Saturday, January 26, 2008

Undercover Angel

January 25, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) The January 16, 2008 program of Conversations with Cops at the Watering Hole features an interview with former police officer Lisa Lockwood – the author of Undercover Angel.

Program Date: January 30, 2008
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: Undercover Angel
Guest:
Lisa Lockwood
Listen Live: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement

About the Guest

Lisa Lockwood is a former Chicago area police officer. During her law enforcement career she worked as a police officer, undercover detective and SWAT team member. Lisa Lockwood is the author of Undercover Angel.

According to the book description, “
Lisa Lockwood endured childhood poverty and an abusive marriage to become a soldier in Desert Storm, a police officer, undercover narcotics detective and the first female SWAT team member. A former beauty pageant contestant, Lisa had to suppress her obvious femininity in order to conquer the "Boys Club" of law enforcement, but her beguiling beauty would become her best asset as an undercover narcotics detective. It was in the gritty world of drug rings, Mafia members and child molesters that she rediscovered the power of her femininity and learned to use her disarming sexuality as a professional asset in ensnaring criminals.

Lisa's journey was fraught with inner conflict as she struggled to balance her dangerous profession with a desire to be a complete woman, worthy of genuine love. Undercover Angel is
Lisa Lockwood’s illuminating story of perseverance and unstoppable drive, that took her deep into the heart of a violent world and left her in a place of happiness, self-confidence and inner peace.”

About the
Watering Hole

The Watering Hole is
police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting. During the first half-hour of the show, the host, a nationally recognized expert on law enforcement, interviews a subject matter expert on the topic. During the second half-hour the program is joined by two other cops who give a street-level perspective to the conversation.

About the Host

Lieutenant
Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in law enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement

Program Contact Information

Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530

Friday, January 25, 2008

America Supports You: Airman Flies High After Surprise Proposal

By Samantha L. Quigley

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 24, 2008 - Simply communicating while deployed to Iraq can be challenging for servicemembers, but one airman discovered that trying to plan a surprise marriage proposal was nearly impossible. But help from several sources led to Air Force Senior Airman Robert Blackburn popping the question to his girlfriend, D'Ann Campbell, Jan. 18.

"It was really hard for me to even get on the Internet over there," said Blackburn, 22, who recently returned to his duty station at Hill Air Force Base, in Utah.

But Blackburn's moving request and a friend's testimony submitted to "Dallas is Love," a Texas-based organization that provides servicemembers with Army and Air Force Exchange Service gift cards, earned the airman the opportunity to relax and let others make the arrangements for him.

Robbins Bros. jewelers, which helped coordinate a soldier's surprise proposal in December, presented Blackburn with a gift certificate toward the purchase of engagement and wedding rings for Campbell. Company officials also coordinated details of the proposal.

Blackburn wanted to propose to Campbell at the Adolphus Hotel in downtown Dallas and follow it with a nice dinner.

Getting Campbell, a senior at Dallas Baptist University, on the scene was no problem. She thought she was attending a party at the hotel with a friend. Instead of going to a party, however, she was met in the lobby by former Dallas Cowboys tight end Billy Jo DuPree, who escorted her to where Blackburn was waiting.

"Billy Jo heard that Robert was a huge Dallas Cowboys fan and couldn't resist becoming his wingman," said Tanya Stafford, general manager for Robbins Bros.' Dallas location.

"I was thankful that Robbins Bros. was there to help me with the ring selection and with the proposal," Blackburn, originally of Rowlett, Texas, said. "It's hard to say in words how much I appreciate everyone's help in making this happen for me and D'Ann."

Robbins Bros., which bills itself as the "world's biggest engagement ring store," was only too happy to help.

"We are in the business of love, and so it is always special when we can make a dream proposal come true," Stafford said. "In addition, we take this opportunity to thank Robert and all the thousands of military men and women serving out country and recognize the sacrifices they are making on our behalf."

Dallas is Love not only introduced Blackburn and Robbins Bros., but also picked up the tab for dinner. The group is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.

"(Robbins Bros.) did the majority of the arranging," said Linda Foster, president of Dallas is Love. "All we did is kind of help pick out who the winner was going to be, and we're ... going to pay for the meal and whatever expenses they might have (associated with the evening)."

Because of Blackburn's overseas assignments, he and his fiancee have seen each other for only a total of one month of their three-year relationship. They hope to marry before Blackburn's scheduled return to Iraq in January 2009.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Public Safety Technology in the News

U.S. to Begin Offering RFID-Equipped Passport Cards
HSDailyWire.com, (1/4/08)

In an effort to ease congestion at land and sea checkpoints, the United States will soon offer passport cards equipped with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips that can be read from about 20 feet away. The system will then check data from the chip to compare the information with
terrorist and criminal watch lists. The cards will be optional; however, they are not available for air travel. Travelers also can select a more secure and costlier $97 e-passport, which has a read distance of only 3 inches.
hsdailywire.com/single.php?id=5291

Preventing Bicycle Theft - and Public Safety
HSDailyWire.com, (1/3/08)

