In the Line of Duty: 56 Officers Feloniously Killed in 2010

Fifty-six law enforcement officers in 22 states and Puerto Rico were feloniously killed in 2010, and more than 53,000 officers were assaulted during the same period, according to statistics released by the FBI.

The annual Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted report released today offers the most complete public picture of the fatal circumstances that officers faced in 2010. In chilling detail, the report summarizes most of last year’s fatal confrontations and illustrates a reality that every officer continually trains to recognize: that there are no routine engagements. Among the scenarios:

■Two West Memphis Police Department officers were killed during a traffic stop when a 16-year-old passenger exited the vehicle and opened fire with a semiautomatic rifle.

■A Chicago Police Department officer at the end of his shift was removing his gear near his car in the department’s parking lot when a man ambushed the 43-year-old officer and shot him with his own weapon.
■A 62-year-old deputy sheriff in Mississippi was shot and killed by an uncooperative suspect while responding to a domestic disturbance call.

Information in the report, which is collected each year through the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, is intended to provide law enforcement agencies with detailed descriptions of the circumstances leading up to officer fatalities. The data can then be incorporated into tactical training.

“Only when detectives, use-of-force investigators, supervisors and administrators examine the various components of the deadly mix will a greater understanding of these encounters emerge,” FBI researchers wrote in a study called Violent Encounters, an in-depth look at years of fatal altercations like those in today’s report. “To make an objective assessment of each case, it is necessary to carefully and completely examine all aspects of the incident thus allowing the facts to surface.”

The 56 officers killed is an increase over 2009, when 48 officers were killed. However, significant conclusions may not be drawn from year-to-year comparisons given the nature of the statistics. Ten years ago, for example, 70 officers were killed in the line of duty (excluding the events of 9/11), and five years ago 48 officers were feloniously killed.

The 2010 report also shows 72 officers were accidently killed in the line of duty, almost all of them involving vehicles. Meanwhile, 53,469 officers were assaulted while on duty—a figure that amounts to one in 10 of the sworn officers in more than 11,000 agencies that reported data.

All told, the figures illustrate the inherent dangers of law enforcement. Here’s a look at some of the data contained in the report:

■Offenders used firearms to kill all but one of the 56 victim officers; one officer was killed by a vehicle used as a weapon.

■Of the 56 officers feloniously killed, 15 were ambushed, 14 were in arrest situations, seven were performing traffic stops, and six were answering disturbance calls.
■One in three officer assaults occurred while responding to disturbance calls; 14.7 percent occurred while officers were attempting arrests.
■The average age of officers killed feloniously and accidentally was, respectively, 38 and 39.

The UCR Program, part of the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division, has been collecting and publishing law enforcement statistics since 1937, most notably the annual Crime in the United States reports. In 1972, the FBI began producing detailed reports on officer fatalities after the larger law enforcement community sought the Bureau’s involvement in preventing and investigating officer deaths.

Two Puerto Rico Police Officers Sentenced for Federal Civil Rights Charges Related to Fatal Assault

April 30, 2010 - WASHINGTON – U.S. District Court Judge Daniel R. Dominguez sentenced former San Juan, Puerto Rico, Police Officers, Aaron Vidal Maldonado and Jose Pacheco Cruz today for their roles in the fatal assault by San Juan officers against Jose Rivera Robles, an unarmed civilian, the Justice Department announced.

Vidal Maldonado received a sentence of 200 months in prison and five years of supervised release after conviction at trial for using excessive force, resulting in death, and for committing various obstruction of justice offenses. Pacheco Cruz received a sentence of 57 months in prison and two years supervised release after conviction at trial for obstructing the commonwealth and federal investigations into the circumstances surrounding Rivero Robles’ death.

At trial, the government presented evidence that on July 20, 2003, in the course of arresting the victim at a Citgo gas station, co-defendants Juan Morales Rosado, Carlos Pagan Ferrer, Elias Perocier Morales and Eliezer Rivera Gonzalez repeatedly kicked and otherwise assaulted Rivera Robles when he was lying face down on the ground, in no way resisting or posing a threat to the officers. Aaron Vidal Maldonado, the senior officer on the scene, pinned Rivero Robles to the ground during the beating and did nothing to discourage the excessive force used by his subordinates.

After this beating, Vidal Maldonado directed officers to transport the badly injured, semiconscious victim to a nearby police station where co-defendant Elias Perocier Morales again brutally assaulted the victim in Vidal Maldonado’s presence. After this second beating, instead of immediately seeking medical attention for the victim, Vidal Maldonado directed his subordinates to dump the victim on the floor of the police station. Soon after, the injuries to the victim caused by the beatings resulted in Rivero Robles’ death.

"Law enforcement officers who use their badges as an excuse to commit egregious acts of violence are an affront to the rule of law," said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. "The Justice Department will continue to aggressively prosecute officers who abuse their power in this manner."

"Our citizens have a right to just, fair and equal treatment from all law enforcement officers and we, as public servants, must never forget that we have sworn an oath to serve and protect them," said U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez for the District of Puerto Rico. "The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue prosecuting these crimes to the full extent of the law."

