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Every day, police officers encounter situations that invoke and challenge their training. As they try to adhere to department policies, a changing world tests the validity and effectiveness of those decisions. Critical attention is being paid to high-profile incidents involving use of force. Communities are demanding that law enforcement revisit their training content to find tactics that better address concerns of public safety. While that transition may be difficult, injecting technology at key points in police training and operations can help lower resistance to change. Body cameras are already having an impact on policing, and training simulators offer a safe environment in which to prepare for emerging real-world challenges. As a result, officers may be more willing to shift their routines to meet the needs of their communities without sacrificing their own safety.

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.

Mental illness has long been one of the most difficult health problems to diagnose. Because so many of the symptoms are hidden from sight, it is not easy to recognize when people need help. For police officers, this assessment is often made under stressful conditions, when an individual may present a danger to themselves or others. Faced with societal stigmas against mental illness, first responders struggle to marry sensitivity and safety.

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.

The outcome of the year's flurry of gun control legislative activity was similarly mixed, as this timeline of some of the most headline-making bills - and the fallout from them - demonstrates.

Authorities evacuated hundreds of students in an orderly procession - a demonstration of aggressive security measures developed by police and schools following the chaotic 1999 shooting at Columbine, some 8 miles west of Arapahoe High. After that tragedy, police across the country developed "active shooter" training in which responding officers rush toward gunfire - and step over bodies and bleeding victims if necessary - to stop the gunman.

During emergency response, the ability to access information in a timely manner can be critical for survival. Recent incidents with active shooters have underscored the importance of relaying accurate information quickly, and first responders are beginning to leverage these technologies more frequently.

Earlier this week, the New York City Police Department asked for people to share photos of themselves posing with police officers, tagging these images on Twitter with #myNYPD. Within a few hours, a stream of images depicting police brutality dominated the hashtag timeline, and the @NYPDnews account had no immediate response. While most of the morning-after media analysis focused on the online protest and questioning the initiative itself, the fate of this particular hashtag and others like it is not sealed. The most constructive reflection at present does not dwell on past mistakes, but rather accepts the challenge of an undecided future.

There are strong correlations between rising temperatures and crime rates. To keep the public safe, leaders need not only to be aware of this relationship, but also to engage peers and the public in developing solutions to the impending resource gaps.

Over the past two years, people adopted smart technology with increasing frequency. According to the Pew Research Center, half of American adults today own a tablet or e-reader. First responders are among the professional groups who have found ways to integrate these devices into their day-to-day operations. As tablets, smartphones and other mobile devices enter the public safety scene, however, agents must not only familiarize themselves with their use, but also understand their benefits and drawbacks.

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.