Author: Christopher Marier
-
License plate readers along CT roads catch attention of lawmakers
Several Connecticut lawmakers are open to the idea of implementing policy that would place more regulations on police using stationary automatic license plate readers as police departments continue to use the devices without outside oversight… Full story: License plate readers along CT roads catch attention of lawmakers
-
Social media could be fueling gun violence among young people : NPR
NPR’s Ayesha Rascoe speaks with ProPublica reporter Alec MacGillis about the relationship between social media and an increase in gun violence, often resulting in homicides, among young people… Full story: Social media could be fueling gun violence among young people : NPR
-
DOJ finds officer’s suicide after Jan. 6 was a death in the line of duty
The widow of a police officer who died by suicide after he was assaulted during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has been found eligible for a federal benefits program for the families of fallen officers. Erin Smith, the widow of Jeffrey Smith, was instrumental in the passage of a renewed version of…
-
Why is there a police officer shortage, and what are the solutions?
The numbers are daunting. According to a PERF survey of departments across the country, 65% saw an increase in retirements and 66% saw an increase in resignations between 2020 and 2022. Applications for full-time officer jobs plunged 69% over that same period, while overall staffing levels dropped nearly 5%… Full story: Why is there a…
-
Greensburg changes civil service hiring rule, hopes for increased pool of police candidates
It can take between six months and a year for a prospective municipal police officer to complete requirements of the civil service hiring process. In Greensburg, candidates now will be able to get a jump on that process by applying for a possible spot on the force before they’ve completed police academy training. “Hopefully, that…
-
Minnesota banned some physical holds on students. Now school resource officers have questions.
Minnesota students can’t be held in a prone position or subjected to “comprehensive restraint on the head, neck and across most of the torso” under a new state law — and law enforcement officials are questioning whether it will prevent them from doing their job. Jeff Potts, executive director of the Minnesota Chiefs of Police…
-
More schools require clear backpacks amid fears of guns at schools – The Washington Post
For some, the clear backpacks are just another prop in school security theater — an answer that does little more than put adults at ease. Critics say it has come to symbolize the lengths decision-makers will go to avoid passing meaningful gun control, a knee-jerk answer to the call to “do something” after a tragedy.…
-
Denver Department of Public Safety Unveils Public Information Dashboards | Westword
The city unveiled two new public dashboards this week, showing first responder data and info about disciplinary probes in the Denver Sheriff Department… Full story: Denver Department of Public Safety Unveils Public Information Dashboards | Westword
-
Flash mobs invade luxury L.A. retailers with brute force – Los Angeles Times
Overall crime rates in Los Angeles are down from last year, and a recent surge in smash-and-grab robberies makes up little of the overall problem of retail thefts. Still, the audacious daytime incidents over the last few weeks have cast a long shadow, leaving people who shop and work at malls unsettled… Full story: Flash…
-
Portsmouth police officer honored for helping to save 3 lives in one weekend
Medical kit in hand, Officer Pierce made a tourniquet, applying pressure on the wound. His quick work stopped the bleeding as he led the victim downstairs to safety. That was the first of three life-saving responses that weekend, including coming to the aid of a woman who was shot twice. Instinct from his time as…