The other co-defendants in this case have already been sentenced for their roles in the beating. On Dec. 20, 2009, co-defendants Elias Perocier Morales and Eliezer Rivera Gonzalez were sentenced to ten years in prison and six-and-a-half years in prison, respectively. On March 25, 2010, Juan Morales Rosado and Carlos Pagan Ferrer were both sentenced to ten years in prison.

Special Agent Luis Rivero of the FBI’s San Juan Office investigated this matter. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio Bazan, Special Litigation Counsel Gerard Hogan and Trial Attorney Avner Shapiro of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

Greene County Man Charged with Bank Robbery


March 17, 2010 - SPRINGFIELD, MO—Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Greene County, Mo., man was charged in federal court today with robbing Empire Bank in Springfield, Mo., yesterday.

Curtis L. Ralls, 43, of Greene County, was charged with bank robbery in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Springfield. Ralls remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Friday, March 19, 2010.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, Ralls entered Empire Bank, 3555 N. Glenstone Ave., in Springfield, at approximately 3:24 p.m. Monday, March 15, 2010. Ralls allegedly gave a note to a bank teller that said, “I have a gun! Give me the money.”

A witness told police officers he saw a man run behind a nearby Kum-N-Go gas station, then drive off in a red Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck with no license plates. The witness also told police officers that the truck had wood or lumber in the back.

A description of the vehicle was broadcast and a Greene County Sheriff’s deputy identified a vehicle matching the description. A pursuit ensued, the affidavit says, and when the vehicle was stopped, Ralls was arrested. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement officers found a jacket, sunglasses and gloves that matched those depicted in bank surveillance footage of the robber and described by witnesses. Stuffed inside one of the gloves was $1,720, the amount stolen from Empire Bank.

Phillips cautioned that the charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Doug Bunch. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

Forensic Science in Homicide Investigations

On December 17, 2009, Conversations with American Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a discussion with Vernon J. Geberth, NYPD (ret.) on Forensic Science in Homicide Investigations.

Program Date: December 17, 2009
Program Time: 1700 hours, Pacific
Topic: Forensic Science in Homicide Investigations
Listen Live: www.americanheroesradio.com/forensic_science_homicide_investigations.html

About the Guest
Vernon Geberth is a retired lieutenant-commander of the New York Police Department. As the commanding officer of the Bronx Homicide Task Force, his investigators handled more than four hundred murder investigations every year. Vernon Geberth is recipient of over sixty awards for bravery and exceptional work during twenty-three years of service. He has personally investigated, supervised, assessed, researched and consulted on over eight thousand homicides.

Vernon Geberth has master's degrees in both psychology and professional studies, is a graduate of the FBI's National Academy. Over the past twenty-five years, he has taught over 50,000 police officers his comprehensive course in Practical Homicide Investigation.

Geberth’s book, Practical Homicide Investigation has been referred to as the "Bible of Homicide." His subsequent works, “The Practical Homicide Investigation Checklist and Field Guide” and “Sex-Related Homicide and Death Investigation: Practical and Clinical Perspectives,” demonstrate his professional ability and subject matter expert command over homicide investigations. In addition to his own works Geberth has been an editor in over forty other textbooks. He has devoted his life to the study of murder and was the first law enforcement professional to devise standard guidelines and protocols for proficient death inquiries. Currently he is president of P.H.I. Investigative Consultants, Inc., a New York-based corporation that provides state-of-the-art instruction and consultation regarding homicide investigations to police officers.

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. American Heroes Radio brings you to the watering hole, where it is Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

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 E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Public Safety 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:
www.americanheroesradio.com/forensic_science_homicide_investigations.html

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

Sawgrass

On February 27, 2009, Conversations with Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a discussion Deputy Sheriff Alex J. McDonald, Broward County Sheriff’s Office (ret.) about his novel – Sawgrass.

Program Date: February 27, 2009
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: Conversation with Sergeant Alex J. McDonald (ret.)
Listen Live: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/02/28/Sawgrass

About the Guest
Alex J. McDonald retired in June 2007 after thirty seven years in law enforcement. He began as a police cadet with Ft. Lauderdale Police Department, in 1970. In 1974, two weeks out of high school, he was hired by Davie Police Department. He was one of the first police officers hired in the State of Florida who was under the age of twenty-one. In 1976, he became a police officer for the Deerfield Beach Police Department; and, in 1982 began his career as a deputy sheriff with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office (Florida).

During his career with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, he was a member of the Dignitary Protection team, a field training officer, lead defensive tactics instructor, firearms and driving instructor. An avid martial and competitive shooter, he has had numerous articles published in Police Marksman. Alex J. McDonald is the author of Sawgrass.

According to the book description of Sawgrass, “A missing cop is found dead in his car in an orange grove. Suicide or murder? The evidence points to murder but the bureaucrats want it to be suicide. Detective Sergeant Daniel Quinn is in charge of the investigation and sets out to prove murder. A second murder occurs and Quinn finds the two are connected. Quinn becomes embroiled in a drug smuggling investigation and is forced to battle politics, a smuggling group and even the DEA. All of this leads to a surprise ending.”

