In this training program, we examine an ongoing problem that runs throughout law enforcement: fear-based lack of reporting. Lower-ranking officers may be afraid to correct or report superior officers for fear of retribution. Rookie and young officers new to law enforcement may well be fearful of “stepping on toes” or branded as “rats”.

Overview

It is vitally important every street and patrol officer become aware of key elements of the Hispanic Experience. It is almost a certainty that officers will encounter Hispanics and Hispanic Americans in their day-to-day encounters with the public. This now, of course, is true far beyond simply our Southern border states.

In this training program, we discuss the topic of suicide among law enforcement officers and first-responders. This problem has reached what some are calling epidemic proportions.

In this training program, we talk with Jaime Bridges, a licensed clinical social worker and nationally-renowned police counselor. Jaime was instrumental in helping  Ret. Sgt. Mark DiBona, who is the subject of two of Line of Duty’s programs (Special Issues/Suicide Prevention #44 and 45). Mark credits Jaime with tremendous guidance that got him back on the right path. Mark says he really connected with her because she was ex-law enforcement and truly understood the anguishing issues that he was dealing with and how to cope with them.

One of law enforcement’s most controversial issues in recent years has been pretextual stops, traffic and pedestrian. Such stops include broken taillights, following too closely, sudden lane changing, hanging license plates, expired tags, bulky clothes or jackets that seem to list to one side, refusal to make eye contact, etc.

In this 'video magazine' format, officers and students are given a wide variety of "golden nuggets"

In one of the most horrific days in law enforcement history, a violent cop-hater (Hank Earl Carr) murdered a child (his girlfriend's son), two homicide detectives and a state trooper. Carr was a 30-year-old man who had spent half his life in prison or jail, hours later killed himself after taking a hostage at a convenience store.

The Amazing Journey of Sgt. Mark DiBona- Part II is a continuation of Part I, and includes specifics for establishing a successful peer-to-peer support program, the critical nature of having a program, and exactly who departments should name to head up their programs.  Also, Part II has detailed information for traumatic incident debriefings.

In this training program, we talk with Dr. Andrew Dennis about surviving wounds; whether it is a gunshot, knife wound, etc. He states that what people see on television cop shows isn’t very accurate when it comes to being shot and the ability to survive that wound. One shot to the chest doesn’t mean that you are dead or are going to die. Street cops need to know that even if they do get shot, in many instances they can stay in the fight and survive.

Child abuse is one of the most disturbing problems facing American society today.  While the number of abuse victims is unclear, it is certainly at least one million a year, and may be many times that.