A Ph.D. student from Leeds University has developed a video surveillance program that alerts to the theft of a bicycle. The system identifies when an individual has parked his or her bike and sends an alert if another individual removes the bike. The system is able to store a detailed color image of the individual parking the bike and uses it to compare to the individual removing the bike. If there are significant discrepancies between the two images the system recognizes it as a problem and alerts the operators.
hsdailywire.com/single.php?id=5287

CCPD Receives Federal Grant for Thermal Imager
Charles City Press, (12/26/07)

In an effort to assist first responders nationwide, the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security, through the FY 2007 Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program (CEDAP), has made $33.7 million available to fund equipment and training needs. The Charles City (Iowa) Police Department will be using its $12,000 to purchase thermal imaging equipment, which could be used to conduct search and rescue. CEDAP funding is allocated to law enforcement and other emergency responder organizations based on five specific financial and capability needs: personal protective equipment; thermal imaging, night vision, and video surveillance tools; chemical and biological detection tools; information technology and risk management tools; and communications interoperability equipment. The Federal funding is integrated with State planning processes, and the State's administrative agency has the chance to review jurisdictions' applications to ensure they are in line with the State's homeland sec! urity plan.
www.charlescitypress.com/

FBI Prepares Vast Database of Biometrics
washingtonpost.com, (12/22/07), Ellen Nakashima

The
FBI is taking on the task of building a database of peoples' physical characteristics that would provide the government the chance to identify individuals in the United States and abroad. Digital images are already being loaded into the FBI systems, and in the coming months the FBI plans to award a contract that will greatly increase the amount of biometrics information it receives. Biometrics use is increasing within the government sector. The U.S. Department of Defense is using biometrics information to allow access to foreign U.S. military bases, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has been using IRIS scans at select airports to identify passengers that have undergone and passed a background check to get through airports faster. The Criminal Justice Integrated System (CJIS) presently matches or rules out as many as 100,000 fingerprints a day. With this contract that same server will process palm print, iris, and facial shape data. This will give public sa! fety officers the chance to know a person's background in seconds.
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/21/AR2007122102544.html

NYPD Going Green on Electric Scooters
Associated Press, (12/21/07), Tom Hays

In an effort to keep the streets safe and the air clean, the
New York Police Department (NYPD) is testing four Vetrix scooters that are electric and ultra-quiet. These scooters will be duty tested on the road in an attempt to reduce the use of gasoline by the city's large police fleet. These units could be used to handle the duties presently handled by NYPD's fleet of gas scooters. These duties include park patrol, crowd management, and traffic/parking enforcement.
ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gYC4-4CjIVjvP_iPaprnyvOUrKHwD8TM1EK80

'Stolen Car Hunter' Gives Escondido Police an Added Boost
NorthCountyTimes.com, (12/25/07), Sarah Wilkins

For the Escondido Police Department vehicle theft is a concern, but the department has added automated license plate recognition to its tools to help patrol officers scan license plates and locate stolen cars. The system has the capacity to scan and rapidly capture license plate numbers from passing cars, and then compare that information against a database of stolen vehicles. If there is a positive match, the system alerts the officer both audibly and on his mobile data terminal (MDT). The system can also alert the officer of vehicles that are wanted or that have been identified as part of an AMBER alert.
www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/12/26/news/sandiego/5_00_4812_25_07.txt

Wartrace Installs Surveillance Cameras
Shelbyville Times-Gazette, (1/9/2008), Brian Mosely

Due to U.S. Department of
Homeland Security grant funds, video surveillance will be used to monitor the downtown area of Wartrace (Tennessee) and the CSX rails that run through it. The system will be set up and installed by Stewart Security, with the installation costs being paid by the city and the balance paid using the $4,000 grant award. The funding allowed for the purchase of five cameras and two DVR units that will be used to monitor the railroad crossing at the center of town. The intersection is not being monitored because of crime, but because of the amount of hazardous materials that go through that area on trains. The systems DVR component is designed to handle additional cameras, and the city hopes to take advantage of that functionality in the future.
www.t-g.com/story/1302700.html

Tracking Police Cars
Journal Gazette, (1/9/2008)

A Fort Wayne (Indiana) Journal Gazette editorial describes
Police Chief Rusty York's plan to have Automated Vehicle Location devices installed in a majority of the police department's 523 cruisers. These devices will allow dispatchers to know the location of cruisers in relation to calls for assistance, and then dispatch officers accordingly. This decision is believed to improve officer safety and reduce the response time to residents' calls for assistance. With this system in place, the hope is it will provide command staff with a tool to assist in effectively managing deployments. Once the infrastructure is in place other local and county agencies can utilize this tool for only the $350 licensing fee per vehicle.
www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080109/EDIT07/801090337

Law Enforcement Agencies Promote Amber Alert Awareness
KCCommunityNews, (1/9/2008), Jared Hoffmann