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.

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 E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, law enforcement 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/2009/02/28/Sawgrass

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

DNA Solves Property Crimes (But Are We Ready for That?)

The study, funded by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and evaluated by the Urban Institute, compared burglary investigations that used only traditional police practices to burglary investigations in which DNA evidence was also collected and analyzed. The study revealed that, when DNA was added to traditional property crime investigations:

More than twice as many suspects were identified.
Twice as many suspects were arrested.
More than twice as many cases were accepted for prosecution.

The DNA Field Experiment also found that suspects were five times as likely to be identified through DNA evidence than through fingerprints; blood evidence was more effective in solving property crimes than other biological evidence, particularly evidence from items that were handled or touched by the suspect; and evidence collected by forensic technicians was no more likely to result in a suspect being identified than evidence collected by police officers.

READ ON
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/journals/261/dna-solves-property-crimes.htm

War and Criminal Justice

June 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 Lynn “Buck” Compton, an author who has served both in War and in our domestic criminal justice system.

Lieutenant Lynn “Buck” Compton is familiar to many people because his service in World War Two was portrayed by actor Neal McDonough in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. But, what many don’t know is that Lynn Compton, after World War Two, was also a Los Angeles Police Department Detective, an Assistant District Attorney; appellate judge and author.

In 1939, Lynn “Buck” Compton attended UCLA where he majored in physical education. At UCLA, he lettered two years in football and three years in baseball and was captain of the baseball team. Notably, Compton played guard on the Rose Bowl team in 1943. During his college days he was also a member of the ROTC program.

Lynn “Buck” Compton graduated from the school’s ROTC program and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He commanded the “second platoon of Easy Company in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Division. He parachuted into Normandy during the early hours of D-Day, was part of the assault group that destroyed the German artillery during the battle at Brecourt Manor, fought on the line at Carentan, helped liberate Holland during Operation Market Garden, and fought in the freezing cold of the Battle of Bastogne.

As a combat veteran, Lt. Compton received the Silver Star, for valor in the face of the enemy, the Purple Heart, for being wounded while in the U.S. military, the World War Two Victory Medal, for active duty during World War Two, the Orange Lanyard of the Royal Netherlands Army, for bravery, leadership and loyalty in the defense of the Netherlands, the Combat Infantry Badge, the American Campaign Citation, the American Defense Medal, and the European, African Mid-Eastern Campaign Medal. Compton, along with his unit, was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism against an armed enemy when holding the main line of resistance during the Battle of the Bulge.”

After war, Lynn “Buck” Compton, joined the Los Angeles Police Department and began to attend Loyola Law School. During his days with the Los Angeles Police Department, he attainted the rank of detective and was assigned to the Central Burglary Division. In 1951, Lynn Compton left the Los Angeles Police Department and joined the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor.

During his career with the District Attorney’s Office, Lynn Compton would rise to the position of Chief Deputy and serve as the second in command of the District Attorney’s Office. He prosecuted all manner of felony cases as well as high profile cases such the prosecution of Sirhan Sirhan for the murder of Robert F. Kennedy. In 1970, Lynn “Buck” Compton was “appointed by Governor Ronald Reagan to the California Courts of Appeal as an Associate Justice. During his term on the bench, Judge Compton authored more than 2,000 written opinions in all areas of law.” Lynn “Buck” Compton is the author of Call of Duty: My Life Before, During and After the Band of Brothers.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 1021 police officers (representing 429 police departments) and their 2175 criminal justice books in 33 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. Finally, because of his service, Lynn “Buck” Compton was added to Military-Writers.com as well as LAPDAuthors.com.

Florida Law Enforcement

May 24, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. Continuing its leadership in the area of criminal justice books, Police-Writers.com added three Florida Law Enforcement officials.

Dr. William Doerner is a professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Florida State University in Tallahassee. He began his law enforcement career in 1980 as a part-time sworn officer with the Tallahassee Police Department. William Doerner has a BA, MA and PhD in Sociology and is the author of over fifty scholarly articles and author of Introduction to Law Enforcement: An Insider’s View. Additionally, he has co-authored of Delinquency and Justice; Study Guide for the Florida Law Enforcement Officer’s Certification Examination; Study Guide for the Florida Corrections Officer’s Certification Examination; and, is an editor of Contemporary Police Organization and Management: Issues and Trends.

According to the book description, Law Enforcement: An Insider's View, “addresses four major issues: (1) How the police function has evolved; (2) What it takes to become a full-fledged law enforcement officer; (3) On-the-street activities; and (4) Off-the-street issues.”

Charles Rushing is a certified law enforcement instructor with the state of Florida. He also works as a part-time patrol officer with the Tallahassee Police Department. He consults as a subject matter expert regarding academy curriculum changes with Criminal Justice Standards and Training at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. He co-authored of Study Guide for the Florida Law Enforcement Officer’s Certification Examination and Study Guide for the Florida Corrections Officer’s Certification Examination.

