Why ICE Is Under Attack and What’s Really Happening

ICE UNDER ATTACK

How federal law enforcement became a political target while enforcing the law

By The Editorial Team

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ICE is operating in the most hostile environment federal law enforcement has faced in decades. The danger confronting agents today is no longer theoretical.

This is not a debate about immigration policy. It is about what happens when enforcement itself becomes the target when the legitimacy of law enforcement erodes and the public is conditioned to see the application of law as optional, selective, or political.

That conditioning did not emerge overnight.

Under former President Barack Obama, the United States deported millions of illegal immigrants more than under President Donald Trump without sustained media outrage or a national narrative portraying federal agents as villains for doing their jobs. Enforcement was treated as routine. There were no coordinated efforts to obstruct operations and no widespread campaigns to personally target agents. The contrast matters because it highlights how selectively outrage is applied today.

Under former President Joe Biden, enforcement narrowed sharply. Interior enforcement was reduced, sanctuary jurisdictions expanded, and federal messaging signaled restraint. The result was the entry of millions of unvetted illegal immigrants into the country conditions that made renewed enforcement inevitable regardless of political preference.

When President Donald Trump reasserted enforcement, the law itself did not change. Enforcement did. Border pressure declined. Interior enforcement increased. Trafficking networks faced greater disruption. Fentanyl-related overdose deaths declined from recent highs. Yet enforcement became politicized, and ICE agents became the focal point of sustained media and political scrutiny.

It is not possible to separate hostility toward ICE from hostility toward President Trump himself. In the current climate, enforcement carried out under his administration is often judged before facts are known or actions are contextualized. For many critics, the objection is not how the law is enforced, but that it is enforced at all. That reality shapes perception regardless of professionalism.

This is the environment ICE operates in now.

Agents are enforcing federal law in a climate where perception can matter as much as legality, and where a single encounter recorded and circulated without context can shape public opinion far beyond the facts. This is not only a narrative problem. It is an operational one. Escalation, hesitation, or misinterpretation can carry real consequences for officer safety and public order.

The operational effects are visible. ICE operations are obstructed. Roads are blocked. Vehicles are surrounded. Arrests are interfered with. Agents are filmed, followed, and provoked often not to document facts, but to manufacture optics. When this occurs during active operations, it is not protest. It is interference with federal law enforcement.

It is also inaccurate to describe many of these incidents as protests. What agents are encountering are organized disruptions. The individuals involved are not attempting to engage enforcement through lawful dissent; they are attempting to interfere, provoke confrontation, and generate footage. In many jurisdictions, these actions follow consistent patterns coordination, rapid mobilization, and disciplined messaging associated with activist networks that organize, fund, and deploy participants for disruption. In some cases, individuals are compensated directly or indirectly through activist infrastructure. Their function is agitation, not protest.

As United States Border Czar Tom Homan has explained, ICE prefers to take custody of individuals inside local jails, where arrests are controlled and safer for officers and the public. When sanctuary jurisdictions deny federal access to jails, agents are forced to locate individuals later in neighborhoods and public spaces the most volatile enforcement environment possible. That same visibility is then used to criticize ICE when operations become more dangerous and more public.

This contradiction sits at the center of the current conflict.

When individuals block operations, interfere with arrests, or impede federal agents, the law requires ICE to act. Agents operate knowing that a split-second decision can carry consequences far beyond the immediate encounter, and that both error and hesitation carry risk.

Many of those now interfering with ICE operations formed expectations in jurisdictions where enforcement was limited and consequences were rare. That misunderstanding of federal authority increases volatility during encounters.

Part of that volatility stems from long-standing enforcement gaps at the local level. In many cities, police departments operate under chiefs who ultimately answer to mayors and political leadership. Sheriffs, even when independently elected, still function within political ecosystems that discourage cooperation with federal enforcement. Over time, this teaches people what they can get away with. When federal agents enter those same spaces with clear authority and full institutional backing, behavior changes quickly. Accountability returns, and conduct adjusts.

Because ICE agents are increasingly targeted as individuals, protective measures once considered unnecessary have become standard. Face coverings are one of them not to intimidate, but to reduce the risk of doxxing, harassment, and threats to officers’ families.

That protection comes with cost.

A masked agent begins each encounter with reduced public trust and a narrower margin for error. Language, tone, and judgment carry heightened weight. In this environment, anything that can be framed as profiling becomes combustible. Accent-based questioning or anything perceived that way can undo months of enforcement progress in seconds. Millions of Americans have accents, including citizens and naturalized citizens. When clips appear discriminatory, context disappears and support erodes.

Media framing amplifies that risk.

In one recent incident, anti-ICE activists entered a church after believing an ICE agent or a family member attended services there. Attending a house of worship is not a crime. Entering a house of worship to disrupt services, confront individuals, or interfere with religious proceedings without consent is. Church members stated plainly that the line was crossed. Yet Don Lemon, a former CNN anchor now working independently, reframed the disruption as justified based on the activists’ feelings, effectively dismissing the underlying illegality.

When unlawful behavior is treated as activism, it signals that laws may be ignored when the target is ICE. That signal increases hostility and operational risk.

There is also a broader reality ICE must recognize internally. Scrutiny is not about weakening enforcement; it is about preserving it. ICE is doing a hard and necessary job, but the margin for error has narrowed to almost nothing. Tactics that appear rushed, indiscriminate, or poorly articulated such as physically grabbing individuals without clear explanation, or questioning that can be framed as accent-based carry risks far beyond the moment. In this environment, the next mistake will not be judged on intent, but on optics.

That scrutiny exists because lives depend on it both the public’s and the officers’. Public support still matters. When support erodes, elections change. When elections change, leadership changes. And when leadership changes, the will to enforce the law can disappear. Maintaining legitimacy is therefore not separate from enforcement; it is central to its survival.

ICE is hiring aggressively, bringing in both retired law-enforcement officers and new agents without prior policing experience. Both groups bring value. Neither should be viewed as a liability. However, the current environment requires honest assessment. Retired officers may carry muscle memory from an era with fewer cameras and greater discretion. Tactics that once drew little attention can now compromise operations when stripped of context. Experience remains an asset, but adaptation is essential.

For newer agents, training is even more critical not only in law and procedure, but in restraint, situational awareness, and judgment. Authority and professionalism are no longer separable skills. Discipline protects the mission and reduces risk.

Enforcement is producing measurable results. Border pressure has eased from prior peaks. Interior enforcement and removals have increased. Trafficking networks face greater disruption. Fentanyl-driven overdose deaths have declined from recent highs.

As those results emerge, opposition increasingly shifts from policy debate to optics. Footage, tone, masks, and isolated decisions are used to undermine legitimacy. That is the operational landscape ICE now navigates.

The consequences of failed enforcement are not abstract.

In February 2024, Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student, was murdered while jogging on the University of Georgia campus by an individual who had entered the United States illegally.

In June 2024, Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old girl from Houston, was abducted, raped, and murdered by two men who had entered the country illegally.

Preserving enforcement does not require abandoning restraint. It requires recognizing that the environment has changed and that professionalism, discipline, and judgment now determine whether enforcement can be sustained at all.

ICE is not the enemy.

Lawlessness is.

And the future of enforcement and the safety of the communities it exists to protect will depend on whether authority is exercised with clarity and legitimacy while there is still time to preserve both.

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Final Note

And to the police chiefs and sheriffs who are publicly distancing themselves from ICE, or openly criticizing federal enforcement tactics: criticism is not only acceptable it is necessary. Leadership demands it.

But if you are going to be critical, be honest and complete. Start by being critical of the sanctuary policies in your own cities and counties. Start by telling your mayors, councils, and political leadership to allow ICE access to local jails. Most of the volatility, public confrontations, and dangerous street-level arrests being criticized would be avoided entirely if federal agents were permitted to take custody of individuals in controlled, secure jail environments.

Instead of directing criticism outward while ignoring the policies at home that created these conditions, ask harder questions of your own leadership. Ask why cooperation is blocked. Ask why politics is prioritized over safety. Ask why federal agents are forced into neighborhoods, sidewalks, and parking lots instead of secure facilities.

That is where real leadership shows itself.

Because this moment reveals something fundamental: whether a chief or sheriff has the spine to confront political pressure, or whether the badge has been reduced to an empty suit worn not for service, but for access, alignment, and survival inside political systems that avoid accountability.

If you want to judge ICE, start by judging your own house first.

Why Santa Keeps Coming Back to Paterson And Why It Matters More Than Ever

Where Santa Still Believes: How a City, Its Kids, and Law-Enforcement Officers Found Hope in Paterson

For more than a decade, Santa has chosen Paterson.

Not because it’s easy.

Not because it’s polished.

But because that’s where he’s needed.

Long before convoys, helicopters, and street routes, Santa came quietly. In the early 2000s, the tradition lived inside Paterson’s schools visiting classrooms, bringing wrapped gifts and photos to children in their earliest years. It focused on the ages where belief still mattered most, where magic could still take root.

Then came 2020.

When schools shut down during COVID, the tradition faced a choice: pause or adapt.

If the kids couldn’t come to Santa, Santa would come to them.

That was the year Santa hit the streets.

What began as a response to crisis became a defining moment. Law-enforcement agencies, firefighters, unions, businesses, volunteers, and community members came together and built something new a citywide effort that brought Santa directly into Paterson’s neighborhoods.

