was involved in a Blue on Blue shooting that resulted in the death of his best friend and partner, Sgt. Mark Murphy.

he International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards Training (IADLEST) 2015 Conference wrapped up June 3 with over 500 attendees, sponsors and exhibitors converging on San Antonio, Texas. The conference offered presentations in IADLEST mission-critical areas such as law enforcement standards and training, executive level skills, training best practices, and technology innovation.

Wearable tech is emerging as a potential resource for law enforcement agencies. New tools like Google Glass can be used in the field as an effective way of protecting officers by providing information and communication support, as well as documenting procedures for use in court. These innovations are not limited to law enforcement, though; firefighters also employ wearable technology. Across the nation, fire departments are investing in small cameras that can withstand high temperatures. These devices are mounted on a helmet to record exactly what a firefighter sees on a scene. Once captured, the information provides opportunities for potential gains in firefighter and fire victim safety.

Police dogs are a vital part of many law enforcement agencies. Whether trained to detect explosives or aid in search-and-rescue, these skilled animals contribute to department success. There are instances, however, when dogs are on the wrong side of the law, and first responders must approach or deal with them in the line of duty.