Kimberly Clark is a thirteen-year veteran of the Tampa Police Department. Since 1990, she has been a state certified high-liability instructor and an avid member of ASLET. During Kimberly Clark’s law enforcement career she worked uniformed patrol, undercover, as a latent detective and field training officer. As a law enforcement training, Kimberly Clark has provided instruction in report writing, high stress radio procedures, use-of-force documentation, map reading, orientation, and defensive tactics.

After her retirement from the Tampa Police Department, Kimberly Clark continued to teach at the Tampa Police Academy and online classes for the Smith and Wesson Police Academy. Kimberly Clark is the author of How to Really, Really Write Those Boring Police Reports!

Police-Writers.com now hosts 1019 police officers (representing 429 police departments) and their 2172 criminal justice books in 33 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.

Federal and Local Cops

May 23, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. Continuing its leadership in the area of criminal justice books, Police-Writers.com added one federal law enforcement official and two local police officers to the list of law enforcement personnel that have authored books.

From 1972 to 1997, Raymond Batvinis was a special agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. During his federal law enforcement career he also served in the Federal Bureau of Investigation Intelligence Division Training Unit. Raymond Batvinis is the author of The Origins of FBI Counterintelligence.

According to the book description of The Origins of FBI Counterintelligence, “As the world prepared for war in the 1930s, the United States discovered that it faced the real threat of foreign spies stealing military and industrial secrets—and that it had no established means to combat them. With an insider’s knowledge and a storyteller’s skill, Batvinis provides a page-turning history narrative that greatly revises our views of the FBI—and also resonates powerfully with our own post-9/11 world.”

Mark Bannon is a retired lieutenant from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (Florida). After three years of military service as a military police officer, Mark Bannon joined the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office in 1981. During his law enforcement career, he worked in a number of key assignments within the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office such as patrol officer, sex crimes investigator, homicide detective, patrol supervisor, and homicide supervisor. He also was the Commander of such diverse units such as, Road Patrol, Community Involvement Team, Community Policing, and Fugitive Apprehension. As a retired law enforcement officer, Mark Bannon maintains a lifetime membership in the Florida and Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Associations in order to continue his important relationships with law enforcement officers and the South Florida law enforcement community.

Mark Bannon holds a BA in Social Psychology, an MPA, is a graduate of the Southern Police Institute and a law degree from the Miami School of Law. After retiring from policing, he worked as a criminal prosecutor in South Florida. Today, Mark E. Bannon conducts a private law practice. Mark E. Bannon is the author of A Quick Reference Guide To Contemporary CRIMINAL PROCEDURE For Law Enforcement Officers: One Hundred Notable United States Supreme Court Decisions, and Their Effect on Modern Policing in America.

According to the book description, “The goal of this book is to provide a “quick reference guide” for law enforcement officers in their quest to furnish professional police services to their communities. Designed to be a handy source for the study of criminal procedures, this guide has assembled numerous court cases that will assist officers in dealing with the issues they may often encounter.

Roberto Santos is currently detective sergeant of the persons crime section and team leader of the crisis negotiation unit at the Port St. Lucie Police Department (Florida. He has held positions in patrol, SWAT, criminal investigations, and narcotics. Prior to his law enforcement career, Sergeant Santos was a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. In addition, he has instructed at the police academy and is an adjunct professor at Florida Atlantic University. He has extensive experience in police problem solving and problem analysis and has conducted numerous trainings sessions and seminars around the country. Sergeant Roberto Santos has a master’s degree in criminology and criminal justice from Florida Atlantic University and a bachelor’s degree in business from Barry University. Robert Santos is the co-author of The Problem of Burglary at Single-Family House Construction Sites.

According to the book description of The Problem of Burglary at Single-Family House Construction Sites, “This guide begins by describing the problem of burglary at single-family house construction sites and reviewing the factors that increase its risks. It then identifies a series of questions that can help analyze your local burglary problem. Finally, it reviews responses to the problem of burglary at single-family house construction sites as identified through research and police practice.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 1013 police officers (representing 425 police departments) and their 2154 criminal justice books in 33 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.

Florida Cop Books

May 21, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. Continuing its leadership in criminal justice books the website added 3 police officers from Florida; now listing well over 1000 state and local law enforcement officials who have authored books.

Thomas Brodie is retired from Metro Dade Police Department (Florida) at the rank of captain. Thomas Brodie law enforcement career included more than twenty-four years as a founder of the Miami Bomb squad and supervisor of its crime scene unit. Over the course of his career, Captain Thomas Brodie investigated approximately 350 bombings and assisted in the disposal of over 4000 bombs and tons of explosives. He is a charter member of the International Association of Bomb Technicians and Investigators and among other awards and honors, he was knighted by the Queen Elizabeth II for his role in protecting the British Empire in the Caribbean. Thomas Brodie is the author of Bombs and Bombings: A Handbook to Protection, Security, Detection, Disposal and Investigation for Industry, Police and Fire Departments.