On January 13, Amber Alert Awareness Day was promoted by the
Missouri State Highway Patrol in hopes of continuing to inform the public and increase public involvement as it relates to the Amber Alert system. The goal was to continue to emphasize how crucial Amber Alert is to quickly finding missing children. Since implementing the Amber Alert system in 1993, the state of Missouri has had a 100 percent success rate for the alerts that have been issued. This system allows the community to play an important role in the location of missing children.
www.kccommunitynews.com/articles/2008/01/09/sun_gazette/news/doc4784fae3aa2a3172809950.txt

Missouri Police Department Introduces Electronic Traffic Citations
CNNMoney.com, (1/10/2008), Jared Hoffmann

Patrol officers for the Neosho (Missouri)
Police Department have been using MobileCop™, a wireless law enforcement solution that allows officers to query Federal and State databases regarding driver and vehicle information subsequent to a vehicle stop. This system has been used since 1999, and recently the Neosho Police Department integrated APS QuickTicket™ software with the MobileCop™ system. The data that are retrieved with MobileCop™ query will be automatically populated into the forms fields on the e-citations system. Then the system will generate a hard copy ticket for the violator, and transfer the information electronically to be uploaded to police and court databases. money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/LATH05210012008-1.htm

Free "Wear Your Body Armor" Poster

Produced by NLECTC-National for the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) with the assistance of the Montgomery County Police Department, the purpose of this poster is to encourage police officers to wear their body armor at all times.

To order full-size (19" x 26") posters, contact NLECTC-National at 800-248-2742 or asknlectc@nlectc.org.
Click here to download an 8.5" x 11" version of the poster in PDF format. NLECTC-National administers the voluntary body armor compliance testing program on behalf of NIJ and officers are encouraged to contact the Center with questions relating to armor selection, wear, and maintenance.





Monday, January 21, 2008

32 Categories of Cop Books

January 21, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website added three police officers, adding to the over 800 police officers, 1700 books which are classified in 32 categories.

Anthony Smith is a Georgia State University Police Department police officer. A gifted motivational speaker and youth mentor; he serves as an assistant to his Pastor at the Forest Chapel Baptist Church in Forest Park, Georgia. He is a native of Columbus, Ga. and now resides with his family in the Atlanta Metropolitan area. Anthony Smith is the author of Heaven’s Bouquet: Planted and Picked by God.

According to the book description of Heaven’s Bouquet, it “is not just a regular book of encouragement but also a book of enlightenment. We often forget that God is the creator and sustainer of this world. Society will forever miss the mark when it comes to the understanding of life and death.”

Martin A. Gonzalez is a member of the Public Safety Writer’s Association, a graduate of SUNY Empire State, and a Navy veteran. He was born and raised in New York, and a retired New York City Police Department police officer. Martin Gonzalez is the author of WereWolves Among Us.

According to the description of WereWolves Among Us, “One chilly early October morning, the body of a newspaper carrier is found brutally mutilated. He’s the first of more killing to baffle the detectives of the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department. NYC
police officer, Mike Serrano, decides to visit his sister in the small town of Liberty, NY for some peace and quiet after the death of his fiancĂ©e. Mike inadvertently becomes involved in the investigation along with his brother-in-law, Marty Pietri, a Sullivan County Sheriff’s deputy - Mike’s former partner with the NYPD.”

Thomas R. Randall entered the United States Army in 1966. He served until 1969, including a tour in Vietnam. In 1970, Thomas Randall joined the Elmira Police Department, serving until 1977. Since leaving the Elmira Police Department, Thomas Randall has working in law enforcement as a Federal Police Officer and INS Inspector.

Thomas Randall has a
Masters Degree in education from Elmira College and graduated from New York State Police Officers Training Academy. He also graduated from the Federal Agents Academy, at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia. Thomas Randall is the author of The Badge and Stripes of Honor; Horse Soldiers; Hot Rods; Car Crazy; and, Angels With Whirly Wings "Dust Off": Vietnam '67.

According to the book description, The Book The Badge and Stripes of Honor “is written about the authors' life including a tour of duty in Vietnam 1966-1967 as a machine gunner.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 833
police officers (representing 379 police departments) and their 1759 law enforcement books in 32 categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Criminal Investigations

January 17, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) The January 16, 2008 program of Conversations with Cops at the Watering Hole features an interview with Dr. James N. Gilbert, Ph.D., a former police officer and renowned university professor and author, on the subject of criminal investigations.

Program Date: January 23, 2008
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic:
Criminal Investigations
Guest: James N. Gilbert, Ph.D.
Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement

About the Guest

Dr.
James N. Gilbert, Ph.D., has served as a police officer and investigator for the Berkeley Police Department and as a Special Agent Investigator for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Since 1972, Dr. Gilbert has been an educator teaching widely in the law enforcement and criminal justice field. Since 1988, he has been a faculty member of the University of Nebraska at Kearney, where he is a full professor.

