2017 in Review

2017 was a challenging year for law enforcement. From violent protests and natural disasters to terrorist attacks and the worst mass shooting in modern American history, LEOs more than rose to the occasion and proved once again that they serve with honor, bravery and integrity. Despite an unquestionably difficult year marred by tragedy, there was also much to celebrate in 2017, including the countless acts of heroism – big and small – from cops all over the country.

As we turn the page on 2017, take a look back at some of the year's most heroic saves and other impactful moments in policing with features from our expert columnists and multimedia lists of the year's top moments.

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Unsung hero: The story of the Boston bombing’s fifth victim
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From a very early age, Officer Dennis “D.J.” Simmonds wanted to be a hero
18 on 2018: Expert predictions on the top police issues in 2018
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A look ahead at the challenges for law enforcement in 2018
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Top 10 police acts of kindness caught on video in 2017
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What can sometimes get lost in the countless moments of bravery are the numerous small acts of kindness cops do every day
How SCOTUS impacted law enforcement in 2017
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The Supreme Court heard three cases this past October Term 2016 that further added to its use of force case law
Policing Matters Podcast: Top trends and takeaways from 2017
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Jim and Doug discuss police response to natural disasters, the debate over sanctuary cities, the Las Vegas mass shooting and other major topics
Best of Bizarre Beat: Top 15 strangest stories of 2017
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We’ve gathered up the 15 funniest, strangest, and most unbelievable stories of the year
Shot on duty: Reflections on faith, family and being a cop one year after I nearly died
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On June 9, 2016, York County Sheriff's Deputy Michael Lutz was shot in the face at point-blank range while serving a warrant; this is his story
How one child abuse call changed a cop's life
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Jody Thompson had a history of working abuse cases. But nothing could have prepared him for the call that changed his life
5 agency changes police officers would like to see in 2018
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We asked our members what they would like see change in their agency in the coming year
Come hell or high water: How floods and fires challenged cops in 2017
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When nature intervenes to unleash unexpected and uncontrollable mayhem, the mission of protecting life and property takes on an entirely different meaning
What we learned about terrorism in 2017
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A reasonable and intelligent strategy for defeating terror attacks cannot focus on the tool used by the attacker, but must focus on the attacker himself
The Knights of Christmas: Celebrating police heroism in 2017
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These 10 stories showcase the bravery of police officers nationwide