Since 2020, Santa Comes to Paterson has lived where the kids live block by block, street by street.

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Why Paterson

Many of us were raised here. We know these streets. We remember walking extra blocks to avoid trouble. We remember potholes, broken sidewalks, and kids growing up too fast.

Too many children in Paterson witness things they should never have to see violence, drugs, fear not once, but regularly. You see it walking through neighborhoods: garbage on the ground, broken glass, liquor bottles near doorways. This is what some kids wake up to every morning. This is what sits right outside their front door.

And none of this is said to diminish Paterson because Paterson is beautiful.

Its people are resilient. Its families are proud. Its kids are bright, funny, creative, and full of life. There is culture here, history here, and a community that loves hard. But loving a place also means being honest about what too many children are forced to grow up around and refusing to accept that as normal.

That’s why Santa keeps coming back.

This event isn’t about messaging or propaganda. While kids may see uniforms, what stays with them isn’t branding it’s action. They see law-enforcement officers stopping traffic so Santa can walk safely. They see firefighters lifting toys out of trucks. They see people showing up for them.

Because when kids see law enforcement bringing joy, handing out wrapped gifts, laughing, and caring, it reshapes how they see the world. It shows them that the people in uniform are there for them.

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The Work Behind the Magic

This doesn’t happen by accident.

Months before December, volunteers begin working behind the scenes. Toys are purchased, donated, sorted, and prepared. And one rule is never broken:

Every toy must be wrapped.

A wrapped gift isn’t charity it’s dignity. It tells a child, this was meant for you.

Each year, more than 8,000 wrapped toys are placed directly into the hands of children across Paterson.

Students from Wayne Hills High School and Fair Lawn High School become Santa’s elves, wrapping thousands of toys by hand. At Moment of Silence and Blue Magazine headquarters, volunteers wrap for days sometimes five straight until every gift is ready.

Then comes sorting: age groups, boys, girls, unisex, color-coded, bagged, and loaded into trucks for the convoy.

The Wayne Police Department brings toys every year. They’re not visitors they’re part of the North Pole.

Behind much of this stands a quiet force: the Santa Response Team, led by retired law-enforcement officer Don Nicoletti. For 37 years, his team has coordinated toy collections from over 57 police departments, bringing together officers who believe deeply in serving kids during the holidays.

But this effort is never one-sided.

Thousands of toys are also purchased each year through local partnerships, fundraising, and personal sacrifice. One of those partners often called another “North Pole” is Mr. Bruce Lee, a Paterson business owner whose toy store has supported this mission for years by providing thousands of toys at deeply discounted prices. Without that generosity, this event simply wouldn’t be possible at this scale.

Santa Comes to Paterson works because it’s a shared effort law enforcement, local businesses, volunteers, and community members all carrying part of the weight together.

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Letting Kids Know Santa Is Coming

Days before the event, signs appear across the city posted quietly, often at night.

They read simply:

Kids, Santa is coming with gifts to this street of Paterson.

Sunday, December 21st.

9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

No logos. No promotion. Just a message meant for kids.

Because belief matters.

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The Day Santa Arrives

The morning begins with prayer.

Then Santa flies.

Each year, Santa is picked up by the New Jersey State Police and flown by helicopter over Paterson. Kids hear it before they see it. When that helicopter lands, the city knows Santa is here.

The convoy forms: fire trucks, police motorcycles acting as Santa’s reindeer, patrol cars, support vehicles, and more than 80 elves.

The elves are everyone.

Paterson Police handle traffic and safety as elves. New Jersey State Police move within the convoy. Other departments local, county, state, and specialized come together from New Jersey, New York, and others throughout the country, answering the call simply because they believe in the mission.

Some elves are active officers. Some are retired. Some are family members. Some are longtime helpers. Some are the children of law-enforcement officers riding alongside their parents.

To the kids, none of that matters.

They just see Santa’s helpers everywhere.

Before rolling out, there’s one rule everyone follows:

Kids first. No judgment. Kindness only.

The convoy moves slowly from morning into late afternoon. Music plays. Santa waves from a fire truck. Law-enforcement officers and firefighters step into the streets, handing out wrapped gifts.

Many of the elves don’t just ride along. Some walk for miles five, eight, even ten or more staying on foot through entire neighborhoods so they can be present with the kids. By nightfall, people are sore, exhausted, barely able to walk. But no one complains. Because if the kids can keep smiling, so can we.

We’ve witnessed parents cry.

We’ve witnessed kids cry.

We’ve seen toddlers come out in diapers. We’ve seen older brothers and sisters jumping up and down, clapping, hugging each other, and running home with wrapped gifts in their arms.

Parents come up and say, “Thank you so much, officer. We needed this. This would’ve been a bad Christmas without you.”

Others say, “We look forward to you every year.”

This isn’t storytelling.

This is what we see with our own eyes.

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More Than a Toy

At different points along the route, one of Santa’s elves steps forward and sings Christmas songs even hymns like How Great Thou Art right in front of the projects.

No spotlight.

No credit.

Just a moment of peace.

The noise fades. People listen. Kids stand still.

Paterson feels lighter.

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What This Does for the Ones in Uniform

While Santa Comes to Paterson is built for kids, many law-enforcement officers quietly say the same thing every year:

This saved me too.

Moment of Silence was founded to confront the realities of mental health, isolation, and suicide within law enforcement. Officers from multiple agencies have shared that this event gave them purpose when they were struggling, peace when they were overwhelmed, and hope when they needed it most.

Some have said plainly: “This kept me alive.”

Community outreach and officer wellness are not separate missions they’re connected.

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Why This Story Is Being Told

For years, this was done quietly. No spotlight. No headlines.

But this story matters because it works.

If you’re a police chief, sheriff, or leader facing division, know this: you don’t need perfection. You need sincerity. Bring your people together. Organize with friends. Partner with neighboring agencies. Show up consistently.

Christmas reaches places policy never can.

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A Thank You And a Promise

To every volunteer, student, law-enforcement officer, firefighter, donor, and quiet leader from Paterson, across New Jersey, New York, and throughout the country thank you.

And for those who want to understand where this comes from the heart behind the work this mission lives year-round through Moment of Silence, a law-enforcement-founded charity focused on mental health, community, and hope. If you want to learn more or simply understand the work being done, visit momentofsilenceinc.org.

No pressure.

No expectation.

Just an open door.

Because this story isn’t really about a convoy or even about Santa.

It’s about what happens when people refuse to give up on each other.

As the day comes to a close, the music still plays. The helicopter lifts off. Santa waves goodbye.

And somewhere between faith, exhaustion, joy, and belief, it becomes clear:

Santa Comes to Paterson came true.

And as long as there are people willing to show up,

to walk the streets,

to believe in kids,

and to never give up hope

it always will.

Keeping Traditions Alive

Keeping Traditions Alive
By: Marty Katz

A badge, shield, or star —regardless of what your agency calls is the symbol of authority.   As I travel around the country, some traditions have remained intact.  All agencies issue a hard symbol of the individual’s authority. The badge, shield, or star. While this is the most visible, the identification card issued remains the real authoritative symbol.   The card remains in your wallet while the badge is there for the world to observe.

The law enforcement community is deep in traditions.  As the world changes, some traditions must remain unchanged.  The manner in which this symbol, the badge, is earned and awarded must never change.

Everyone must complete a basic police academy.  The individual must initially prove themselves.  Earning the right to become a law enforcement officer is based solely on that individual’s performance.  No money, good old boy system, or political influence must be involved in this process.  Any help at this time will have a disastrous effect later, as that unproven officer might be your backup or called upon to assist a victim.  The public deserves only qualified officers, and the only way this happens is by successfully completing the required academy.

There are two times a badge is presented to an officer.  The first is upon graduating from a police academy, and the second is upon being promoted.

Both are very exciting times.  The first time is when the recruit walks across the stage, a process that is the same or very similar in every academy.  The recruit’s name is called, and that proud individual walks up and receives their certification from the academy, usually from the academy director.  Then they walk a bit further, and either their chief or sheriff presents them with the badge.  After all the names are called, the recruit class stands and gets sworn in.  This is followed by the families or significant others being asked to come forward and pin the badge on the new officers' uniforms.  For it is these people who will be most important in the officer’s life.  They will be there for the ups and downs, the joys and sadness, and long after the uniform is put to rest.  It is as much a celebration for the new officer and their families as it is for the community.  I remember my mother and father pinning the badge to my freshly pressed uniform and seeing tears in their eyes. 

The second time is when the officer is promoted.  Standard practice is to read the officer's bio and career highlights to the audience, then invite the officer to the stage to be presented with the new rank.  After the chief or sheriff hands the badge to the officer, the family or significant others are requested to join the officer on the stage. For the same reasons as before, the family or significant others pin the badge on the uniform of the newly promoted officer. This time, it was my wife doing the honors.

Ye, there might be a third time. You are handed your retirement badge and retirement credentials. Usually, that is not done in a celebratory setting. For me, it was walking into Human Resources, trading my wallet containing my live credentials, and receiving the retirement items.

In closing, the law enforcement community is a society of deep-standing traditions that are kept alive from generation to generation.  It is our way of honoring those who serve.

Did The Loss Of 25,000 Cops Create A 25 Percent Reduction In Arrests?

