Group items tagged

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.

For years, Tasers and stun guns have been used by law enforcement as a way to apprehend individuals without using excessive violence. Though they are used by more than 15,000 agencies across the U.S., these tools do not come without controversy.

The use of force constitutes a seizure under the Fourth Amendment. It is analyzed by courts under an objective reasonableness test: the amount of force used in any police encounter must be reasonable in relation to the risks presented. Deadly force is acceptable only if an officer has probable cause to believe that the suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious injury to the officer or others. When an officer exceeds these bounds, supervisors and departments may be subject to liability. Use of force occurs in a relatively small number of interactions between the police and public, but the potential costs in terms of dollars, reputations and lives demand that resources be allocated toward its management. Through standards, education and technology, departments can effectively and proactively limit their exposure to these costs.

Do you always create unique passwords such that you never use the same one twice? Ever? Do your passwords always use different character types such as uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and punctuation? Are they "strong"? If you can't answer "yes" to both these questions, you've got yourself a problem. But the thing is, there is simply no way you can remember all your unique, strong passwords and the sooner you recognise this, the sooner you can embrace a more secure alternative.

Defensive Tactics Instructor Richard Nance uses Officer.com Editor Frank Borelli as a demonstration punching bag to show various striking techniques using personal body weapons: hands, elbows, knees, shins, feet and head.

American forces have not shied away from working with foreign troops. Recently, troops from the U.S. turned their attention to Africa. For the betterment of the region, the Pentagon wants to help Niger improve its military operations by training foreign forces to handle security issues. - See more at: http://www.envisagenow.com/us-works-with-foreign-troops-to-improve-training/#sthash.InAucvDG.tREFsYij.dpuf

Each year, public safety professionals learn more about the complexities of firefighting. Technology has advanced with that knowledge, allowing first responders to capture critical data and use it to inform future calls. Faced with budgetary and personnel shortages that hamper management of that data, however, fire departments stand to benefit from adoption of cloud-based solutions. Taking on the burden of hardware and software maintenance, Software as a Service (SaaS) greatly mitigates the technical overhead for a firehouse. Cloud computing improves performance, increases access to important information, and lowers the total cost of ownership for software. For fire departments, that efficiency translates into more effective emergency response.

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.

Have you ever tried to use your computer with your eyes closed? Even with a screen reader, it's incredibly challenging. The fact is, most computer applications are not designed with disabled users in mind. Trying to navigate the web using a screen reader gave me a new level of appreciation for the amount of effort Envisage Technologies, the company for which I work, has put into improving the overall 508 compliance of the Acadis® Readiness Suite. Section 508 is part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs run by federal agencies, programs that receive federal assistance, in federal employment, and in the employment practices of federal contractors. An amendment to Section 508 requires federal agencies to make electronic and information technology accessible in order to eliminate barriers in information technology and create new opportunities for people with disabilities. The Acadis Readiness Suite is an enterprise software application designed to streamline training management for first responders and other federal, state and local government agencies. While 508 compliance is a requirement for several of our customers, Customs and Border Protection made compliance a priority for this software suite. Their intent was to perform 508 compliance checks on Acadis, and our intent was to be prepared.

Behaviors and reflexes are not changed as easily as the law. In the wake of recent Supreme Court rulings, training coordinators and department heads must be deliberate about implementing policies and providing education to accommodate clarified law. Specifically, the judicial decisions will impact use-of-force procedures, surveillance strategies, and involvement of spouses in the criminal justice process.

Several months ago I taught a class on successful strategies and tactics for implementing on-line training and education. The class curriculum required a "status report" on the state of computer based training in public safety. In preparation for the class I conducted a web based survey of public safety trainers and senior staff officers. The reason for this specific group was to better understand and hear from trainers in the classroom and those in budget decision positions.

According to a Police Magazine survey, nearly 50 percent of police departments use K-9 teams. Due to the nature of their assignments-which can include tracking suspects, detecting narcotics, investigating suspected arson, and assisting in search-and-rescue efforts-these dogs and their handlers go through some of the most rigorous training of any first responders. When one of these specially-trained dogs alerts officers to the presence of contraband or tracks the scent of a suspect, police may be given probable cause to conduct a full search. If that search reveals something incriminating, a defendant may try to suppress the evidence by attacking the grounds for conducting the search. Since the reliability of a K-9 alert contributes directly to whether probable cause exists, these cases often explore the quality of training and training records to depths seldom reached in human-only cases. This body of law provides public safety professionals uniquely clear guidance on what constitutes best training practices for K-9 teams.

Members of the U.S. Armed Forces are accustomed to training regimens, but not many of these activities are conducted with troops from foreign countries present. This event is exactly what took place in early February, when soldiers from the U.S. and Japan trained together as part of a comprehensive disaster preparedness plan.

Advancements in technology are drastically changing the way public safety agencies carry out their missions. Whether it is employing readiness software to keep better records or using the latest mobile devices to bring critical information to the field, officers must adapt their training and procedures-sometimes radically-to benefit from cutting-edge gadgets.

Many of the principles involved in offensive tactics of Movement to Contact (MTC) can be used by law enforcement. For the purposes of this article, MTC has one objective and that's to close in with and engage the active shooter.

Less than a year after reaching its long-sought goal of 10,000 officers, the Los Angeles Police Department is now seeing a steady decline in its ranks as the city struggles to find enough qualified candidates. Fewer people are applying to join the LAPD and, of those who do, a significantly higher number of them are being disqualified from consideration. Officials say budget cuts have slashed the advertising used to draw recruits while other departments are luring top talent with higher salaries than the LAPD offers. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-lapd-recruits-20131204,0,603481.story#ixzz2n0bgBkEt

Fire Departments use CrossFit, officially or unofficially, to prepare for the rigors of their profession. In firefighter competitions around the country, it seems that whenever CrossFit-trained personnel enter, they end up at the top of the field, dominating the competition.

TSA has issued a solicitation for what it calls "Credential Authentication Technology," or CAT, which can ensure that only legitimate airport personnel, airline crews, non-traveling passengers using a gate pass, law enforcement officers and Federal Air Marshals can gain access to sterile airport areas.

"A chief of police has two important and sometimes conflicting responsibilities - his or her own officers and members of the community. He or she must, on one hand, be the leader of the police  and, at the same time, the chief of and for the community. It is in the use of deadly force that these responsibilities come into conflict. If the chief, in a questionable shooting, decides in favor of the officer, the chief must be able to demonstrate to the community and convince them that the shooting was both lawful, within the stated policy of the department, morally defensible, and consistent with training."--David Couper

May there never ever be another Sandy Hook. However, if the situation arises where first responders need to address an active shooter, we want them to be ready. After taking part in Urban Shield, the hope is all tactical teams will use radio communications effectively - allowing connected teachers and tactical teams to enable the fastest response possible to keep students safe.