Officer.com Police Blogs & Podcasts

Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com

Recently I noticed that a lot of comments about one article centered around professional courtesy. The article was about an officer who stopped a car/driver for drunk driving only to find the driver was a fellow police officer. Through the course of events the drunk driving off-duty cop somehow ended up in the on-duty cop’s K9 cage. Of course, this is “news”. But all the comments about professional courtesy got me thinking (yeah, I do that on occasion). Read the rest of this entry »

Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com

As the editor for Officer.com I’ve recently been presented with some questions, comments and observations that have made me think. I’ve found myself contemplating everything from privacy issues to contributor qualifications to how I moderate comments and the forums. Since our readership is obviously the heart and soul of our website service, I thought it might be prudent to share some of that with you. Read the rest of this entry »

Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com

This morning in the Washington Post newspaper (and online) there was an article about the director of a police academy being dismissed. It seems that some of the academy’s records for student officer training were incomplete and, after as much as three chances to retrain student officers and update their files, the records were still incomplete. As a result, some of those student officers had been hired to work for police departments and are now riding desks until the state is satisfied that they’ve met all the training requirements. This event caused me to begin thinking about Basic Responsibilities because, certainly, the director of that academy didn’t perform his. Read the rest of this entry »

Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com

Next week in Las Vegas there will be a collection of industry players gathered the likes of which is only seen once each year. What do we call this event? SHOT Show. It is, at the same time, more work than most of us do all year and more fun than should be legal to have.

I will be in Vegas from the 18th through the 22nd and will, if history is any indicator: Read the rest of this entry »

Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com

It’s the New Year. The idea of making New Year’s Resolutions is far older than I am and, as I think back on my life, it seems to me that I’ve made a few every year. Like most of you readers, I’ve kept some; I’ve ignored some; I’ve kept some for brief periods of time or stretched them out until they are habits instead of resolutions. As we move forward into a new decade, especially given the condition of our country in so many ways, it may be one of the best times to makes some New Year’s Resolutions, and stick to them. Read the rest of this entry »

Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com

Yes, it’s been awhile. The last blog I wrote (I sadly realized yesterday) was in honor of Veterans Day. I apologize… I know how you all love to read my rantings! But in all seriousness, tis the season… when we law enforcement professionals deal with all of the best - and worst - our society has to offer. When we’re dealing with the worst it can sometimes be a challenge not to let it negatively affect us… Read the rest of this entry »

Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com

First and foremost, THANK YOU VETERANS!. As America wakes up and starts her day this Wednesday, November 11th, 2009, it behooves each and every one of us to be thankful for - and express our appreciation to - the military service veterans of the United States. If you look around they probably aren’t hard to find.

Just look for the guy standing a little taller than those slouching around him. Look for the guy you’ve seen a couple times each week, never spoken to, but realized his hair is always cut and he’s always clean shaven. Look for the woman who stands out in your mind as competent and slightly bold - as if she knows she can take charge of a situation and will if need be. Read the rest of this entry »

Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com

I had the honor this past week of delivering a presentation during Cygnus’ combined public safety discipline expo in Atlanta, Georgia. My presentation had to do with school attacks and how much of law enforcement’s patrol protocols had evolved in response to such through the last century. From 1891 we really didn’t do anything different. In the late ’60s, due to riots and snipers, SWAT was developed and grew nationwide. The development of SWAT changed how patrol did business. In 1999 Columbine made us change again and patrol had to take back some of the aggressive “go get ‘em” attitude and work. 9/11 changed our outlook again as we took on the reality of terrorist events within our borders. Read the rest of this entry »

Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com

Via email I received this link to a story that concerns me. The story is about a small town called Hardin in Montana. In Hardin, Montana a private company named American Police Force Corporation has taken over both the city’s non-existent police department and it’s empty jail.

OK, so I can hear a few people wondering: If the police force doesn’t exist and the jail has no prisoners, then who cares? Here’s why it bothers me: this is a private corporation; a FOR PROFIT company that has taken over both a police agency (the moment the first officer is sworn in) and a jail. Such a company wouldn’t have done so unless there was a PROFIT to be made. That means that to staff the police agency they’re going to hire people at a certain wage and then bill the town a higher rate so that the company can make the profit. Read the rest of this entry »

Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com

It’s not even October yet as I type this but just yesterday I was in a retail store and saw Christmas decorations being put up. It wasn’t even the first store I’d seen this in. More than a week ago I was in a Hallmark store and they were putting up Christmas ornaments. I asked the employees, “Don’t you realize Halloween hasn’t even passed yet?” They assured me that they were all too aware and felt silly putting the decorations up. That left me wondering exactly whose idea it was then? Read the rest of this entry »