Did The Loss Of 25,000 Cops Create A 25 Percent Reduction In Arrests?
By: Leonard Adam Sipes, Jr.

The Council on Criminal Justice produces informative and readable reports that offer insights into the workings of the justice system. Who Gets Arrested in America contributes to our understanding of crime in America.

The 2024 arrest total was 25% lower than in 2019, the year before the pandemic, and half the number in the peak year of 1997. The combination of falling arrests and rising resident population has driven down the national arrest rate, which in 2024 was 30% lower than in 2019 and 71% below its peak in 1994.

Drug arrests, in particular, have cratered. In 2024, the drug offense rate for both adults and juveniles was roughly half the 2019 level.  

Juvenile arrests now make up a much smaller share of national arrests. In 1980, 19% of arrests were of juveniles. Since 2018, this share has been at or below 7%. 

Over the past four years, however, adult and juvenile arrest rates diverged: The juvenile rate rose 14% since 2020 while the adult rate was 7% lower. 

Arrest rates have fallen sharply across age and sex groups, though recent trends—particularly among juveniles—differ from long-term patterns. In 2024, the adult male arrest rate was 8% lower than in 2020 and 66% below its 1989 peak; the adult female rate was 3% lower than in 2020 and 42% below its 2009 peak. Juvenile arrest rates for both sexes peaked in 1996 and remained far below those levels in 2024—85% lower for boys and 77% lower for girls—even as rates increased 10% for boys and 23% for girls between 2020 and 2024. 

Racial patterns in arrest rates show notable divergence since 2020. Between 2020 and 2024, the juvenile arrest rate increased sharply for Black (+48%) and Asian (+45%) youth, compared with a more modest rise among White juveniles (+11%); rates for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) juveniles fell 4%. Adult arrest rates show a similar split: Black (+12%) and Asian (+18%) adults experienced increases, while rates for White (-10%) and AI/AN (-17%) adults declined.

I offered “The Distressing Status Of Arrests, Crimes Solved And Incarcerations” in 2025, where I documented that federal arrests increased, overall arrests increased in 2023 after bottoming out in earlier years, according to Statista, and that crimes solved “may” be stabilizing.

Proactive police contacts with the public also plummeted during recent years.

I wrote “The United States Lost Over 25,000 Local Police Personnel” in 2025, using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics stating that:

The United States lost 25,076 local government police personnel when viewing a high point of 434,698 from November 2019 to November 2023, 409,662. These figures encompass both sworn officers and civilian police employees, indicating that the decline impacted enforcement capacity, investigative support, and victim services.

Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the United States lost 2,116 state government police personnel from the calendar year 2020 (102,493) to 100,377 in 2022. The good news is that, per preliminary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the last available figure in June of 2024, local government police personnel rebounded to 426,210.

It seems obvious that the loss of tens of thousands of state and local police officers and support personnel would have an impact on arrests and victim services. Why did all those people leave law enforcement?

While arrests fell by roughly 25 percent during the same period, police staffing declined; no federal study establishes a direct causal relationship between these trends. Note that arrests declined by half when compared to the peak year of 1997, but most of the officers left after the George Floyd disturbances in 2020.

Since the anti-police protests regarding police use of force issues, there are a lot of pissed-off cops. Those in law enforcement felt that all police officers were being stereotyped as brutal and uncaring because of the actions of a small number of officers, the same foundational prejudice (judging all by the actions of a few) suffered by other groups. 

The Defund The Police movement told cops that their sacrifices and efforts were no longer welcome. The pandemic also impacted arrest numbers.

Officers complained that juvenile and drug arrests had few consequences and little accountability, so why bother?

Every arrest carries multiple (and sometimes deadly) risks for the officers involved. I assume that many police officers were no longer willing to take that risk unless the evidence was overwhelming and unquestionable. They would respond to calls for service and conduct routine patrols, but proactive policing was no longer on the table.

The paradox of this discussion is the impact on crime, with many progressives suggesting that the drops in city-reported crime have been huge; thus, more arrests (or proactive policing strategies) are not necessary for crime control.

The USDOJ’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention literally celebrated, via press releases, the significant decrease in juvenile arrests under the Biden administration. At the same time, cities complained about increases in juvenile violence. The USDOJ framed this as a positive justice outcome.

Then there is the controversy as to which set of USDOJ crime statistics to believe.

There are two USDOJ measures of crime in the United States. One is based on crimes reported to law enforcement, as articulated by the FBI, and that’s what people are basing the urban reduction in violent crime on. Yes, homicides are obviously the most reported and reliable crime statistic.

Beyond multiple cities accused of providing downgraded crime data (i.e., D.C., Memphis, Oakland, others), no one disputes the drop in homicides or the overall violence reduction in cities based on crimes reported to the police.

The problem? It would take several additional pages of explanations as to the endless difficulties surrounding the use of reported crimes, so I’ll stick with the most obvious: the vast majority of what we call crime is not reported to the police.

Seventy percent of what we call crime are property events and, per the Bureau of Justice Statistics, only 30 percent of those are reported to the police. Close to half of violent crimes are reported.

Per the USDOJ’s Bureau of Justice Statistics recent report, 38 percent of urban violent crimes are reported. Based on unreported crimes, it’s possible (but probably unlikely) for the 3-4 percent decrease (2023-2024) per the FBI in national violent crime to actually be an increase.  

But per the USDOJ’s Bureau of Justice Statistics National Crime Victimization Survey (what the US Census calls the premier method of counting crimes in America), we had a large increase in rates of violent crime in 2022 (44 percent), and rates have remained almost unchanged for 2023 and the latest-most recent report for 2024. Violent victimization settled at a much higher level than expected, and stayed there.

The National Crime Victimization Survey states that urban violence increased in its latest 2024 report. Independent analysts say that reported violent and property crimes are falling considerably in cities.

One source claims the increase in rates of violent crime is 80 percent, based on the National Crime Victimization Survey. That finding, however, includes a baseline of 2020 when the pandemic raged, and surveys and counts of crime were impacted.

So it’s plausible, based on the totality of crime as measured by the National Crime Victimization Survey, that there have been historic increases in violent crime during recent years. The NCVS does not count homicides (you can’t interview dead people), and it excludes business crimes, those under the age of 12, and other categories.

We should also note that per Gallup, the overwhelming majority of those polled indicate a fear or concern about crime, with half expressing serious concerns.

Thus, for those claiming that more arrests and more cops are not necessary for crime control, USDOJ data based on the National Crime Victimization Survey refutes that assertion. An increased number of crime victims and fear devastates communities.

Counting crime has always been a confusing mess, and the impact of losing tens of thousands of police personnel makes any assessment of crime control muddier.

But with proactive policing, one of the few modalities offering convincing evidence (based on a National Academy of Sciences report) that it reduces crime, sufficient numbers of officers making quality arrests seems to be a necessary component of improving public safety.

Seven Mental Health Resources a Police Officer Can Use

Seven Mental Health Resources a Police Officer Can Use
By: Stan Popovich

Are you a police officer having trouble finding places to get some assistance for your mental health?

Nowadays, many places have waiting lists, and some places can be very expensive. This can be very frustrating when you need help right away.

As a result, here are seven options you can use to start the process of getting some assistance as quickly as possible.

1. Contact your doctor: Your doctor is a great source in finding available mental health resources in your area. Explain your situation to your doctor and ask if he or she knows of anyone that can help you. Chances are your doctor will be able to give you some referrals.

2. Go to the nearest hospital: Your local hospitals can give you immediate assistance for your mental health issues. The people who work at a hospital know of other professionals in your area that can provide you with additional treatment. In addition, some hospitals may offer various mental health services that are available to the public.

3. Talk to the insurance companies: Your insurance company can provide a list of mental health services and other treatment programs that are covered in your health plan. If you do not have health insurance, you could still contact some of those companies and see if they can point you in the right direction regarding your current circumstances.  There could be some affordable programs in your area that you do not know about.

4. Talk to the local churches: Your local churches may know of programs in your area that you could go to in overcoming your anxieties and stresses. Many churches offer mental health and addiction programs that anyone can take advantage of.  A priest or minister can also provide additional advice to your situation.

5. Find a support group: There are all kinds of mental health support groups that can help you with your issues. Go to a support group in your area and meet people who are also struggling with addiction and depression. A person can go on the internet or talk to some of the local mental health organizations to get more information about what is in their area.

6. Network with your others: Many people have dealt with fear and anxiety sometime in their life. Talk to the people that you trust to see if they have any suggestions on where you can go for some assistance. Make sure that your friends can keep things confidential and do not get into the habit of giving out too much personal information to others.

7. Contact your local mental health organizations: There are many private, public, nonprofit, and governmental organizations that specialize in various mental health services that you can talk to for some assistance. The people at these places can give you some ideas on where you can find some mental health programs and counselors that can help you right away.

BIOGRAPHY
Stan is the author of "A Layman's Guide to Managing Fear" which covers a variety of techniques that can drastically improve your mental health. For more information, please visit Stan's website at http://www.managingfear.com

Where will mortgage rates go in 2026 and beyond?