According to the book description of Bombs and Bombings: A Handbook to Protection, Security, Detection, Disposal and Investigation for Industry, Police and Fire Departments, “This expanded new edition provides law enforcement personnel, firefighters, and security professionals with the most up-to-date information and procedures on the investigation, detection, and disposal of dangerous bombs and explosives and the evidence obtained from them.”

Henry Holden is the author of numerous adult and children books as well as more than 600 magazine articles on Aviation History. In 1994, he rece3ived the New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Author’s Award. Henry Holden was a deputy sheriff for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (Florida) from 1979 to 1981. He is the author of 31 books such as: To Be a U.S. Air Force Pilot; FBI 100 Years: An Unofficial History; Rescue Helicopters and Aircraft; Hovering: The History of the Whirly-Girls: International Women Helicopter Pilots; To Be a Crime Scene Investigator; American Women of Flight: Pilots and Pioneers; and Crime-Fighting Aircraft.

According to the book description of FBI 100 Years: An Unofficial History, “On the eve of the FBI's centenary, this book offers the first comprehensive illustrated account of the Bureaus 100-year history. Granted unprecedented access to the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., and academy at Quantico, Virginia, author Henry Holden presents a rare inside view of the agency’s workings, as well as a compelling, closely observed picture of its ever-changing role, powers, notable cases, and controversies through the years.

After three years in the US Marines, the Leigh McEachern became a rookie cop with the St. Petersburg Police Department. Promoted to detective, he took part in many notable cases, including the conviction of the vice-mayor, a prominent defense attorney, on a federal felony. He went on to serve as deputy chief of the Winter Park Police Department, and then as chief deputy of the Orange County Sheriff's Department (Florida). Leigh McEachern is the author of The Appearance of Justice.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 1011 police officers (representing 423 police departments) and their 2152 criminal justice books in 33 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.

Trombetta, Holmes and Ronczkowski

May 17, 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 local law enforcement officials who have written books.

Jack Trombetta is a retired detective sergeant from the Lower Township Police Department. Jack Trombetta served twenty-five years, retiring as the bureau command of the investigative unit. He is a certified instructor whose expertise is in criminal investigations, interview and interrogations. Currently, he instructs at the Cape May County Police Department in defensive tactics and boxing. Jack Trombetta attended the FBI National Academy and has a BA in Criminal Justice. In addition to instructing at the police academy, in his retirement he is a high school social studies teacher, teaching “at risk” young people. Jack Trombetta is the author of Material Evidence: Who Would Want to Steal a Corpse, and Why.

According to the book description, Material Evidence is “a thought-provoking and thrilling investigation into the theft of the body of Jesus of Nazareth. Using historical records Jack Trombetta skillfully uncovers the facts surrounding this event.”

Warren Holmes was a member of the Miami Police Department from 1951 to 1963. He was assigned to the Lie Detection Bureau from 1955 to 1963 and then left the police department at the rank of Detective Sergeant to open a private polygraph testing firm. Warren Holmes is the past president of Florida Polygraph Association and the Academy for Scientific Interrogation (the predecessor name of the American Polygraph Association). Warren Holmes is the author of Criminal Interrogation: A Modern Format for Interrogating Criminal Suspects Based on the Intellectual Approach.

Michael Ronczkowski, MPA, began his law enforcement career in 1983 as a police officer with the Miami-Dade Police Department. Having risen through the ranks, he continues to serve in an upper management capacity as a Major overseeing the Department's Homeland Security Bureau. He is also an adjunct professor teaching courses on terrorism, analysis, and the criminal justice system at Florida Atlantic University.

A graduate of the FBI National Academy and recognized internationally for his analytical skills and crime mapping expertise, Mike has presented analytical material at numerous conferences and workshops for various international associations and the National Institute of Justice. He managed a county-wide analytical intelligence unit for over 8 years, has written analytical policy, procedures, and training protocols, and has developed analytical databases and information resources. Michael Ronczkowski is the author of Terrorism and Organized Hate Crime.

According to the book description of Terrorism and Organized Hate Crime, “In response to the current terror threat, law enforcement agencies must now determine how to train analysts and properly identify and respond to critical intelligence. This book explores the issues that all analysts face, including what information to gather, how to analyze it, and the effectiveness of crime analysts investigating terrorism. Events now mandate the unavoidable importance of understanding "terrorism analysis." This expert overview provides the crucial foundation of criminal intelligence gathering and analysis and defines the nature of terrorism and its practitioners, subjects of vital importance if agencies are to play an effective role in the battle against terror.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 1005 police officers (representing 421 police departments) and their 2116 police books in 33 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.

Marines Emphasize Character Building in Afghan Police Mission

By Kristen Noel
Special to American Forces Press Service

May 19, 2008 - The 1st Marine Division's 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines' is focusing on Afghan people, not on fighting terrorists, the battalion commander said May 16. "What's unique about our mission is that we're doing a police training and mentoring mission, as opposed to coming in here kinetically like a lot of our past exploits have been, especially in Iraq," Marine Corps Lt. Col. Richard Hall told online journalists and "bloggers" in a teleconference.

