All Blog Posts (338)

WHY DO WE DO THIS JOB

By Robert Bauer JD

Every day we wake up to do our jobs. Some of us go out and direct traffic; others go out and catch bad guys; and then there are those with the specialized jobs. For all, the danger of our jobs is always present. As we start our shifts we never give thought that it might be our last one, but in the back of our minds we know that we may have said goodbye to our friends and loved ones for the last…

Almost 6 yrs. would pass before my spouse's illness and subsequent death would be honored  as "line of duty",  allowing my soul to finally rest and journey of healing to begin. Quitting was never an option, even after my heart attack. It would have been quitting on Chris and everything he had devoted his entire life to.

At age 41 ATSAIC Christopher "Chris" Smith, U.S. Secret Service, had served 18 yrs. in Federal Law Enforcement, having bought back his military time, and planned to…

Suicide by Cop Robert Bauer JD

Suicide by Cop is a term we use rather loosely when we want to describe a bad actor as using law enforcement as a means to do a deed they have no stomach for, that being to end their life with violence.

However, this term really has a more tragic association to it than we may have ever given thought too. That is when a Cop has reach the end of their frayed rope in life and…

This past May 2013 we honored our many fallen heroes at the Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington DC and at the Arlington National Cemetery.  It is never easy saying goodbye to our loved ones over and over again. The hurt never stops hurting and the empty places in our heart never seem to get filled.

During Police week there were many different ways that our heroes were remembered and their loved ones supported.  One such…

GRAPHIC VIDEO: Shootout Between Miami Police And Growhouse Suspect http://youtu.be/gV9XHeztfa8

Anonymous Death Threats Made Against A Child and How It Impacts Them.

By Robert Bauer JD

When a child receives an anonymous death threat it will have crucial and lasting impact on them. Innocence is now lost to the world of incivility and hate.

Recently, my 14 year old daughter…

Would You Allow an Unlicensed Driver behind a wheel?

The thesis of this article is; many law enforcement agencies across the US have unlicensed drivers behind the wheel of a law enforcement agency that is driving the department, without proper training or experience.

The danger is metaphorically similar to allowing someone that has not had the proper training to drive a car. Imagine placing a person that has no experience or license behind the wheel of a four thousand pound…

The warrant states that investigators also found a large map of Durham on the apartment’s bedroom wall with locations of police, fire and EMS stations...

http://www.heraldsun.com/news/x670458734/Police-Shooting-suspect-had-bomb-making-materials-at-home

http://www.correctionsone.com/officer-safety/articles/6131361-Officials-Inmate-kills-Pa-corrections-officer/

WAYMART, Pa. — An inmate using a homemade weapon attacked and killed a guard at a federal prison in northeastern Pennsylvania on Monday night, making him the first federal corrections officer killed on the job in nearly five years,…

"When is the public going to learn that on video or not, winning a physical confrontation is going to look rough, kinda like Ultimate Fighting without the pay-per-view. A violent confrontation is never pretty and the public and the media need to be taught it ain't a "beating" just because the cop won! Use of force is ugly and eventually we need to educate the public to this. As cops, we have one rule...We win! And the community we protect needs to understand that."…

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I am posting this item to showcase the many different ways the citizens we public servants "serve and protect" each day see the world. So many different points of focus, who was at fault...who was following department protocol... who had the right of way. I responded to the "crowd" at the FireRescue1 posting because, as always, I feel people are being way to hostile to one an other and it appears they are blinded to the actual facts by their…

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE VIDEO

My friends are shocked at what is seen here. I am no fan of misuse of power and authority but my answer is always the same:…

I left the following comment as a response to the angry, disappointed and hostile cries of the many people that were made aware of a situation that is becoming more common in public service. It appears that jurisdictional mandates and policy demands of the insurance underwriters have given birth to a paradoxical scenario that has commanding officers caught between…

How is it a woman can be charged with simple careless driving after nearly killing another person because she was texting while driving? I know first hand about suffering from rest of life pain issues because of another persons irresponsible behavior. To my knowledge this offending driver has not even lost her license or suffered any restrictions to her driving privileges. 

If a male CDL holder had…

     A few years ago I retired from my department with over 37 years of service.  That's when I learned the horrible truth that retirement is never enough.  I had worked part time for another department, and had built up my Social Security Quarters, so that I would have enough to collect.  I picked up my first retirement check, and found that between health insurance and taxes that I had lost about 27%.  This was a kick in…

http://www.policeone.com/police-trainers/articles/6086863-Would-you-ever-give-up-your-gun/

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/jan/04/use-of-force-commission-urges-upgraded-police/

http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/columns/joe-holleman/belleville-cops-booted-from-denny-s-for-toting-guns/article_c8d1801b-fe5e-5d8f-9e9d-403f18b38948.html

This was certainly not my initial topic for this month, but Sandy Hook has changed me forever.  As most of you know, I try to keep abreast and keep you all informed on trends in such incidents.  The difference about the days following Sandy Hook has been the direction of my research.  Usually I look at the details of an…