Where will mortgage rates go in 2026 and beyond?
By: Geoffrey Regent

If you were like most people, you were bombarded by headlines, video clips, and audio about the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates over the last several months. Many people assume that mortgage rates will fall right in line with the rates set by the Fed. Mortgage rates are a lot more complex than that. Fixed rate mortgages are connected more so to the long-term market than the Federal Reserve’s short-term rates. Homebuyers who are shopping for a home or homeowners shopping for a mortgage refinance can benefit from this because it explains why the rates sometimes increase even though the Federal Reserve lowers rates.

The 10 Year Treasury Note: The backbone of mortgages

A common misconception is that the Federal Reserve sets mortgage rates. The truth is, lenders price mortgages by referring to the yields provided in the 10 Year Treasury Note.  You might be asking yourself, “Why would lenders use the 10 Year Treasury Note if most homebuyers opt for 30-year fixed rate mortgage?”  The truth is, mosthomeowners obtain a 30-year mortgage, but either refinance or sell their house long before they reach 30 years.  The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently published information from a study in November 2025 that noted that the average homeowner is staying in their house for approximately eleven years.  Some other major mortgage lenders utilize the bond market as a benchmark because bonds are generally good indicators of potential market and economic growth or decline.

What’s the “Mortgage Spread” and How Does it Affect Rates?

Mortgage interest rates are not exactly the same as a 10-year treasury yield rate because the lenders must add in something known as the “Spread.”  The spread is comprised of the primary market spread and secondary market spread. The primary market spread is also known as the lender’s margin.  This covers mortgage or origination costs, servicing, administrative fees, and the profit.  The secondary market spread covers the difference between something called mortgage-backed securities and the 10-year treasury. There is obviously some risk involved with funding mortgages, as we’ve seen in the past with foreclosures and economic downturns. The spread is usually 1.5 to 2 percentage points above the 10 Year Treasury Note.  That percentage could fluctuate a little bit, depending on market conditions and the overall strength of the economy.

Why Aren’t Mortgages Tied to the Federal Reserve Rates?

The Federal Reserve controls short term, federal fund rate rates. These rates help lenders set rates for different types of credit like credit cards, personal loans, auto loans, etc.  Banks also set their savings and certificate of deposit rates off of the Federal Reserve rates. 

There are a number of other economic factors that can help determine long-term borrowing costs for loan products like mortgages. Inflation expectations have a major effect on mortgage rates. Higher yields on long-term investments are required if investors believe that there will be high inflation in the coming years. Growth or decline in the economy will also affect rates. Government borrowing can increase the supply of treasury notes as well. Mortgage-backed securities also play a role in this because mortgages are usually sold on a secondary market after the real estate purchase takes place.  Nowadays, it is almost unheard of that a lender holds a mortgage for the life of the loan.  Instead, a number of mortgages are packaged together and sold to investors.  Investors then take on the risk if the borrowers failed to pay their mortgages.  Therefore, investors want to buy less risky mortgages. Purchasing higher risk mortgages comes at a premium. That is when you see higher rates; because lenders need to build in protect protection in case the borrower defaults (I.e. stops paying their loan).

What Does the Recent Data Show for 2026 and Beyond?

Rates have fallen throughout 2025 and are hovering a little bit above 6% for a typical 30-year fixed rate conventional mortgage (according to Freddie Mac as of December 18, 2025). Many people have been asking the same question repeatedly, “When will we be seeing lower rates?”  Although there has been a decrease in rates compared to the previous two years, it is important to understand that there are a number of factors that play a role in the rates.  Looking at 2026 and beyond, borrowers and perspective borrowers should monitor the following variables: Inflation, growth of the economy, the United States fiscal policy (that includes deficits and spending), the United States government debt, global finances (because foreign investors purchase debt), and whether or not investors are still interested in mortgage-backed securities.

Borrowers and potential homebuyers should watch the 10-year treasury yield rather than the Federal Reserve’s rate changes.  That will help give a clearer picture of where mortgage rates will go in 2026.  Remember, it is very difficult to “time the market.”  Homebuyers also need to be aware that a lower interest rate may not necessarily translate into a lower mortgage payment. Home appreciation rates may have a more profound impact on the overall cost of a house in comparison to an interest rate. For example, if a house value appreciates 5% in one year, a reduction in an interest rate of an eighth of a percent or even quarter of a percent, may not necessarily translate into a lower mortgage payment, depending on the price of the house.  It is always best to consult with a trusted professional before moving forward with such an important decision.  Need help? I am here to answer my fellow first responders’ questions.

Geoffrey J. Rejent is a Municipal Police Sergeant in New Jersey.  He is currently in his 23rdd year of service and is assigned to Special Operations.  He also currently serves as a Drug Recognition Expert.  He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Marist College and a Master’s Degree in Administrative Science from Fairleigh Dickinson University.  He is also a Mortgage Loan Originator (NMLS 2624041) with One Real Mortgage (198414).  You can reach Geoffrey J. Rejent by email at Geoffrey.Rejent@onerealmortgage.com, by LinkedIn at Geoffrey Rejent, Facebook at Geoffrey J. Rejent – For All of Your Mortgage Needs, Instagram at Geoffrey.rejent_mlo, and Tiktok at @geoffrey.rejent_mlo.

Eric Adams on Policing, Politics, and Public Safety

By Holly Finley and Alyssa Del Valle

The Blue Magazine

During his time as mayor of New York City, Eric Adams spoke with The Blue Magazine about policing, public safety, and the political direction of the city. His remarks remain relevant as New York enters a new chapter of leadership and public debate over law enforcement continues.

When asked whether he could ever support Zohran Mamdani for mayor, Adams did not hesitate.

“Absolutely not,” Adams said.

He pointed to Mamdani’s public positions on policing and criminal justice and said he disagreed with them. Adams did not expand on the statement or attempt to qualify it.

The exchange reflected a clear political divide at City Hall one that many officers were already feeling on the street.

Adams acknowledged that his relationship with law enforcement was not without tension. While some officers supported his administration, others were openly critical, particularly as crime concerns, quality-of-life issues, and enforcement policies became flashpoints across the city. Police unions frequently challenged City Hall, and Adams did not dispute that frustration existed within the ranks.

During the interview, Adams spoke about the treatment of officers in public spaces, noting that uniformed members of the NYPD are often filmed, confronted, or verbally harassed during routine duties. He said this environment has had an impact on morale and retention, even as expectations placed on officers continued to grow.

The conversation also turned to mental health and suicide prevention. Adams spoke directly about the cumulative stress officers carry and addressed what he would say to an officer struggling under pressure. He emphasized the importance of seeking help and acknowledged that the emotional toll of policing is often underestimated by the public and political leadership alike.

On public safety policy, Adams criticized approaches that reduce enforcement without addressing how communities will be protected in practice. He questioned whether political leaders who oppose traditional policing models are prepared to deal with the real-world consequences of those positions.

The interview captured Adams’ stated views during a period of transition in New York politics views that continue to factor into current debates about policing, ideology, and the role of City Hall in supporting or challenging law enforcement.

The Blue Magazine wishes Mayor Eric Adams the best in his future endeavors.

Phil Murphy on the Way Out: Crime, COVID, Cost of Living and the Decisions That Defined Eight Years

Interview Conducted By Catherine Angel and Holly Finley

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy

An Exit Interview

Eight years ago, Phil Murphy entered office promising a “stronger, fairer, more responsible” New Jersey. As he prepares to leave in January 2025, his final months are not marked by campaign rhetoric or political combat, but by reflection on crisis, conflict, compromise, and the unfinished business of governing a complex state through one of the most turbulent periods in modern history.

This conversation took place at a moment of transition. The Blue Magazine interviewed Murphy when he entered office. Now, on his way out, he sat down again this time without the urgency of elections, but with the weight of record, consequence, and legacy.

What follows is not a verdict, nor a victory lap. It is a record of how Murphy views the decisions he made, the tensions he navigated, and the legacy he believes he leaves behind.

A Term Defined by Crisis

Murphy’s governorship cannot be discussed without confronting COVID-19. The pandemic arrived early in his tenure and reshaped nearly every aspect of state leadership.

He acknowledged the uncertainty of those first months when public officials and health experts alike lacked reliable data and were forced to make consequential decisions in real time. New Jersey, he noted, later commissioned an independent, arm’s-length postmortem of its COVID response an effort that produced nearly 1,000 pages of findings and recommendations, with no editorial input from his administration prior to publication.

More than 35,000 New Jersey residents lost their lives. Murphy did not frame the period as a success story, but as a tragedy one that demanded accountability, learning, and institutional change rather than self-congratulation.

Public Safety and Perception

One of the most persistent tensions of Murphy’s tenure has been the gap between crime data and public perception particularly among law enforcement and working-class communities.

Murphy cited independent crime statistics showing New Jersey’s violent crime rate below the national average and trending downward since the post-pandemic spike. Statewide data reflects declines in shootings, homicides, and auto thefts compared to peak years.

Yet Murphy did not dismiss the lived reality behind public concern. He acknowledged that perception shapes trust and that trust is fragile, especially in communities that feel vulnerable or underserved.

He repeatedly credited law enforcement as the first line of defense, pointing to expanded state police recruiting, increased staffing, upgraded equipment, license-plate detection technology, school-mapping initiatives, and violence-prevention programs. While disagreement with police unions has at times been public and sharp, Murphy characterized the working relationship as consistent, professional, and ongoing.

Affordability: The Defining Issue of His Final Years

If COVID defined Murphy’s early tenure, affordability defined the latter half.