Dr.
James N. Gilbert has written widely on subjects related to crime and justice. He is the author of Criminal Investigations (Prentice Hall, 7e). According to the description of Criminal Investigations, it is “one of the most comprehensive reviews of the investigative process available, it covers the fascinating history and future implications of field. A thorough discussion of cutting-edge investigative methods and technology employed to combat emerging crimes prepares readers to enter the next generation of criminal investigation. Using detailed crime scene examples, it links specific investigative techniques and laboratory techniques that are most effective for each particular crime.” Criminal Investigations “covers emerging types of criminal activity such as consumer fraud, identity theft, computer crime, stalking, cyberstalking, hate crimes, and the latest drug crimes; it serves as excellent resource for those currently in law enforcement.”

About the
Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting. During the first half-hour of the show, the host, a nationally recognized expert on law enforcement, interviews a subject matter expert on the topic. During the second half-hour the program is joined by two other cops who give a street-level perspective to the conversation.

About the Host
Lieutenant
Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond is currently a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in law enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement

2008 NIJ Law Enforcement and Forensics Applied Technologies Conference

March 17 - 21, 2008 — Point Clear, Alabama

The 5th NIJ Applied Technologies Conference, to be held at the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort in Point Clear, Alabama, showcases novel tools and technologies with current or future
law enforcement and crime laboratory applications that improve how we keep our communities safe. In addition, it features forums for discussing the procedures, policies, and issues that arise when new technology is introduced in a community. Through panel discussions and exhibits, executives will have a chance to sample a wide variety of technologies and their associated issues, like community acceptance, return on investment, planning for deployment, and privacy. NIJ sponsors the Applied Technologies Conference in partnership with the Sheriff's Association of Texas and the National Forensic Science Technology Center.

Registration is FREE but space is limited.

Sample Panels
Simulating Life:
Computer-Aided Trainings
Law Enforcement and Forensics: An International Perspective
How to Obtain Free Equipment from the Federal Government
Lower Cost Aviation Solutions for Public Safety
New
Technology in Personal Protective Equipment
Communications
Interoperability: Small Pilots and Large Projects
It's 2008, What can the
Crime Laboratory do for You Now
Advancements in Investigation of Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains
Cell Phone
Forensics: A 101 Primer for Law Enforcement
Information Management in Corrections:
Criminal Activity Detection
Information Sharing
Canine Enforcement: A Warm-Blooded
Technology
Unique
Forensic Technologies and Techniques
DNA Technologies and Techniques
Forensic Resources to Support Your Efforts
Research and Evaluation in
Forensic Science
Try Selected Technologies on the Exhibit Floor!

Who should attend
Managers and supervisors in
law enforcement, forensics, and corrections. This conference is only open to Federal, State and Local Law Enforcement and Public Safety Officials (Law Enforcement, Corrections, and Crime Laboratories). Registration is also open to NIJ Grantees with approval from their NIJ Program Manager. The exhibit floor is reserved for government and government related displays.

Conference Contact
Register at
www.training.txsheriffs.org For more information or to register, contact Joel Blainey by phone: (212) 748-9486 or email: jblainey@txsheriffs.org

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Police Officer Suicide Must Be Stopped

The men and women in law enforcement deal with danger every day. Being killed in the line of duty, although terrible, is undeniably a risk that comes with the job. Regrettably, police officer suicide is becoming an epidemic. Dying by suicide more frequently than by homicide authenticates the need for special training and counseling to help police officers deal with overwhelming stress. Studies show that police officers are eight times more likely to commit suicide than to be killed by homicide.

READ ON
http://www.police-writers.com/police_suicide_stopped.html

The London Tube Shooting of John Charles de Menezes

A great deal has appeared in the British press regarding the very tragic death of the Brazilian, Jean Charles de Menezes, on the 22nd July 2005, particularly as a result of the successful prosecution at the end of 2007 of the police at Scotland Yard under Health and Safety legislation and the publication of the British Independent Police Complaints Commission's report. No doubt, issues of H&S and the work of the Commission will now figure to a much greater extent in future British crime thrillers.

READ ON
http://www.police-writers.com/london_tube_shooting.html

Monday, January 14, 2008

Iraqi Interior Ministry Celebrates Police Day

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 11, 2008 - The Iraqi
police were in the spotlight Jan. 9, as Iraq's Interior Ministry highlighted the growing numbers and capabilities of its police forces during its 86th annual Police Day ceremony. It was a day filled with celebrations, chanting and ceremonies to honor police across the country.

"We must prohibit partisanship and sectarianism in the ranks of the employees of the ministry," Interior Minister Jawad al-Bulani said at Baghdad
Police College. "We must think of ourselves as Iraqis first."

Speaking before 2,200 people in attendance, Bulani praised the awakening councils and concerned local citizens groups for their efforts in improving
security. "They were the first spark," Bulani said of the awakening council in Iraq's Anbar province. "This is the people beginning to refuse the al Qaeda concept. They patriotically rejected al Qaeda ideology and fought back against the militia groups."

The citizens' cooperation represents an important link in the security work, Bulani added. Creating this bond with the people is an important link for the
police and the stability of Iraq, he said.

