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LE Spends Too Much?!
by Frank Borelli - Wednesday May 23, 2012While I freely admit that I'm not a fan of big government, this blog has nothing to do with that. Just yesterday Officer.com received a press release touting a report titled, " Rethinking the Blues: How we police in the U.S. and at what cost ," that has been released by the Justice Policy Institute. As I understand it, the report claims that we spend too much money on law enforcement and go about it all wrong. The report seems to have a negative outlook on the fact that our country maintains over 714,000 police officers. Here's my challenge with this... actually, I have more than one, so here are my challenges with this: First, that 714,000+ law enforcement professionals is DOWN from approximately 900,000 less than a decade ago... -
Police Week 2012 Is Upon Us
by Frank Borelli - Tuesday May 8, 2012Police Week 2012 is upon us. As I type this on May 8th, today there was the Blue Mass marking the opening of Police Week ceremony and events. While the rest of this blog entry is informative about those events and opportunities, I want to insure we keep our focus first and foremost: Police Week, and specifically May 15th, is Peace Officers Memorial Week/Day. This is the one time each year that we remember those brother and sister law enforcement professionals who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. Remember them. Support and console their surviving family members all you can. Conduct yourself in a manner that will continue to shine an honoring light on their sacrifice. This year, as we have in the past... -
The Difference Between Protesting & Rioting
by Frank Borelli - Wednesday May 2, 2012As a police officer I know that we often have to see things in absolutes . An action is either illegal or it's not. A person is either a suspect or they're not. A crime has been committed or it hasn't. But we also have to see the infinite shades of gray . The easiest example I can think of is the common speeding violation: ONE mile per hour over the speed limit is "illegal" but it's both challenging and inconvenient to enforce. When one MPH becomes ten MPH then it's easier to identify and take enforcement action. Everything between one and ten is a different shade of gray. With that all said, I type this blog entry today to voice my objection to calling RIOTERS protesters . I LIKE, appreciate and agree with a citizen's First... -
The Irony of Training
by Frank Borelli - Thursday April 26, 2012Allow me to share a funny tale. I heard it long ago and it will lead me into this blog topic nicely: One bright day in the middle of the night two dead boys got up to fight; back to back they faced each other, drew their swords and shot each other. A deaf policeman heard the noise and came to help the two dead boys. If you don't believe this lie is true ask the blindman; he saw it too! Now it's easy to see all of the disagreeing concepts in that short (but semi-humorous) story. "Back to back they faced each other?" "A deaf policeman heard the noise?" As I recited that to my son this evening I couldn't help but think about how often the same difference in concepts exists when politicians, elected officials... -
Do It For YOURSELF
by Frank Borelli - Saturday March 24, 2012I have heard any number of excuses for why some people wouldn't or won't do certain things. When it comes to doing things that are unpleasant or not fun, the excuses available seem to triple. Unfortunately, if you're in the profession of law enforcement, sometimes making an excuse instead of doing something FOR YOURSELF can get you killed. "Such as?" you ask. I can't imagine there is an agency left today that doesn't issue concealable body armor, but PLENTY of them aren't keeping said armor up to date. "Back in the day" there were a LOT of agencies that didn't issue body armor. Like many other cops, I went out and bought my own. Some of my brother (and sister) officers actually criticized me for spending the money. "If my agency...