The 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, deployed at the end of March for this mission to assist Afghanistan's Regional Security Command South with their focused district development program for Afghan police. The program rotates local police forces through eight weeks of uniformed-officer training at a central location, while highly trained Afghan national civil police work in their districts.

Hall explained that the battalion also will facilitate "in-district reform" police training for districts the Afghan national civil police are unable to backfill due to personnel shortages. "That is kind of the way that we can fast-track getting more of these districts [to] get their police trained," he said.

The 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, had success in Iraq executing the police mission in Anbar province, Hall said, and he added that before this deployment, the battalion completed a month-long training exercise called "Mojave Viper," designed specifically to prepare them for the police situation in Afghanistan.

"We spent quite a bit of time focusing on escalation-of-force vignettes," he said. That training, he explained, focuses on the civil portion of police work.

Though the battalion will do the quantifiable work of improving the Afghans' policing skills, Hall said, the enduring piece of the training will need to be the mentoring and character development -- "in other words, doing the right thing when no one is looking," he said.

"The reason for that is, whether or not we get replaced, ... we need to teach a man to fish so that they could be self-sufficient with or without our presence," he explained. "They need to have the credibility and the respectability of their people in order to maintain that law and order presence, even if we're absent."

Hall said he believes that since the Marines and the Afghans are both "of a warrior culture," the battalion will be able to earn the credibility needed to influence and affect the character of the district police officers.

"I think [the Afghans are] ... going to catch the sense that we're really sincere about our mission and what we're trying to do, and they're going to make no distinction between us and them," Hall said. "I think that's really going to add to the character piece, because they absolutely do respect that of other men -- you know, sharing the danger and so forth."

But although that factor works in his favor, he acknowledged, it won't be easy.

"We don't pretend that it's not going to be a huge challenge," he said. "The truth will be in action, when we actually get out there, and we give it a try. We can only hope that everything I've said comes true."

(Kristen Noel works for the New Media branch of the American Forces Information Service.)

The Problem of Rave Parties

This guide addresses problems associated with rave parties. Rave parties–or, more simply, raves–are dance parties that feature fast-paced, repetitive electronic music and accompanying light shows. Raves are the focus of rave culture, a youth-oriented subculture that blends music, art and social ideals (e.g., peace, love, unity, respect, tolerance, happiness). Rave culture also entails the use of a range of licit and illicit drugs. Drug use is intended to enhance ravers' sensations and boost their energy so they can dance for long periods.

Rave party problems will be familiar to many police officers working in communities where raves have been held; they will be unfamiliar to many other officers who have never experienced raves or, perhaps, even heard of them. In many jurisdictions, the first time a young person dies while or after attending a rave and using rave-related drugs sparks media, public and political pressure on police to take action.

In some respects, rave party problems are unique; they combine a particular blend of attitudes, drugs and behavior not found in other forms of youth culture. In other respects, rave party problems are but the latest variation in an ongoing history of problems associated with youth entertainment, experimentation, rebellion, and self-discovery.

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http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/e12011406.pdf

Dane County, Wisconsin, Arrest Policies Project: A Process Evaluation

The Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies Program encourages jurisdictions to implement mandatory or pro-arrest policies as an effective domestic violence intervention that is part of a coordinated community response. Congress appropriated funds for the Arrest Program under the Violence Against Women Act (1994). The Program assumes that the arrest of a batterer will leverage the coercive and persuasive power of the criminal justice system to ensure victim safety and manage the behavior of abusive, violent offenders. Ensuring victim safety and offender accountability are the guiding principles underlying the Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies. The Violence Against Women Act directs that the Arrest Program funds be used to:

Implement mandatory arrest or pro-arrest programs and policies in police departments, including mandatory arrest programs or pro-arrest program and polices for protection order violations

Develop policies and training programs in police departments and other criminal justice and tribal agencies to improve tracking of cases involving domestic violence

Centralize and coordinate police enforcement, prosecution, probation, parole or judicial responsibility for domestic violence cases in groups or units of police officers, prosecutors, probation and parole officers or judges

Coordinate computer tracking systems to ensure communication between police, prosecutors, and both criminal and family courts

Strengthen legal advocacy service programs for victims of domestic violence by providing complete information and support for a victim of domestic violence as the case against her abuser moves through the criminal justice system

Educate judges, and others responsible for judicial handling of domestic violence cases, in criminal, tribal, and other courts about domestic violence to improve judicial handling of such cases.

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http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/201884.pdf

Consent Searches

By: David Waksman

Police officers routinely respond to violent domestic disputes. Usually the parties live together. What happens when she tells you that he keeps his stash in that dresser drawer and he beats her whenever he gets high. Can you search the dresser or the premises on her say so alone. Must he also consent?