At the Police Day ceremony, 1,044 new Iraqi
police officers graduated from Baghdad Police College -- 744 of them from the nine-month police training course and 300 from the recruit training course.

Iraqi National
Security Advisor Mowaffaq al-Rubaie said the police have played a major role in security operations in Baghdad. "With even more police trained this year, the police will be strong enough to enforce the security plan and law enforcement," he said.

The ceremony included demonstrations of martial arts,
police dogs searching for contraband, and an emergency response unit. New this year was a demonstration of the explosive ordnance team using a robot to render safe a suspected roadside bomb. Five years ago, the Iraqi police didn't have robots or experience in operating them.

Another demonstration showed a flag-waving and reconciliation presentation representing Shiite, Sunni, Kurdish and Christian Iraqis. At the end, the group joined hands and raised their arms to the sky, then more than a dozen doves flew into the air as a policeman waved the Iraqi flag furiously and the crowd applauded.

"I was impressed with the skills and capabilities demonstrated here today during the ceremony,"
Army Maj. Gen. Michael Jones, director general of the Directorate of Interior Affairs, said. The Iraqi police are making considerable progress. It takes time, and they are heading in the right direction."

Also attending the ceremony were National Security Minister Shirwan al-Waili and several members of the Council of Representatives.

At the end of the ceremony, graduates and students celebrated loudly with chants and waving the Iraqi flag.

(From a Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq news release.)

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Traffic Collisions and Police Management

January 12, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website added one international police author and two domestic police authors.

R. W. “Bob” Rivers (Inspector, Officer-in-charge, Traffic Branch, Royal Canadian Mounted Police - Retired) is the author of various internationally recognized and utilized traffic crash investigation and reconstruction textbooks published by Charles C. Thomas, Publisher, Ltd., Springfield, Illinois, and the Institute of Police Technology and Management (IPTM), University of North Florida.

As an Institute of
Police Technology and Management faculty member, he acts as a technical advisor, directs IPTM's correspondence training programs and carries out various projects such as the development of traffic crash investigation courses and Traffic, Crime Scene, Marine and Aircraft crash investigation templates.

Bob Rivers travels internationally, carrying out research involving traffic crash investigation and reconstruction training programs. Upon request he will provide assistance, advice and/or suggestions on an international basis in terms of training programs and arrangements for lecturers/speakers for Accident Investigation and Accident Reconstruction related seminars and conferences.

Inspector
R.W. “Bob” Rivers is the author of over eight books on traffic accidents such as Traffic Accident Investigator’s Manual: A Levels 1 and 2 Reference, Training and Investigation Manual and Identification, Interpretation And Analysis of Evidence.

According to the description of
Traffic Accident Investigator’s manual: A Levels 1 and 2 Reference, Training and Investigation Manual, “It is the traffic accident investigator's role to determine, through the gathering of evidence and an analysis of circumstances, that which is an accident and that which is not. This manual launches the trainee on the road to the scientific approach to determining which incident falls into what category. The text clearly outlines the steps to be taken when the report of a traffic accident is received, travelling to the scene, the at-scene investigation, and any follow-up investigation that may be required.”

Chief
Paul T. “Tim” Dickinson started his law enforcement career in 1977. He has served in several police agencies in the metropolitan Philadelphia, PA area. His past assignments have included patrol operations, patrol supervisor, criminal investigations, undercover narcotics investigation, and tactical operations command. He has served as a chief of police since 1992. Paul Dickinson is a graduate of Temple University and the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy in Quantico, VA.

Chief
Paul Dickinson instructed recruits in the police academy for more than ten years and has also conducted various training programs for police supervisors and elected officials. He serves as a law enforcement consultant for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and numerous police agencies and communities throughout Pennsylvania. Currently, Paul Dickinson is the chief of police of the Towamencin Township Police Department (Pennsylvania). Chief Paul Dickinson and Chief William Heim are the co-authors of Police Management: Real World Scenarios.

Chief
William M. Heim’s law enforcement career spans more than 25 years and service with six police agencies. He began his career with the Upper Moreland Police Department and is now the chief of the Reading City Police Department (Pennsylvania). Chief William Heim holds a Bachelor degree in English and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Senior Management Institute for Police conducted by the Police Executive Research Forum.

He has been an instructor at Montgomery County Community College and Augusta State University. He has also taught recruits in the police academy and provided in-service training to veteran
police officers. In year 2000 he was selected by Governor Tom Ridge to serve on the Pennsylvania Municipal Police Officers Education and Training Commission. Chief William Heim is currently a consultant on police management issues with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.

Chief
William Heim has authored articles appearing in Police Chief, Law and Order, Emergency Medical Service, and The Pennsylvanian magazines.

According to the book description of
Police Management: Real World Scenarios, “Even though police officers receive months of training in the police academy before they hit the streets, most learn to be good cops by responding to an endless variety of calls for assistance from the public. Becoming a proficient police manager is a challenging but rewarding journey. This book seeks to help in this journey by applying the principles of leadership to real-world situations. Each chapter consists of a dialogue or story involving police managers facing problems and issues regularly dealt with by police agencies. Each chapter concludes with a review of the lessons learned, ensuring that the reader achieves maximum benefit.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 828
police officers (representing 375 police departments) and their 1750 law enforcement books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Police Promotions and Mob Books

January 9, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website added three police officers, two of whom have written about the police promotion process and one who has written about the Las Vegas Mob.

