PoliceOne 2008 Year in Review

Check out the Police1 2008 Year in Review Special Coverage Section

LAW ENFORCEMENT NEWS WRAP-UP...

Cops applaud vests, stun guns for saving lives
Greater use of bullet-resistant vests and stun guns helped reduce police deaths in 2008 compared with the previous year, two law-enforcement support groups report.

Police officer deaths fell sharply in 2008
2008 is ending as one of the safest years for U.S. law enforcement in decades. The number of officers killed in the line of duty fell sharply this year when compared with 2007, and officers killed by gunfire reached a 50-year low.

Homeland Security forecasts 5-year terror threats
The terrorism threat to the United States over the next five years will be driven by instability in the Middle East and Africa, persistent challenges to border security and increasing Internet savvy, says a new intelligence assessment obtained by The Associated Press.

Calif. police to use high-tech system to pinpoint gunshots on New Year’s Eve
Top Los Angeles law enforcement officials and leaders told residents Monday not to fire any weapons to celebrate the new year, warning revelers that they will make every effort to track down shooters.

NYPD prepares for New Year’s Eve party
A phalanx of rookie cops - one day out of the Police Academy - will be out in force on New Year’s Eve as police keep watch on the festivities in Times Square. And keeping watch over them - and just about everyone else - will be Sky Watch, the retractable NYPD tower that allows police to spot problems from blocks away.

FROM OUR COLUMNISTS...

A wake-up call...heeded
When it comes to officer safety, 2007 was a wake-up call for law enforcement in America. One hundred and eighty-one officers died in the line of duty that year, making it one of the deadliest years for peace officers in two decades.

Cops face challenges -- it’s what they do
The coming year is a bit of a milestone for me. It marks my 20th year of having the honor to work with and for police professionals like you. As I look back, I’m reminded of how impressed I continue to be by your willingness to face even the most difficult challenges and your ability to overcome them.

Safety behind the wheel
As we come to the close of another year, it is a time of remembrance, reflection and inspiration. While we have many things to be concerned about in Law Enforcement, we should always remember that our career is the most highly trained, educated and professional as it has ever been in its history.

Redefine and realign in 2009
After the half century mark one tends to wax nostalgic especially at this time of year. Since most of my colleagues in law enforcement are now younger than I, perhaps my best gift to the profession is a dose of perspective. Here are a few thoughts to ponder about that world for the New Year.

Pay attention to LEOs on our roadways this holiday season
Last New Year’s Eve, Corporal Courtney Brooks of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police was setting out cones along a busy interstate highway to keep commercial vehicles from entering downtown Baltimore during the New Year’s celebration. Shortly before midnight, a sport utility vehicle struck and fatally injured the 13-year veteran officer. The female driver fled the scene but was arrested the next morning.

Holidays spell danger for law officers
While thousands of others gathered to celebrate the New Year in downtown Baltimore on December 31, 2007, Courtney G. Brooks, a Maryland Transportation Authority police officer, was setting out cones along a busy interstate highway to keep commercial vehicles from coming into the city.

Virginia Tech: A year later
It is hard to believe a year has passed since the terrible slaughter at Virginia Tech. Our gentle culture rarely likes to use words like “slaughter” since it’s easier to turn culpability onto whomever you wish if we use softer words like “tragedy” or “incident” or “shooting.” It’s difficult to get administrators or agencies or companies to accept blame if you use harsh words.

A bad year for female officers
This year is shaping up to be one of our worst. From vehicular assaults to gunshots to traffic crashes to an edged weapon assault, the number of female law enforcement officers killed is on the rise. According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, in 2001 eleven female officers were killed, twelve in 1998 and 1999, and a high of fifteen in 2002.

Officer safety in the New Year
2007 brought to those in law enforcement a sad reality. As of December 18th 173 law enforcement officers have been killed or have died in the line of duty. This is a 20% increase as we lost 144 brothers and sisters in 2006