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http://www.police-writers.com/articles/waksman_consent_searches.html

Soldiers, Airmen Help Afghan Police Hone Skills

By Army Sgt. Jessica R. Dahlberg
Special to American Forces Press Service

May 13, 2008 - The sound of idling Humvees resonated in the air as the police mentoring team commander briefed his team on convoy operations. With their orders received, the team mounted up and prepared to roll out, bound for Dandar, a small village in Afghanistan's Parwan province. Army Capt. Mark Moeckli and his team rolled out of Bagram Air Base and embarked on a scenic and treacherous journey over winding mountain roads.

Their task was to instruct the Afghan National Police on hand-to-hand combat, community policing, coordination-cell training, and criminal investigation.

Moeckli's team is made up of servicemembers who were trained in an array of military occupational specialties. With their combined expertise, they make a highly skilled and effective team, ready to tackle the task of teaching the skills Afghan police officers need to remain effective, he said.

The confident commander seemed secure in his team, which began work immediately.

"Some of the Afghan people do bad things, but most of the Afghan people want to see the Taliban gone and their country safe, just like we do," Moeckli said after returning from a meeting with Afghan National Police Col. Masoum Farzaie to discuss the day's objectives.

While the police mentoring team leadership met with the Afghan police colonel, the remaining team members prepared for a class on techniques for physical apprehension and restraint.

"We took it upon ourselves to give these training classes," said Army Capt. Donald Young, an Idaho National Guardsman and police mentoring team leader.

The teams of soldiers and airmen teach a variety of classes based upon the needs of the police in each district, Young explained. The day's classes were taught by the team's airmen, who are charged with training police in two provinces and 17 districts, and who recently taught police officers how to search personnel and control access to resources.

"The training is very good for us," Dawa Jan, an Afghan National Police officer, said. "Our main goal is security, and the classes the Americans give us help prepare us for that goal."

During the hands-on part of the class, Air Force Tech. Sgt. Chris Padron, deployed from Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., coached the police officers and gave them useful tips to help master the techniques.

"I love doing what I do," Padron said. "Teaching the Afghanistan National Police has been a great experience."

To become an Afghan National Police officer, applicants must have a high school education, go through testing and then attend a six-week course at one of the country's four academies. U.S. forces augment their training, helping them to retain the training they received at the academy.

"It is good for my policemen to learn from the Americans," Farazie said. "They have improved greatly since the Americans have come to teach them."

As the police mentoring team travels all over Parwan province, its goal is to give the Afghan National Police training and confidence they'll need to work without the assistance of coalition forces.

"We want to make the Afghanistan National Police sufficient, because in the end, it is not about us at all," Young said. "It is all about them."

(Army Sgt. Jessica R. Dahlberg serves with 382nd Public Affairs Detachment.)

True Crime and Investigations

May 3, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website listed three police officers who have written on true crime and on how to investigate crime.

Raymond Pingitore is a detective in the Johnston Police Department (Rhode Island) where he has served for twenty-five years. In 1992, he earned his detective badge and currently works in the major crimes division. A graduate of Roger Williams University, Raymond Pingitore holds a Masters Degree in Criminal Justice. He is the co-author of Thrill Killers: A True Story of Innocence and Murder Without Conscience.

According to the book description of Thrill Killers: A True Story of Innocence and Murder Without Conscience, “This riveting tale of true crime and the perseverance of justice grips and enthralls the reader from start to finish. In 2000, in Providence, Rhode Island, two college students were approached by a group of men. Forced into the backseat and driven to a remote location, they were murdered when one of the perpetrators realized the students had seen his face.”

W. Kenneth Katsaris began his law enforcement career in 1962 when he joined the St. Petersburg Police Department. During the next two decades he would serve with the Tallahassee Police Department and the Florida Highway Patrol before being elected as the Sheriff of the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. W. Kenneth Katsaris has been an academy instructor as well as a lecture. He has a BA and MS in Criminology and is the author of Evidence and Procedure in the Administration of Justice. W. Kenneth Katsaris is the author of Evidence and Procedure in the Administration of Justice.

Michael Byrd joined the Miami-Dade County Police Department in 1985. He began working in their Crime Scene Investigations Bureau in 1987. Michael Byrd passed away in 2004. Michael Byrd published over 30 articles on crime scene investigations and evidence handling. He is the author of Crime Scene Evidence: A Guide to the Recovery and Collection of Physical Evidence.

According to the book description of Crime Scene Evidence: A Guide to the Recovery and Collection of Physical Evidence, “The purpose of this book is to give the investigator a quick and easy reference guide to the collection, handling, and packaging of crime scene evidence. It is meant to assist everyone working in the field of evidence collection--from the first responding officer, to the newly assigned investigator, to the savvy veteran with many crime scene responses under his/her belt. The first responding officer may find himself/herself involved in a situation where he/she will need to collect a particular piece of evidence for whatever reason.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 999 police officers (representing 418 police departments) and their 2110 police books in 35 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.

From Iwo Jima to Computer Crime

April 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 who have written a variety of works, from a personal account of the Battle of Iwo Jima to a text on investigating computer crime.