Andy Borrello is a Lieutenant with the San Gabriel Police Department (California). With more than 21 years police experience, the past 18 years have been as a sworn full time officer (3 years as a volunteer auxiliary police officer). Lieutenant Andy Borrello’s diverse background includes working as a patrol officer, defensive tactics instructor, a detective working burglary, street narcotics, vice, and as a member of a task force working major narcotics trafficking, money laundering, and organized crime.

Lieutenant
Andy Borrello is the book author of Oral Interview Dynamics as well as numerous multi-subject law enforcement articles with topics covering police promotion, training and advanced officer development, police terminology, felony car stops, impact weapon selection, community oriented policing, and the Internet.

According to the book description of Oral Interview Dynamics, “The contents of this book are designed specifically for law enforcement officers, front-line supervisors, and managers who have reached the point in their careers where they are ready to advance their rank. The focus of this information is on the
police promotional oral interview. In a majority of police agencies across the country the oral interview is both the most critical part of the promotion process and the most difficult.”

In November 1988, Captain
Brian T. Page of the Rochester Police Department became the chief of police of the Ithaca Police Department (New York). He served as chief fore six months before leaving for personal reasons. Brian Page is the author of the Assessment Center Handbook and Getting Ready for that Assessment Center.

Dennis N. Griffin began his investigative career with Pinkerton’s investigator and retired as Director of Investigations for the New York State Department of Health. In between, he served as a Senior Child Support Investigator and deputy sheriff for the Madison County Sheriff’s Office (New York). Dennis Griffin has been living and writing in Las Vegas since 1996, publishing six novels and three nonfiction books about Las Vegas law enforcement.

According to
Dennis Griffin, “I started writing in 1996 to tell the story of what I learned while investigating the operation of a medical examiner's office. It was an eye-opening experience for me and I felt compelled to share it with others. I eventually produced a fictionalized account called The Morgue. I found to my chagrin that readers didn't believe anything in the book could actually happen, but they liked the story and my style; rough edges and all. That response caused me to write Red Gold, also based on personal experience. I now have a total of six fictions in print.

In January 2002, I decided to try my hand at non-ficton and began writing Policing Las Vegas. This book covers the history of law enforcement in Las Vegas and Clark County from 1905 thru 2004. My second non-fiction, The Battle for Las Vegas, is the story of the Vegas reign of Chicago mob enforcer Tony Spilotro. In the movie Casino, actor Joe Pesci played a character based on Spilotro. Battle was released nationally on July 1, 2006. My third Vegas-based non-fiction, CULLOTTA - The Life of a Chicago Criminal, Las Vegas Mobster, and Government Witness was released nationally in July 2007.”

According to the book description of Cullotta: The Life of a Chicago Criminal, Las Vegas Mobster and Government Witness, “From burglary to armed robbery and murder, infamous bad guy Frank Cullotta not only did it all, in Cullotta he admits to it -- and in graphic detail. This no-holds-barred biography chronicles the life of a career criminal who started out as a thug on the streets of Chicago and became a trusted lieutenant in Tony Spilotro's gang of organized lawbreakers in Las Vegas. Cullotta's was a world of high-profile heists, street muscle, and information -- lots of it -- about many of the FBI's most wanted. In the end, that information was his ticket out of crime, as he turned government witness and became one of a handful of mob insiders to enter the Witness Protection Program.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 826
police officers (representing 373 police departments) and their 1749 law enforcement books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Sneak Peak at Leadership: Texas Hold ‘em Style

January 8, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Dr. Andrew J. Harvey and Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA announced that portions of their book, Leadership: Texas Hold ‘em Style, were available for public review using the “Search Inside” function on Amazon.com. Go to www.pokerleadership.com and click on the image of the book and you will be taken directly to the Amazon.com page.

About the Book:
Using poker as analogy for
leadership, Captain Andrew J. Harvey, CPD (ret.), Ed.D. and Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA found the right mix of practical experience and academic credentials to write a definitive book for leaders. Working together, Harvey and Foster have written Leadership: Texas Hold em Style. Most often leaders find they are given a set of resources people, equipment, funds, experience and a mission. As Foster noted, You are dealt a certain hand. How you play that hand as a leader determines your success

More than a book: A fun and entertaining journey through
leadership that includes an interactive website to supplement knowledge gained from the book.
Proven and Tested: Not an academic approach to
leadership, but rather a road-tested guide that has been developed through 50-years of author experience.
High Impact: Through the use of perspective, reflection, and knowledge, provides information that turns
leadership potential into leadership practice.
Ease of Application: Theory is reinforced with real-life experience, which results in accessible and practical tools leaders can put to use immediately.
High Road Approach: Personal character and ethical beliefs are woven into each leadership approach, so leaders do the right thing for the right reasons.
Uses Game of Poker: Rather than a dry approach that is all fact and no flavor, the game of poker is used as a lens through which to view leadership concepts.

