Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com
Just today I was talking with some folks and in the course of conversation the topic of how well various public safety members get along was brought up. There was a belief put forth that police officers and deputies don’t tend to get along with firefighters all that well, and that firefighters don’t tend to get along so well with EMS Responders. I took issue with that. Read the rest of this entry »
Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com
“Training should be like a bloodless battle so that battle is just like bloody training.” (A maxim of the Roman Legion.) Some time back I wrote an article about firearms training and how many agencies simply don’t approach it correctly. Many focus on meeting and documenting their ability to meet whatever minimum state standards have been set. Instead, in my humble opinion, they should be focusing on instilling maximum skill in their officers. Read the rest of this entry »
Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com
When I was in junior high school I had friends that I was sure would be in my life FOREVER… and none of them are. In high school I knew guys and had friends that I was sure would be in my life FOREVER… but none are. When I was in the Army I made friends I was sure would last FOREVER… but none have. When I was in the police academy I made friends I was sure would last at least through my career… but I haven’t talked to any of them in years. Read the rest of this entry »
Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com
“It’s not what you take when you leave this world behind you; it’s what you leave behind you when you go.” - Randy Travis
Call me corny but I’m a country music fan for the lessons that can be learned from many of the songs’ lyrics. Since 9-11 Toby Keith has written a number of patriotic songs I really enjoy. Songs that contain small lessons about life have been put out by Montgomery Gentry, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and others. For some reason, this music appeals to me more than the classic rock I grew up with - even though that’s still fun too. Read the rest of this entry »
Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com
Have any of you seen the movie, “Demolition Man” starring Sylvester Stallone? It’s a wonderfully imaginative science-fiction movie in which every human being is tagged with a microchip embedded in their skin. If anyone commits a violation of law (such as violating the “morality statue” by cussing) their bank account is automatically debited a specified fine amount. In the movie, Stallone’s character refers to this as “fascist”. What scares me is that we may well indeed be on our way to such a system. Read the rest of this entry »
Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com
Mentor:
- A wise and trusted counselor or teacher.
- To serve as a trusted counselor or teacher.
Welcome to April; the beginning of spring – a time for new growth from what has been dormant since fall. Pardon the reach, but isn’t this something new growing from that which is old? Last year’s maturity being passed into this year’s youth? Throughout the ages this has been a path of education, wisdom – and to some extent – likes and dislikes. Yet here I sit, as a man who has served in one uniform or another for more than 25 years now, and as I look back there are only one or two mentors I remember having. Why is that? Read the rest of this entry »
Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com
I have previously touched on “the oldest debate” about the long drawn out argument about whether bigger/slower bullets are better than smaller/faster bullets. With this blog I want to touch on the controls of law enforcement agencies over duty and off-duty weapons. Read the rest of this entry »
Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com
With my last blog I was pretty sure I’d found the biggest hornets’ nest in the world and hit it with a big bat. To date, the number of comments received has been record setting (for me). SO, this time I figured I’d take on another politically challenging topic: The 2nd Amendment. Read the rest of this entry »
Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com
With this entry I decided to tackle a problem that has no easy solution: illegal immigration. Now before you good readers get your dander up, please understand a few things: first, this is all my opinion (unless I cite facts and references); second, we all have different opinions; third, we aren’t all ever going to agree about everything. With all that said, let’s take a look at a few statistics I was provided via email and let me share some of my outlook with regard to them. Read the rest of this entry »
Ronnie Garrett
Editorial Director
Law Enforcement Technology magazine
It’s no secret: hiring is not an exact science. If it were, I would have never employed someone who informed me before she quit a few months later that she didn’t realize the “hours were mandatory.” I thought it went without saying that a full-time job required full-time hours, but clearly I’d forgotten some of the wisest advice I’ve ever been given: Never assume anything… So, I guess I’m guilty as charged.
It is really impossible to know who you’re hiring from an interview. It’s a lot like dating - everyone is on their best behavior when he or she begins seeing someone new. Annoying quirks and other idiosyncrasies remain hidden until a commitment has been made. Dating’s smooth talker generally comes with an ulterior motive as does the charismatic job candidate who says all the right things but once hired seems more interested in office politics than hard work. Read the rest of this entry »