Officer Safety
The Officer Safety topic page has the specific mission of keeping cops safe through current & quality information, with tips, columnist commentary and the latest news updates. The Officer Safety topic page is a key resource for officers everywhere.
Meet three black belt officers using martial arts to transform police training — locally, virtually and internationally
The following tactical imperatives are for solo officers or a hastily assembled team
From staffing shortages to public trust challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped law enforcement. Are agencies better prepared for the next pandemic?
As deputies attempted to de-escalate a dispute between neighbors last February, one of them began firing shots at both officers
The suspect was interviewed by the feds last month after his mother alerted authorities she was worried about his plans to go to Afghanistan, possibly to join the Taliban
Authorities are investigating whether a man who attacked three officers was inspired by radical Islamic extremism
Two officers were hospitalized, one with a fractured skull and the other with a bad cut
Police union representatives believe heavy workloads, canceled days off, and an anti-police climate are contributing factors to officers’ mental health concerns
Deputy Isaiah Cordero, 32, was conducting a traffic stop when the suspect pulled out a gun and shot him as he approached the vehicle
The new system can be moved by one or two officers without the need for technicians to transport and set up
After the passerby joined the scuffle to help police, the suspect managed to grab one officer’s gun and fire it, with one bullet passing through the Samaritan’s sweatshirt
The officer was standing outside of the vehicle that was involved in the crash when he noticed a truck coming toward him
“When someone does a good job, the officers don’t typically come forward, but other officers will say ‘Hey, why don’t you look at this person’s body camera, they did a really good job’”
In the past four months, there have been at least three training shootings nationally
Paperwork, computers, fingerprint machines, printers, weapons, ballistic vests and gun belts for the department’s officers were destroyed
Homicides dropped by 20%, while the number of shootings decreased from 672 in 2021 to around 440 this year
Cpl. Ray Hamilton was a five-year veteran of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office
The officer, his wife and children were not at home when the fire occurred
“Everything was in slow motion, and I saw a flash. Suddenly I was down on my stomach, but I didn’t even know I was shot.”
Officers had recovered a “high capacity handgun” during the suspect’s initial arrest, but he was in possession of a second hidden gun on his body
Kyle Mellard was awarded Officer of the Year for saving the lives of fellow officers by warning them of an ambush while taking fire himself
Evidence shows the teen fired at officers first after shooting six people, fatally wounding five; the suspect later died due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound
BWC video shows the suspect pull a handgun from his waist and shoot an officer twice, hitting him in the body before another officer returned fire
As she tried to get her gun holstered, the officer heard one gunshot and was struck in the leg by the gunfire
The program focuses on providing mental health support to officers using yoga and mindfulness techniques
Strategies for success in 23 key areas of policing
After striking the PD’s security door with a chainsaw, the man drove home when police arrived and began “dangling a pair of young children from a window”
A motive is still unclear, but police say the man had a history of mental illness
A roundup of the biggest stories impacting law enforcement in 2022
Whether aimed or not, it is clear that firearm assaults can be much faster than the time needed for an effective response
Brodnax Police Chief Joe Carey, 66, had pulled off to the side of the road to recover the remains of an animal when he was struck returning to his vehicle
The officer, whose home was destroyed by a fire as a child just before the holidays, empathized with the woman’s life-changing event
“To me, it just feels like a challenge I have to overcome,” Officer Tyler Moldovan said
MOST POPULAR
- 10 active shooter response and training questions every officer should be able to answer
- Police firearms training: How often should you be shooting?
- Setting the record straight on the Newhall Incident
- Incident analysis: Critical decisions and tactics after a pursuit turns into an assault
- Adapting Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for law enforcement: A tactical shift in training