About the Authors:
Andrew J. Harvey served in law enforcement for 25 years, the last 12 as a captain with a Southern California police agency. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Cal State Los Angeles, and an educational doctorate in the field of organizational leadership from Pepperdine University. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the California POST Command College, the West Point Leadership Program, and is recognized in California as a master instructor.

Dr.
Andrew J. Harvey is an experienced college educator, currently serving as a professor at the University of Phoenix, and as a faculty advisor at the Union Institute and University. He has been published numerous times in national and international publications. He is a recognized expert in leadership and career development, and has served as an instructor in command leadership at the Los Angeles Police Department Academy.

Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton. He has completed the course work for his doctorate in Business Research. Raymond is a graduate of the West Point Leadership program and has attended law enforcement, technology and leadership programs such as the National Institute for Justice, Technology Institute, Washington, DC.

Raymond E. Foster is currently a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, technology and leadership. Raymond E. Foster is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in law enforcement.

For more information about the authors, send and email to
editor@police-writers.com

Microclimate Cooling Systems Survey for Law Enforcement

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has asked the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC), a component of the Department of Defense (DoD), to evaluate microclimate cooling systems technology for law enforcement personnel. We would appreciate your participation in a brief, 10-15 minute online survey on Microclimate Cooling Systems for Law Enforcement.

Microclimate cooling systems are devices that provide a cooling capability to personnel wearing personal
protective clothing and equipment. To maximize the efficiency of these systems, cooling garments are worn under protective clothing, typically against the skin. Many types of microclimate cooling systems are available on the commercial market today including ice or phase change material vests, ambient air blowers, ice systems used with a cooling garment, refrigeration systems, compressed air systems, etc. Since the size, weight, cooling performance, integration and logistical requirements vary significantly among these systems, your input will help NSRDEC to define the critical parameters that will form the basis for a microclimate cooling system standard for law enforcement personnel.

Please visit
www.mccsurvey.org to take the online survey. By participating in this short survey, you will be providing valuable input to on-going operational and standards research serving the first responder community.

Monday, January 07, 2008

New book “Police Wife – My Life Married to the Badge” is a must-read for officers and their spouses

Renee Anderson started writing online for the website “lapdwife.com” almost 4 years ago about her life married to an LAPD narcotics officer and is still going strong. What began as a quest to reach out to other wives of law enforcement, sharing stories of both humor and heartache, turned into a wonderful discovery. No matter the location or department, we all go through the same ups and downs that life with an officer can bring. And it's nice to know that we're not alone. This book takes you through Renee's life with Officer Jake and shares personal stories of her fun, often frustrating and yet always fantastic life married to the badge.

Renee Anderson has received many accolades from national and international police and their wives for both her web site and this book. Competition in this category is scarce – this is a niche market that has not been addressed well so far by the publishing community. There are thousands of law enforcement officers in this nation – and hundreds of books written about the life of a cop. But there are less than a handful of books that directly address the life of an officer’s spouse – let alone written by an officer’s wife.

Renee Anderson’s husband, “Officer Jake,” has been an LAPD officer for 19 years. They have been married for almost 12 years and have been through many dramatic and noteworthy incidents during his career that officers and their families can identify with. Renee has a journalism background and utilizes her writing expertise to successfully share their experiences and knowledge of the ups and downs life with a law enforcement officer can bring.

Feedback from officers and their wives:

"’
POLICE WIFE’ is a must read for anyone who is married to a cop, related to one or just considering being in a relationship with one in today’s world of Law Enforcement. By sharing her touching and heart felt experiences and anecdotes of being married to Officer Jake of the LAPD, Renee speaks to the reality, sometime difficulties and awesome rewards of knowing and loving a Cop… I’m going to buy one for my Mom!" -- Terry, Deputy, Los Angeles County Sheriff Department

"I could easily visualize every scene and found myself rapidly involved with the characters. It left me wanting to read more, which is always a fantastic thing. This is an excellently written book and a captivating read." -- Alice Sturdy, Director,
LAPD Wives Association

"I LOVED IT! So many of those stories are exactly spot on! Everything from dating an officer, to re-arranging holidays, to the dreaded phone calls of accidents, I experienced every one of those! It was great, and SO funny! (Even my husband laughed through it!)." – Diane, wife of a Signal Hill
police officer

MORE INFORMATION ON POLICE WIFE
www.policewife.com

Saturday, January 05, 2008

Advancement and Promotion in Law Enforcement

January 5, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) The January 9, 2008 program of Conversations with Cops at the Watering Hole features a nationally recognized expert on promotion and advancement in law enforcement.

