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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.

President Barack Obama delivered his State of the Union address to the American people Jan. 28, touching on several topics relating to veterans and the military. The president mentioned the "Joining Forces" initiative, which encourages employers to hire veterans and their family members, and the efforts the government is currently taking to get these individuals the benefits and care they need.

Disasters can strike anywhere and at any time. In recent years, many U.S. states experienced natural disasters firsthand, subjecting both civilians and first responders to a wide range of severe scenarios. When properly trained, emergency workers are able to care for themselves and others in these situations. The process of planning for and evaluating these events, however, extends beyond the crisis in progress.

Military training is a demanding experience. Service members test themselves mentally and physically by enduring extreme situations. The skills learned in these exercises put soldiers in a position to succeed on the battlefield, but they also remain valuable when a veteran transitions from the service into civilian life.

Crude oil is a natural material that is refined into gasoline, diesel fuel and other petrochemicals, and transported in all forms across North America. Pipelines are a common means of getting crude oil from one place to another, but rail is increasingly becoming the go-to transportation method for energy companies. This may be efficient for businesses, but it poses additional safety problems that affect civilians and first responders.

First responders can struggle to gain experience with large-scale emergencies, such as terrorism and natural disasters, due to their rare and unpredictable occurrence. Live simulations are an effective means of preparing rescue workers to navigate these events, but agencies are often deterred from conducting disaster simulations by financial constraints and concerns for the safety of both civilians and officers. To overcome these challenges, organizations are investing in large multi-purpose facilities as a way to ensure more public safety workers can train for the complex and massive events they may encounter in the field. - See more at: http://www.envisagenow.com/large-scale-training-facilities-prepare-responders-for-real-world-disasters/#sthash.TQhfsK4H.dpuf