2022 Year in Review: OFFICER's Most Impactful Stories

After two years of uncertainty and upheaval across the country (and around the globe), 2022 was a year of trying to get back to normal—or the new normal, at least. But in law enforcement circles, that meant a troubling wave of violence.

National headlines were dominated by mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas; Highland Park, Illinois; and Buffalo, New York. Ambush shootings of police officers were on the rise, and officers were encountering a brazen breed of offender on the streets.

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As the year ends, OFFICER Magazine's editorial staff looked back at the publication's most impactful stories. We asked the editors to choose the stories and projects they worked on in 2022 that they felt that bill. We also look at the top 5 magazine stories readers flocked to this year.

So before we usher in 2023, let's spend a minute to take a final look at 2022.

Body Camera: A Matter of Perspective

It may seem a given or a “no brainer,” but it’s vital that anyone investigating law enforcement activities remembers the potential difference between what an officer sees and what his body worn camera, or other duty cameras, captured. Even if there is no difference it what was seen versus what was recorded, how the scene—the totality of the circumstances—was perceived will be different from the officer to those who view the recording. Because of that, this article needs to be read and reread frequently to keep investigators fresh on the concept that all evidence, even that video evidence captured by body worn cameras, is interpreted through personal perception and experience. That is different for every individual.—Lt. Frank Borelli, Editorial Director

Remote/Wilderness Patrol Special Section

I think the Remote/Wilderness Patrol Special Section that we ran in the September issue of OFFICER Magazine stands out to me the most. This is a category that we haven't paid enough attention to in the past, and with a majority of the nation's law enforcement agencies being located in rural and remote areas, I think we were able to shine a spotlight on some officers who don't get it all that often. Articles featured the use of UTVs for search and rescue missions, the challenges of patrolling remote areas, the need for cell signal, the ability to patrol those areas using drones and how inflatable boats can help officers access inaccessible spaces.—Paul Peluso, Editor

No Joke: Searching for Serious Solutions to 'Swatting'

In my first full year with the magazine, I had the opportunity to work on a variety of stories, from the fun (who doesn't love a haunted police station?) to the educational (reports of officer fentanyl exposure continue to come in). But the story that proved to be eerily prescient was my piece of "swatting." When I started working on the story in the late summer, the individuals I interviewed talked about how they were seeing a drop in the malicious pranks of calling 9-1-1 to falsely accuse a victim of a crime that initiates a SWAT response. By the fall, states across the country, such as Minnesota and Georgia, were seeing a drastic increase in swatting calls targeting schools and universities.—Joe Vince, Assistant Editor