Property taxes, energy costs, and healthcare premiums emerged as dominant pressures for families and public employees alike. Murphy pointed to record-level property tax relief through programs like ANCHOR, emergency utility bill relief, and state efforts to expand energy supply amid regional demand imbalances.

Healthcare costs particularly for government workers and law enforcement remain unresolved. Murphy acknowledged the strain and described recent agreements aimed at stabilizing the State Health Benefits Plan, while conceding that local-level plans remain a difficult, unresolved challenge.

On pension reform, he expressed sympathy for retirees affected by the suspension of cost-of-living adjustments, while defending the administration’s prioritization of full pension payments more than $47 billion over eight years as necessary to restore fiscal credibility after decades of underfunding by prior administrations of both parties.

Mental Health and Law Enforcement

One of the most personal segments of the conversation centered on suicide prevention particularly among law enforcement and veterans.

Murphy spoke candidly about stigma, pride, and isolation, urging officers to seek help without fear of judgment or career repercussions. He expressed openness to deeper collaboration with Moment of Silence, the nonprofit affiliated with The Blue Magazine, which focuses on officer suicide prevention and community outreach.

While no formal commitments were announced, Murphy signaled a willingness to explore partnerships that expand resources without compromising careers a challenge long recognized within policing culture.

Artificial Intelligence and the State’s Future

Looking ahead, Murphy framed artificial intelligence not as a distant innovation but as an active tool already embedded in state operations. Thousands of New Jersey state employees now use AI to improve service delivery, reduce administrative burden, and enhance responsiveness.

He also voiced concerns privacy, misuse, workforce displacement, and national security calling for careful regulation that balances innovation with restraint. In Murphy’s view, AI represents not just a technology, but a governing challenge that will define the next generation of public leadership.

Legacy Without Illusion

Asked how he wants to be remembered, Murphy resisted the premise.

Instead, he returned to the framework he campaigned on: economic strength, fairness, and responsible governance. He pointed to restored pension payments, fully funded public education, improved credit ratings, and long-term fiscal discipline as structural changes he hopes endure beyond his administration.

He acknowledged imperfections, delays, and decisions that drew criticism. But he maintained that the state’s governing “playbook” has shifted toward consistency, long-term planning, and institutional responsibility.

On the Way Out

When Murphy leaves office in January, New Jersey will remain politically divided, economically pressured, and deeply opinionated about his record. That reality is unavoidable.

This interview does not attempt to resolve those debates.

It documents them.

⸻

Editor’s Note

The Blue Magazine interviewed Governor Phil Murphy at the start of his administration and again at its close. We thank him for a candid, substantive conversation and wish him well in his next chapter of public and private life.

COVER STORY: EXCLUSIVE WHITE HOUSE INTERVIEW - At the White House with U.S. Border Czar Tom Homan

EXCLUSIVE WHITE HOUSE INTERVIEW: At the White House with Tom Homan — The Border Czar Who Never Backed Down

Inside his mission, his message, and the movement to protect America’s borders.

By George Beck, Steve Olimpio & Jordan Beck

The Blue Magazine

Inside the West Wing, just steps from the Oval Office, Tom Homan moves with the same urgency he carried decades ago as a Border Patrol agent. His handshake is firm, his tone direct, and his message unmistakable: Securing America’s borders isn’t about politics — it’s about saving lives.

For more than forty years, Homan has stood on the front lines of law enforcement and immigration. From patrolling the U.S.–Mexico border in the 1980s to serving today as Border Czar under President Donald J. Trump, his career has been marked by persistence, discipline and conviction.

“I’m not just running an agency anymore,” he told The Blue Magazine in an exclusive White House interview. “Now I help define strategic policy that drives our national security.”

That policy, he says, is working. Under the Trump Administration, illegal crossings have fallen to levels unseen in modern history. “We went from more than 15,000 illegal crossings a day to 82,” Homan noted. “That’s not luck — that’s leadership, and that’s law enforcement doing its job.”

Homan’s story began far from Washington. He started his career in upstate New York as a small-town police officer with a dream of federal service. A chance encounter while fishing led him to take the Border Patrol exam — and to a lifetime enforcing the laws of a nation he deeply believes in.

He often reminds young officers: “You can’t demand respect — you earn it. I’ve seen people try to demand it without earning it, and it never works. I never forgot where I came from.”

In Washington, Homan relies on data, not politics. “Every morning I look at the numbers,” he said. “Roughly 70 percent of the people we arrest are criminals. The rest could be national-security threats — gang members, fugitives or people ignoring lawful removal orders.”

He rejects the idea that immigration enforcement should be softened or politicized. “We’ve got fewer than 5,000 deportation officers nationwide,” he explained. “We have to prioritize the worst of the worst — but that doesn’t mean we ignore everyone else. If you’re in this country illegally, it’s not OK. And if we find you during operations, you’re going to face the law.”

Homan is equally quick to defend those who wear the badge. “ICE officers are mothers and fathers. They’re not monsters,” he said. “They put on a vest every day to protect this country, and they deserve respect — not hatred.”

For years, misinformation has fueled unnecessary division — and even hostility — toward federal officers. “It’s all lies,” he said. “We’re transparent about what we do. The more we tell the truth, the more people see that secure borders save lives.”

“Secure borders save lives. That’s not politics. That’s reality.”

Behind that statement lies the human cost he’s witnessed. “I’ve seen dead children. I’ve talked to young girls who were trafficked and raped. I’ve seen the worst humanity has to offer. So when I say secure borders save lives — it’s not a slogan. It’s a fact.”

Even among critics, Homan is respected for his steadiness and refusal to back down. He speaks his mind, often bluntly, and doesn’t apologize for it. “I’m not running a popularity contest,” he said. “I tell the truth. And if that makes people uncomfortable, so be it.”

His candor once made headlines after Pope Francis criticized U.S. border policy. Homan replied, “With all due respect, the pope lives behind walls — he should worry about his church before judging ours.”

Despite his tough image, Homan describes himself as a family man who values his wife and two sons above all. “They’ve sacrificed as much as I have,” he said. “They deal with the hate, the travel, the pressure — but they understand why I do it.”

When asked about working directly with President Trump, his response was immediate: “He’s the greatest president of my lifetime. No one has done more to secure the border or support law enforcement.”

By contrast, Homan has been outspoken about the Biden Administration’s approach to immigration. “We went from control to chaos,” he said. “Since the change in policy, the cartels have been thriving again — and it didn’t have to be this way. You can’t stop enforcing the law and expect safety; it doesn’t work like that.”

For The Blue Magazine, the interview with Tom Homan marked a milestone — the first time in the publication’s sixteen-year history that its team stepped inside the White House. It was a proud day for American law-enforcement media and for everyone behind The Blue Magazine. The publication extends gratitude to President Trump, his administration and every member of his cabinet who continues to protect and serve this nation with honor.

The interview was conducted by senior journalist George Beck, alongside Steve Olimpio and youth correspondent Jordan Beck. Special acknowledgment goes to Holly Finley, Rick Vanderclock, Christian Bonilla, Eddie Yegan, Alyssa Del Valle, and Catherine Angel, whose dedication behind the scenes made this White House interview possible. Together with Editor-in-Chief Joel Gordon, they represent the teamwork and trust that define The Blue Magazine.

For Homan, relationships matter — especially with those who share his commitment to service. His friendship with The Blue Magazine dates back more than seven years, introduced by our late mentor and top advisor Commissioner Bernard B. Kerik — the former NYPD Commissioner and 9/11 hero who helped guide and strengthen the magazine’s mission from its earliest years.

Kerik, a lifelong supporter of law enforcement, believed deeply in Homan’s integrity and mission. “Bernie always said Tom was a ‘cop’s cop’ — and a man who loves this country,” recalls The Blue Magazine. “And he was right.”

As the interview drew to a close, Homan reflected on what drives him after decades in service. “I just want to leave this country safer than I found it,” he said quietly. “That’s how I’ll measure whether I did my job.”

Over the years, The Blue Magazine has interviewed many national figures, but Tom Homan stands apart — not because of his title, but because of his character. Behind closed doors, he’s as genuine and grounded as they come. In a world that often rewards pretenders, Homan is the real thing: a man who never forgot where he came from and never stopped fighting for what’s right.

The Blue Magazine is proud to call him a friend — and proud to stand beside him in the mission of serving those who serve.

— Daniel Del Valle

Founder & Publisher, The Blue Magazine

BLUE EDITOR UP FRONT

The Turning Point?

Life goes on. As we lost some of our larger than life inspirational figures, our lives and futures have been left with a clear course to follow.

What a year it has been. First we lost our friend and mentor Commissioner Bernie Kerik to a cardiovascular event. Then the evil and tragic murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk occurred.  In spite of loss this may prove to be a true Turning Point for the USA. Although many have suffered the death of loved ones, injury, and illness in 2025, including my own struggle with a needed leg amputation along with a found aneurism, which was skillfully repaired in time, many beneficial things have happened as well as we get back on track in our desire to leave the world better than we found it.

Our border is the most secure ever thanks to Tom Homan and the Trump Administration. Our Cover Story is an Exclusive White House interview with our Border Czar and friend and is a timely must-read.