Program Date: January 9, 2008
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: Promotion and Advancement in Law Enforcement
Guest: Lieutenant
Paul Patti (ret.)
Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement

About the Guest
Lieutenant
Paul Patti (ret.) has over 27 years of law enforcement experience in southeast Florida. His policing experience includes over sixteen years as a department commander; four years in charge of hiring and interviewing; and, more than seventeen years as a permanent member of the department's Oral Interview Panel where he was the "Hardass" member that interviewed OVER 500 applicants for law enforcement positions. Lieutenant Paul Patti’s training and education includes a BA in Criminal Justice and he is a graduate of the Southern Police Institute and many other certifications, and thousands of hours of law enforcement training.

Additionally, Lieutenant
Paul Patti’s police experience also includes Personnel Commander, Police Firearms and Academy Instructor, Training Supervisor, Patrol Commander, SWAT Commander, Criminal Investigations Commander, Acting Chief of Police, Acting Deputy Chief of Police, and many other department assignments.

Lieutenant
Paul Patti is a published author of fiction and non-fiction books, magazine articles and special features, and has over 20 years of experience in rĂ©sumĂ© writing, employment interviewing and job counseling. Lieutenant Paul Patti is the author of three books: Silhouettes: An Andy and Gabrielle Amato Mystery; Death Mate; and Dead Time. According to the books description of his latest book, Dead Time, “In this mystery-science thriller, dead people are spilling government secrets, via their computer-stored consciousness! The government wants to shut everyone up, permanently, but an FBI Agent and a beautiful scientist fight to keep the dead people talking.”

About the
Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting. During the first half-hour of the show, the host, a nationally recognized expert on law enforcement, interviews a subject matter expert on the topic. During the second half-hour the program is joined by two other cops who give a street-level perspective to the conversation.

About the Host
Lieutenant
Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond is currently a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in law enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement

Assisting Victims of Intimate Partner Stalking

On January 9, 2008, at 2 p.m. (eastern time), in recognition of National Stalking Awareness Month, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), in coordination with the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), will present a Web Forum discussion with Michelle Garcia on best practices for assisting victims of intimate partner stalking. Ms. Garcia is Director of the Stalking Resource Center at the National Center for Victims of Crime. She previously served as President of the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault and President of the National Coalition Against Sexual Assault. She has more than 15 years of experience working with victims of sexual assault and domestic violence and advocating for victims' rights on the local, state, and national levels.

Visit the OVC Web Forum now to submit questions for Ms. Garcia and return on January 9 at 2 p.m. (eastern time) for the live discussion. Learn how to participate beforehand so you are ready for the discussion.

MORE INFORMATION
http://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ovcproviderforum/

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Criminal Investigations and Tactics

January 1, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website started out 2008 by adding three police officers from California who have written books on criminal investigations and police tactics.

Daniel R. Sullivan served twenty-five years with the Los Angeles Police Department, retiring as a Deputy Chief. During his career with the Los Angeles Police Department Daniel Sullivan was the Program Manager for the Development of the City of Los Angeles Emergency Command Control Communication System and involved in the security planning for the 1984 Olympic Games.

Daniel Sullivan has a BS in Criminal Justice Administration and a Masters in Public Administration. After his career with the Los Angeles Police Department, Daniel Sullivan entered the private security as a well known security specialist including being a member of a worldwide response team for kidnap for ransom and extortion cases covered by a Lloyds of London syndicate. Daniel R. Sullivan is the co-author of two books: Criminal Investigations Standards and Homicide Investigations.

Marvin G. Engquist retired as a Detective Supervisor after twenty five years of service with the Los Angeles Police Department. In his last assignment, he was responsible for the supervision of numerous high profile Homicide investigations in the City of Los Angeles. Marvin Engquist is a graduate of the FBI. National Academy. He has testified as an expert witness in Federal, State and County courts, and is recognized internationally as an expert in Major Case Death Investigation. Marvin Engquist is the author of California Criminal Evidence.

Wayne R. Lippert is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis. During his 4-1/2 year period he served on various small ships, including two tours on large minesweepers off the beaches of North Korea in that "forgotten war." As executive officer he qualified for command, and did take temporary command of a minesweeper when the captain was no longer able to do so.

After leaving the
military, Wayne Lippert continued his life long interest in military history. He expanded his interest further by going through the Sheriff's academy at the ripe age of 52. He then served the Los Angles Sheriff’s Department as a reserve deputy Sheriff for 14 years. This included time in patrol cars as well as doing horse patrols in the mountains. He later worked at the pistol range. He held the highest reserve classification for the State of California (Level One - Designated). He was certified by the National Rifle Association as a police firearms instructor. He was a practicing C.P.A. in California for over 30 years. Wayne Lippert is the author of Stay alive: How to street fight with a pistol.

According to Joseph J. Truncale, of the American Society of
Law Enforcement Officers, “The author is clearly at odds with the goals and objectives of competition shooting as compared to survival shooting. He feels that present police training does not focus enough on the type of shooting to survive on the streets. Police trainers who have the responsibility to provide their officers with realistic and practical methods to survive on the street will want a copy of this very informative manual.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 817
police officers (representing 367 police departments) and their 1728 law enforcement books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.