Thomas Jefferson said, “Knowledge is power, knowledge is safety, and knowledge is happiness.” Imagine having an encyclopedia of law enforcement knowledge at your fingertips. You do – it’s called Police1.com.
Whether you are preparing for a promotional interview, looking for training material as a trainer or FTO, or about to finish the police academy and looking toward your first job, there’s no richer resource than the one you’re reading right now.
I’ve had the great privilege of writing for P1 for over a decade. More importantly, I’ve had the great privilege of having the experience and knowledge of other great contributors as I read Police1 for my own education. But are you getting the most out of this site? Here are 10 ways you can dig deeper.
1. Actually read the article.
I know from some of the personal feedback I get, as well as the comments after my articles, that the commenters have read the title, formed an opinion about what is going to be said and jumped directly to their own conclusion. A reader must give the writer time to develop the themes and thoughts through the flow of the whole article. Sometimes the editor writes the title and that can slant a reader’s expectation away from the writer’s intent. Especially on a controversial topic, readers can come to the article with a chip on their shoulder and develop an immediate adversarial perspective before digesting the information.
2. Don’t judge the facts by the writer’s bio.
There are a variety of knowledge bases from which writers craft their message. Be an open-minded learner. Just because you don’t like lawyers doesn’t mean you should ignore what they have to offer. I often get accused of being a mere desk jockey with no relevant street experience because I have been a chief and a university professor. Respect what writers have to offer. If you don’t agree with their conclusions, let it be based on facts and not your assumptions about their “street cred.”
3. Check out the archives.
There are several ways to enjoy articles on P1. A word search is available at the top of the page to access topics by keywords. Drop-down menus list topics of interest, with subtopics a click away. Interested in gangs? K-9? Terrorism prevention? Hit the topics and explore. Have a favorite columnist? Click the profile picture next to an article they’ve written and see what else they’ve penned.
4. Engage with the writers and editors.
I’m only an email away. Click any writer’s name and send a personal message, suggestion, attaboy, or opinion. You might be surprised how helpful they can be on directing their readers to more information or explaining a fine point from their article. I love hearing from my readers, both good and bad, and always respond
5. Contribute articles, photos.
Do you have an area of expertise you would like to share? Did you snap an amazing photo others should see? Scroll to the bottom of the page and hit the contact button to email the editor.
6. Sign up for newsletters.
If you have appropriate LE credentials for viewing all of the content, hit the My Profile button at the bottom of the webpage to inquire about free membership. This will allow access to law enforcement-only content and allow you to comment on articles. There are several specialty newsletters that focus on unique areas of interest. Check out the newsletter list under the News tab at the top of the page. You can get focused education on investigations, SWAT, leadership, products and more.
7. Watch police videos.
Hours and hours of training, interviews, body and dash cam videos are available, with special access to sensitive material for members. Click the Video tab on the navigation bar at the top of the home page. Check into enrolling in the Police1 Academy, too!
8. Click on the ads.
Find out what is the latest in equipment and technology by exploring the advertisers’ pages. You’ll be up to date on the most recent and useful tools available for your job now and in the future.
9. Listen to police podcasts.
We have podcasts! Listen to Doug Wyllie and Jim Dudley on the Policing Matters podcast covering current issues and events.
10. Share content.
Forward relevant articles to your peers, trainees and supervisors to show you are keeping current on developments in law enforcement. Check out PoliceOne’s Facebook and Twitter and share the great information and insights.
How have you used Police1 in your career? Please share in the comments below.