Of course, the Trump Administration is proving (once again) that enforcement and prosecutions really do play a needed role in safety and crime reduction. Letting good police be police is essential. Well-selected and -trained officers have proven to be effective guardians and problem solvers, but unlike counselors, have the ability to become warriors as necessary for the greater good.

Check out our Feature Article by Leonard Sipes which provides an analysis of President Donald Trump’s efforts to Make America Safe Again. Sheriff David Clarke (Ret.) asks Does President Trump have to fix everything? Lt. Joseph Pangaro (Ret.) reminds us that Truth Dies in Darkness. John Giduck J.D./Ph.D. along with Matt Adams explores Do Cops Make Good Bodyguards? providing timely insights in this day and age of rampage and political violence.   Of course, be sure to read many more meaningful articles on training, effective leadership, wellness, retirement and more!

As we move toward the end of the current year, let's count our blessings and support one another. Remember the Blue Magazine, Moment of Silence, and the Blue Health Network are here for you. Reach out to us. We look forward to your insights, article submissions, and continued support.

Joel E. Gordon
Editor-in-Chief 

“Good Job, Mr. President”

“Good Job, Mr. President”
By: The Blue Magazine Editorial Team

A breakthrough arrived in October 2025 that few believed possible. Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of a U.S.-brokered plan. Guns quieted under a cease-fire. The remaining Israeli hostages came home. Israel freed nearly two thousand Palestinian detainees, many held for years. Mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey helped bring both sides to the table — but it was President Trump who drove it, brokered it, and sealed it. For decades, world leaders had tried and failed. This time, peace took hold.

It happened aboard Air Force One. President Trump told reporters, “The war is over.” A reporter pointed out that Prime Minister Netanyahu had not yet used those words. Trump didn’t hesitate: “The war is over — you understand that.” The moment captured more than confrontation — it revealed how deeply some parts of the press have become conditioned to frame every development through conflict. Questioning is the duty of journalism; distortion is not. Even when the truth is clear, too many remain committed to finding a negative narrative, unable to accept good news at face value.

Shortly after, the claim met reality. All twenty living Israeli hostages were freed after two years in captivity. Israel released nearly two thousand Palestinian prisoners as part of the first-phase exchange. Humanitarian corridors opened. The cease-fire held. These are not slogans; they are facts — the receipts. Two sworn enemies, bound by grief and mistrust, released captives and gave the world a pause in bloodshed. For the first time in years, actions spoke louder than promises.

If those who hate each other most can see the light, America can, too. Yet too many at home remain hostage to bias and misinformation — unable to admit when something good happens simply because of who achieved it. We’ve allowed politics to imprison honesty. The same courage that brought captives home in Gaza is the courage America now needs to tell the truth about its own leader. For years, critics painted Trump as chaos incarnate, unfit for diplomacy. Now that peace has begun to take hold — with hostages returning and the guns finally quiet — many who once preached compassion have fallen silent.

Where are the voices that once filled headlines demanding justice? Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Ilhan Omar. Rashida Tlaib. Their public reactions so far have been muted — silence that lands louder than speeches. They’re mentioned here not to attack, but because their voices once defined the public outcry for peace. If they were loud in war, they should be loud in peace. In Gaza and Israel, enemies freed hostages. In America, it’s time to free our own — from the grip of selective silence and the comfort of false narratives.

The Nobel Peace Prize this year went to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado — a worthy laureate. But prizes and magazine covers don’t free people; actions do. Hostages came home. Prisoners walked free. The war stopped — at least for now. History remembers outcomes, not narratives.

The Blue Magazine asks a fair question of those who once filled the airwaves demanding peace — Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Tlaib: What exactly is left to evaluate? The facts are in. The hostages are home. The war is over. What more must be studied before saying the words every American should be able to say: “Good job, Mr. President.”

President Trump is no stranger to peril. In July 2024, an assassin’s bullet struck his ear during a campaign rally — a near-fatal moment later confirmed by federal investigators. He’s endured indictments, ridicule and relentless attacks, yet he continues to stand.

You don’t have to be deeply religious to wonder how a man who’s been shot at, indicted, and written off so many times still stands — and now delivers peace. Maybe it’s grit. Maybe it’s grace. But one has to ask: Is there something larger at work here?

This is bigger than politics. It’s bigger than parties. This moment doesn’t belong to one man — it belongs to everyone whose life will no longer be threatened by rockets, raids or revenge. It belongs to humanity. It belongs to a world that, even for a brief moment, exhaled.

Trump isn’t the story. Peace is. But peace wouldn’t have happened without our President, Donald J. Trump.

Quotes:

“The war is over — you understand that.”

— President Donald J. Trump, aboard Air Force One

“If those who hate each other most can see the light, America can too.”

(Referring to Israel and Hamas finding common ground through the peace agreement.)

— The Blue Magazine Editorial Team

“Trump isn’t the story. Peace is. But peace wouldn’t have happened without our President, Donald J. Trump.”

— The Blue Magazine Editorial Team

From Plans to Progress: Overcoming the Execution Gap in Organizational Change

From Plans to Progress: Overcoming the Execution Gap in Organizational Change

By: DLT. Joseph Bucco Jr.

Organizations, whether in the private sector or law enforcement, constantly develop plans to improve efficiency, adopt new technology, restructure operations, or enhance performance. Leaders hold meetings, outline strategies and introduce initiatives with enthusiasm, believing that their plans will bring about meaningful change. Yet, despite the effort put into planning, most initiatives never fully materialize. Execution begins, obstacles arise, and soon, daily responsibilities take precedence. Before long, the initiative loses momentum and the organization quietly moves on, often without fully recognizing why things fell apart.

The problem isn’t the plan itself, nor is it a lack of effort or good intentions. The reality is that organizations often fall victim to external pressures and internal constraints that make execution difficult. Company culture, daily operational demands, understaffing, budget limitations and manpower shortages all create significant barriers to implementing change. In law enforcement, for example, agencies are often forced to balance new initiatives with immediate, mission-critical responsibilities. When staffing is tight and officers are handling increased workloads, rolling out a new training program, policy shift or technology upgrade can feel like an added burden rather than a benefit. In the private sector, businesses must navigate financial constraints, shifting market conditions and an employee base that may be resistant to change.

These challenges don’t mean change is impossible, but they do highlight why execution is the hardest part. Organizations must recognize that change efforts don’t fail because people are unwilling to evolve; they fail because execution is complex and requires a strategic approach that accounts for these realities. The key is not just having a great plan but implementing a system that ensures follow-through despite the inevitable roadblocks.

One of the biggest mistakes organizations make is over-planning and under-executing. They spend months or even years refining strategies, conducting research and debating implementation details, but take little action. While thorough planning is important, it can become a trap that prevents progress. Instead of waiting for the perfect moment or ideal conditions, organizations should focus on action. Quick wins can create momentum, pilot programs allow organizations to test initiatives in a controlled setting and an agile mindset helps leaders adapt when challenges arise. No plan will ever roll out without obstacles, so the focus should be on progress, not perfection.

Another major reason for stalled initiatives is the lack of clear ownership. Many organizations introduce change at a high level, discussing it in leadership meetings, sending out company-wide emails and outlining broad goals, but fail to assign specific responsibility for execution. Changing efforts need a champion, whether it’s a dedicated leader, a task force or a cross-functional team that is directly responsible for driving implementation. This group must break down the plan into actionable steps, assign responsibilities and track progress consistently. Without this level of ownership, even the best ideas will lose momentum and eventually fade away.

Equally important is effective communication. One of the main reasons employees resist change is that they don’t fully understand why it’s happening or how it affects them. Leadership often assumes that once a plan is announced, employees will immediately understand its purpose and impact. Most employees are busy with their daily responsibilities and may not grasp how the initiative fits into their work or why it’s necessary. Successful execution requires leaders to over-communicate, reinforcing the purpose, benefits and expectations behind the change. Employees need to see the bigger picture and understand how their individual contributions support the broader initiative. When people feel informed and included, they are far more likely to engage with and support the process.

Tracking progress is another crucial factor in preventing change efforts from stalling. Many organizations start strong but lose focus when immediate results aren’t visible. Without regular check-ins, data analysis and performance reviews, it becomes easy for people to slip back into old habits. Leaders must establish clear benchmarks for success, track key performance indicators and review progress frequently. This not only keeps the initiative moving forward but also allows for necessary adjustments before small challenges turn into major roadblocks. Change should be treated as an ongoing process, not a one-time event.

However, even when an initiative gains traction, the real challenge is ensuring it lasts. I’ve seen many organizations successfully implement changes only to watch old habits resurface within months. Change must be reinforced until it becomes ingrained in the organizational culture. Leaders play a vital role in this by setting an example employees need to see that leadership is fully committed, not just in words but in actions. Recognition and incentives can also be powerful motivators. When employees who embrace change are acknowledged and rewarded, it reinforces the importance of the initiative. Additionally, ongoing training and development ensure that employees have the knowledge and skills needed to sustain new practices over time.

Having worked in leadership positions in law enforcement, as well as working with private sector companies, I understand the complexities of change management across different industries. Law enforcement agencies, for example, operate under strict regulations, hierarchical structures and deeply ingrained traditions that make change particularly difficult. Officers may be skeptical of new policies, reluctant to adopt unfamiliar technology or hesitant to alter long-standing procedures. In private companies, the resistance may stem from different factors, uncertainty about new performance expectations, fear of job displacement or reluctance to move away from familiar processes. Yet, across both sectors, the barriers to execution remain similar: understaffing, budget constraints, operational pressures and competing priorities.