Alfred Stone left his home in Marlin (Texas) as a teenager to join the U.S. Marines during World War II. As a member of the Fifth Marine Division, he participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima and after served with the occupying forces in Japan. He was called back to duty during the Korean conflict. Alfred Stone’s 38 year law enforcement career included service as a highway patrol officer and other service with the Texas Department of Public Safety. Alfred Stone is the author of The Investigating of Crimes: An introduction and A Marine Remembers Iwo Jima: Dog Company, 2nd Battalion, 27th Marines, Fifth Marine Division; and, a co-author of Strategies for Community Policing.

According to a reader of A Marine Remembers Iwo Jima: Dog Company, 2nd Battalion, 27th Marines, Fifth Marine Division, “This is an outstanding transcript of one Marines personal account of the many men who fought on IWO JIMA. The author more importantly wishes the reader to draw their on conclusions from these personal accounts. The history of these events is depicted in the most accurate rendition, more importantly the writer wants the reader to understand these events as they unfold from that standpoint.”

Michael Knetzger is a fourteen-year law enforcement veteran and currently a Lieutenant with the Green Bay Police Department (Wisconsin). Michael Knetzger began his law enforcement career as a patrol officer and detective for the Town of Brookfield Police Department. He is a certified State of Wisconsin Technical College Instructor and teaches criminal justice courses at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Colorado Technical University Online and ITT Technical Institute. Michael Knetzger has successfully completed the International Association of Computer Investigative Specialists forensic examiner program, Basic Data Recovery & Analysis course, and several other courses and seminars on investigating internet crimes. He is also a certified tactical instructor and teaches defensive and arrest tactics, firearms, and professional communications skills courses to new law enforcement recruits. Michael Knetzger has a BA in Justice and Public Policy and a Masters in Public Administration. He is the co-author of True Crime in Titletown, USA: Cold Cases and Investigating High-Tech Crime.

Jeremy Muraski is an eight-year law enforcement veteran and currently an Advanced Patrol Officer, Webmaster and Field Training Officer with the Green Bay Police Department. He has worked as a Network Administrator for Kimberly Clark Corporation and at various jobs as a Computer Support Engineer and Help Desk Specialist supporting online investors for Fidelity Investments. Jeremy Muraski is certified to teach for The Wisconsin Technical College System and teaches criminal justice courses at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, including Investigating High Tech Crimes, and Juvenile Law.

Jeremy Muraski has completed AccessData's Forensic Toolkit Course, the National White Collar Crime Center's Basic Data Recovery & Analysis (BDRA) course, and several other courses and seminars on investigating Internet crimes. In addition to having developed college level course work in computer crime, he holds a number of computer certifications such as Microsoft Access Database Design and Administration and Website Design and Computer Network Administration. Jeremy Muraski is a co-author of Investigating High-Tech Crime.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 981 police officers (representing 411 police departments) and their 2079 police books in 35 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.

397 Police Departments

April 7, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. With the addition of three law enforcement officials, the website now listed 948 state and local law enforcement officials from 397 agencies.

Dr. Stephen Mackenzie has been training and working police service dogs for over 17 years. He is a part time Deputy with the Schoharie County Sheriff's Office (New York). During his law enforcement career he has served as a K-9 handler for 7 years and K-9 Trainer for 8 years. Stephen Mackenzie is a Trainer/Examiner of police dog teams for the state of New York; an Examiner of police work dog teams for the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association; and a Master Trainer with the North American Police Work Dog Association.

According to the book description of Decoys and Aggression: A Police K-9 Training Manual “A good decoy needs to be an expert in canine communication, and needs to know how to use this language to stimulate aggression in the dog. This book explains, step by step, how to understand the canine paralanguage and how to use your own body to communicate with the dog.”

Steven Drielak is a retired Lieutenant from the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. His last assignment was as the commanding officer of the Environmental Crimes Unit. After leaving the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Steven Drielak became the Director, Homeland Security Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Steven Drielak is the author of Hot Zone Forensics: Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Evidence Collection and Environmental Crime: Evidence Gathering and Investigative Techniques. He is also the co-author of Weapons of Mass Destruction: Response and Investigation with Thomas Brandon.

According to the book description of Environmental Crime: Evidence Gathering and Investigative Techniques, “The purpose of this book is to guide the new criminal investigator who is about to enter the highly-regulated and complex field of criminal environmental investigation. This type of criminal investigation has a "steep learning curve." Every hazardous waste evidence-gathering operation is strictly regulated by numerous laws and mandated procedures. This book has been written in a format that will take the new investigator successfully through this learning process.”

Tony Capria began his law enforcement career as a police officer in the Syracuse Police Department (New York). After working in 6 months in patrol, he was assigned as an investigator in the police department's organized crime unit. Tony Capria left law enforcement for a few years to pursue business interests but return in 1976 as a corrections officer at the Jamesville Penitentiary (New York).

Tony Capria moved to the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office where he took a position as a deputy sheriff in the jail. He was promoted to sergeant and responsible to supervise a shift of a dozen deputies with custody responsibility for over 200 inmates. Tony Capria left the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Department after an on-duty injury. Tony Capria is the author of Betrayal.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 948 police officers (representing 397 police departments) and their 2014 police books in 34 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.