The reality is that most organizational plans don’t fail because they are bad ideas. They fail because execution is difficult, and organizations often don’t have the tools, structure or bandwidth to push initiatives forward. Leaders don’t need more planning; they need more action. By creating accountability, improving communication, tracking progress and reinforcing change until it becomes second nature, organizations can bridge the execution gap. Change won’t happen just because a strategy is well-designed, it happens when leaders commit to making it a priority, despite the challenges.

If organizations, whether public or private, want real transformation, they must stop making plans and start making things happen.

Joseph Bucco Jr. is a Municipal Police Lieutenant in New Jersey.  He is currently in his 22nd year of service and is assigned to the Detective Division as the Division Commander. Some of his past assignments include the departments Patrol Division, Street Crimes Unit as well as an on-loan assignment with a Multi-Jurisdictional Fugitive Task Force. He received a B.A from Ramapo College of New Jersey and an M.A in Human Resources Training & Development from Seton Hall University. In the fall of 2018, in addition to his police and consulting careers, Joe accepted a position as a Business Development Manager with a national communications and media company that is solely focused on serving our nation’s law enforcement officers.

REMEMBRANCE: Charlie Kirk

REMEMBRANCE: Charlie Kirk
Artwork by Jonny Castro

Charlie Kirk was fatally shot while engaging in a public forum with students at an outdoor event on Utah Valley University’s campus. It was an appalling act of violence that no one should be subjected to. On 9/12, the suspected gunman was taken into custody.

Regardless of what side you’re on, or whether you agree/disagree with some of the things he said; what happened to Charlie was wrong. Taking the life of another human being because your views differ from theirs is reprehensible.

At the end of the day, a wife lost her husband, and their two young children will grow up without a father.

Has Crime Decreased In Washington D.C. Since The President’s Interventions?

Has Crime Decreased In Washington D.C. Since The President’s Interventions?
By: Leonard A. Sipes, Jr.

If you look at a recent CBS News story, the president’s anti-crime actions in Washington, D.C., are either widely supported or dismissed, depending on your political affiliation. We are in a cultural war over the deployment of troops and federal agents and perceptions of crime.

In any war, both sides exaggerate.

In many cities, people complain that wait times for a police officer to respond to a reported crime can take over an hour, if an officer appears at all. In Detroit, many claim that police response to property crimes is nonexistent. Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we have lost 25,000 police officers and employees.

In other cities, the wait time to report a crime can be an hour or more. So, regardless of your beliefs about crime in D.C. or elsewhere, cops not appearing would scare anyone; it becomes a de facto statement about how you feel about crime. Per the D.C. union (below), understaffing is severe in the nation’s capital.

National Crime Statistics

About 38% of violent victimizations in urban areas were reported to police, which was lower than the percentages in suburban (43%) and rural (51%) areas, per the Bureau of Justice Statistics of the USDOJ. Based on that data, whatever crime statistics you use for D.C. or any other urban area are a considerable undercount.

According to the USDOJ’s National Crime Victimization Survey, violent crime increased in urban areas for its most recent yearly report.

The 2022 National Crime Victimization Survey offered the largest increase in violent crime in the nation’s history (44 percent), as recorded by analyst Jeff Asher, The Marshall Project, and ChatGPT. The high rates of violence continue unchanged for 2023 and 2024.

This is compared to a national reduction in reported violent crime of approximately 3-4 percent for 2023 and 2024 from the FBI. Independent analysts state that reported crime in cities has decreased considerably.

Fear Of Crime

With President Trump’s efforts to reduce crime in Washington, D.C., there are multiple articles in major publications warning Democrats not to fall into a trap where they seem insensitive to the plight of crime victims and those concerned about crime, which is most Americans.

Per Gallup, we are near record increases in fear of crime nationally. About 65 percent of D.C. residents told The Washington Post that crime was a “very” or “extremely” serious problem last year, even as violence declined. Per Axios, “As armed National Guard troops patrol the nation’s capital, a majority of Americans now see handling crime as a relative strength for President Trump, according to a new AP-NORC poll. According to the poll, 68 percent see crime as a “major problem” in large cities.”

I have been to multiple cities with crime problems courtesy of the federal government. I have never been in a city where the residents said that they do not want crime controlled. I have never been in a city where the residents didn’t express fear.

Washington, D.C.

I worked in Washington, D.C. for 25 years as the senior specialist for crime prevention and statistics for the USDOJ’s clearinghouse, and then as the director of information services for the National Crime Prevention Council before eventually transitioning to the senior spokesperson for a federal criminal justice agency.

I visited every part of the nation’s capital and spoke to hundreds of residents and community leaders, and I found that fear of crime was considerable among residents. I have never seen a city where entire neighborhoods have bars on every door or window.

Reported crime (most crime isn’t reported) in D.C. and other cities has decreased in recent years, giving D.C. and targeted cities reasons to object to federal interventions of National Guard troops and federal agents. Nevertheless, fear of crime remains high in D.C. and elsewhere, impacting a personal sense of safety and degrading the quality of life for many of its residents.

Crime in DC

·         D.C. is among the higher-crime large cities in terms of violent crime, homicide rate and robbery rate, but it is not at the top of the list.

·         Its homicide rate (25.5 per 100,000) places it in the top 15 cities nationally. 

·         For robbery, D.C. is critically high (3rd highest) among cities 50,000+ as of 2024.

·         There are endless examples of robberies, homicides and carjackings in D.C., mostly at the hands of juveniles and younger offenders.

The Sources Below Provide Different Perspectives Regarding The President’s Actions

I analyzed crime statistics for decades, and the short answer regarding President Trump’s actions is yes, it’s working, and no, it’s too soon to tell:

The Hill

President Trump’s decision this summer to assert federal control over the District of Columbia’s police force marked one of the boldest federal interventions in a major city’s public safety strategy in decades. His stated goal: to confront the violent crime surge that had long plagued the nation’s capital.

Supporters of the move argue that the results speak for themselves. In the month following the federal takeover, preliminary crime data from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) reportedly showed sharp declines across nearly every major category.

Homicides — a grim barometer of public safety — fell by more than 60 percent compared to the month prior. Property crimes also dropped significantly: burglaries and thefts from vehicles decreased by over 40 percent, motor vehicle thefts declined by roughly 35 percent, and robberies were down by nearly 20 percent.

These reductions were observed across all seven police districts in the city, affecting both affluent neighborhoods and historically high-crime areas. Advocates credit tighter coordination among federal agencies, increased National Guard presence and a more aggressive policing posture.

“Living in crime and danger is a choice, not an inevitability,” one administration official said. “The data shows what can happen when leadership and accountability replace excuses.”

The central question now is whether the District’s political leadership will continue these strategies once federal control ends — or revert to the policies that critics say allowed the crisis to worsen in the first place.

It’s Too Early To Judge The Impact Of The President’s Actions

Not everyone agrees that the drop in reported crime reflects a lasting or direct effect of the federal intervention.

Jeff Asher, a crime analyst and co-founder of AH Datalytics, urges caution in concluding short-term trends. “The most common question I’ve been asked since mid-August has been some variation of, ‘What effect has the deployment of the National Guard and federal law enforcement had on D.C. crime?’” he said. “My answer pretty much every time has been: It’s too soon to say much with confidence.”

Crime, Asher notes, fluctuates for complex reasons that often have little to do with any single policy shift. “Trends can change suddenly for reasons that aren’t well understood,” he explained. “You generally need a longer timeframe to separate a real trend from normal variation.”

Asher points out that D.C. and other major cities were already seeing gradual declines in violent crime before the federal intervention. “Analyzing an event like this is especially tricky when crime is already trending downward,” he said. “How do you know whether it’s the policy or just a continuation of that trend?”

According to his early review of available data, there is some evidence of accelerated declines in shootings and certain property crimes, but little indication that overall violent crime has shifted dramatically. “It’s not clear whether these trends will continue, abate or reverse,” he concluded. “Ultimately, figuring out whether any changes are real — and why — will take longer.”

A Developing Story

The D.C. experiment has reignited a national debate over the role of federal power in local policing. For supporters, it’s proof that decisive action can make cities safer. For skeptics, it’s a reminder that crime statistics — especially over short periods — can be misleading without deeper analysis.

Whether Washington’s current calm represents a turning point or a temporary dip remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: The eyes of policymakers across the country are watching what happens next in the nation’s capital.

What I can say is that the president’s actions are supported by D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department’s union, who openly welcome the president’s interventions.

The DC Police Union

The DC Police Union, representing more than 3,000 officers of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), issued a blistering condemnation of the dire conditions plaguing the department, driven by chronic mismanagement, neglect and betrayal by city leadership. The MPD is crumbling under the weight of unprecedented staffing shortages, inhumane working conditions, radical partisan legislation, unrelenting crime spikes and a leadership culture that prioritizes optics over accountability. 

Regardless of the false narrative that “crime is down,” the city continues to be plagued with crime and violence at a rate beyond the capabilities of these crippling staffing numbers.  Officers are forced to work over 2 million hours annually, equivalent to 1,000 full-time jobs, pushing them to the brink of exhaustion and compromising their ability to serve effectively.

Conclusions

From the perspective of the police officers working in Washington, D.C., and after decades of talking to D.C. residents about their crime and fear of crime concerns, it’s probable that the actions of the president are welcomed.

However, it’s equally probable that the political leadership and some residents in the city see the president’s actions as an infringement of home rule and a violation of the right of elective representatives to govern themselves. Immigration enforcement without prior criminal charges beyond illegal entry causes some discomfort.

Yet after attending multiple meetings about crime in the nation’s capital and additional cities, I never heard anyone stating that they were accepting or comfortable with the level of criminal activity in their neighborhoods or the lack of a police response.

If the D.C. police union’s observations are correct, additional resources were necessary.

As the president contemplates similar actions in other cities, the eyes of the nation are fixed on the experience of Washington, D.C. With the accumulation of additional data, we will have an opportunity to better evaluate the impact.

But for the moment, the overall experience seems to be positive as to the enhanced safety of D.C. residents. D.C. police officers welcome the intervention. It’s a work in progress.

Leonard Adam Sipes, Jr.is a retired federal senior spokesperson. A former Adjunct Associate Professor of Criminology and Public Affairs - University of Maryland. Former advisor to the “McGruff-Take a Bite Out of Crime” national media campaign. Past police officer. Aspiring drummer. Operator of CrimeinAmerica.net. His book based on thirty-five years of criminal justice public relations,” Success with the Media: Everything You Need to Survive Reporters and Your Organization” is available at Amazon and additional booksellers. He can also be found @ leonardsipes.com

The Heart That Doesn’t Quit — Joel E. Gordon’s Story

The Heart That Doesn’t Quit — Joel E. Gordon’s Story
By: Daniel Del Valle for the BLUE Magazine Team

Inside every great publication there is a quiet constant — someone who carries the mission through good times and hard ones. For The Blue Magazine, that person is Joel E. Gordon.

A former Baltimore City police officer who began his career in 1980, Gordon has lived the kind of life that defines endurance. From the streets of Baltimore to the mountains of West Virginia as a chief of police, from patrol cars to the editor’s chair, he has worn more hats than most could manage in a lifetime — officer, instructor, chief, mentor, writer and now editor-in-chief of The Blue Magazine.

His path was never easy. Decades of service brought him heart attacks, surgeries, diabetes, and, most recently, the amputation of his left leg. Yet even from a hospital bed — while fighting through pain most would find unbearable — Joel was still editing stories, mentoring writers and planning the next issue. When others might have asked for rest, he was asking about deadlines.

What defines him isn’t only endurance but perspective. He jokes on phone calls about the “new model” leg and laughs through discomfort that would silence others. That optimism isn’t a show — it’s who he is. It’s the same spirit that’s carried The Blue Magazine through its toughest chapters.

Over the years, Joel has been an essential force behind The Blue Magazine’s most defining work — including the landmark interview with Border Czar Tom Homan and The Blue Magazine’s exclusive interview with President Donald J. Trump. As both journalist and editor-in-chief, his steady hand and instinct for truth align seamlessly with The Blue Magazine’s mission — strengthening the voice, credibility, and integrity that have defined the publication for more than sixteen years.

In 2025, Joel E. Gordon was named to Marquis Who’s Who in America for his decades of dedication and contribution to law enforcement and journalism. He is also a past recipient of The Blue Magazine’s Senior Journalist of the Year Award (2017) and the 2022 Award for Excellence in National Law Enforcement Leadership.

Ask anyone who’s worked with him and they’ll tell you the same thing: Joel E. Gordon doesn’t just lead the newsroom — he lifts it. He reminds every contributor, from new recruits to senior editors, why The Blue Magazine matters: because it stands for truth, service, and heart.

And now, in recognition of his lifelong commitment to law enforcement, journalism and the mission of The Blue Magazine, Joel E. Gordon will receive the 2025 Blue Magazine Lifetime Service Award — a tribute to a man whose courage continues to define the standard of dedication we strive to uphold.

The heart that doesn’t quit.

What the police academy WON'T prepare you for

What the police academy WON'T prepare you for
By: Monica Crawford

According to Officer Down Memorial Page, in 2022, 249 officers died in the line of duty. The median age of the line of duty deaths (LODD) was 45, with the average duty tour of fifteen years. Of those 249 LODDs, thirteen died due to heart attack, two due to heat stroke, and seven “duty-related” deaths.

Many other deaths occurred as a response to a call or during a training exercise.

These incidents range from executing arrests to foot pursuits, directing traffic, firearms training and basic physical training. In other words, these officers went to work expecting to carry out another “routine” day and died because of physical overexertion.

Their bodies became too stressed out, and their heart rates were likely too high for their body to recover just one more time.

Law enforcement officers all know the basic premise of staying healthy and in shape. They recognize the dangers of the job. They know they could go to work, get shot, get run over, get stabbed, and never return home. Yet in 2022, forty-two percent died because of poor health, likely a result of many years on the job that went unaddressed for too long.

Yet, the police academy won't prepare you for the trauma, the day-to-day chronic stress, or the toxic co-workers and work environments. In some cases, it won't even prepare you physically or mentally for your job demands.

In the worst cases, it won't help you heal from your mental and physical injuries from the trauma and chronic stress you experience.

However, being in law enforcement can be the most challenging yet most rewarding careers. So let's call it out for what it is and start taking the steps to put yourself in control of YOUR life and YOUR career.

(Spoiler alert, your administration isn't coming to save you.)

It starts with prioritizing you and your health; prioritized in that order of importance.

·         Getting 7-9 hours of sleep per night.

·         Making intentional time for 15 minutes of self-care daily.

·         Eating 3 meals per day composed of whole, non-processed foods. 

·         Getting in movement at least 30 minutes, 3 times per week.

Those things aren’t typically taught in the academy, but they’ll keep you from being the next LODD statistic.

You get to decide what you’re worth. Are you worth devoting a few hours per day to yourself to ensure you’re able to keep up with your grandkids long after your career is over?  I believe you are.

Looking for some one-on-one help to achieve your fat loss and strength gain goals so you can hold your own at work and thrive into your 90’s (from someone who has lived the challenges inside of law enforcement)? Shoot me an email at monica@five0fierceandfit.com 

Monica is a former law enforcement officer, the author of “Thriving Inside the Thin Blue Line,” a keynote speaker, and owner of Five-0 Fierce and Fit.  As a Health and Performance Coach, Monica helps women in leadership lose 10-20+ pounds, build muscle tone, and increase energy, without extreme diets or long workouts.  Monica aspires to validate the challenges commonly faced by women in leadership (often inside of male fields) and provide education, motivation, and inspiration for women to prioritize their health en route to becoming powerful leaders who leave an everlasting impact on those they serve. Follow Monica on Instagram: @five0.fierce.and.fit

How a police officer can deal with suicidal thoughts

How a police officer can deal with suicidal thoughts
By: Stan Popovich

There are times a police officer deals with negative thoughts that can be overwhelming.

For some officers, the more they try to get rid of their thoughts, the stronger they become.

As a result, here is a brief list of techniques that a person can use to help manage their negative thinking.

1. Do not focus on your fearful thinking: The first thing a person must do is not to dwell on the fear-provoking thought when it comes. The more a person tries to reason out on the fear behind the thought, the stronger it becomes. The next time you encounter a negative situation, get into the practice of not dwelling on it.

2. Think of a red stop sign: At times, a person might encounter a fearful thought that may be difficult to manage. When this happens, visualize a red stop sign which can serve as a reminder to think about something else. Regardless of how scary your negative thinking may be, do not dwell on it. This technique is great in dealing with your negative situations and depression.

3. It’s only fear: The difference between an obsessive thought and a regular one is that an obsessive thought is based on fear. With this in mind, try to find the source of the fear behind your negative thinking and then find ways to get rid of your worries.

4. Your thoughts are exaggerated: Sometimes, a person may encounter a lot of scary thoughts coming at them all at once. Instead of getting upset, remember that your negative thinking is exaggerated with worry. Ignore the fear behind these obsessive thoughts, regardless of how the strong the fear may be.

5. Challenge your negative thinking with positive statements and realistic thinking: When encountering thoughts that make you fearful or depressed, challenge them by asking yourself questions that will maintain objectivity and common sense. Focus on the reality of your situation and not on your negative thinking.

6. Carry a small notebook of positive statements with you: A person should keep a small notebook of positive statements that makes them feel good. Whenever they come across a positive and uplifting verse that makes them happy, write it down in a small notebook. A person can then carry this notebook around in their pocket and whenever they feel anxious, they can read their notebook.

7. Take it one day at a time: Instead of worrying about how you will get through the rest of the week or month, try to focus on today. Each day can provide us with different opportunities to learn new things, and that includes learning how to deal with your situation. In addition, you will not feel overwhelmed with everything if you focus on one thing at a time.

8. Get help: Take advantage of the help that is available around you. If possible, talk to a professional who can help you manage your fears and anxieties. They will be able to provide you with additional advice and insights on how to deal with your current problem. By talking to a professional, a person will be helping themselves in the long run.

Stan is the author of "A Layman's Guide to Managing Fear" which covers a variety of techniques that can drastically improve your mental health. For more information, please visit Stan's website at http://www.managingfear.com

The Enduring Impact of Canton v. Harris on Police Training

The Enduring Impact of Canton v. Harris on Police Training
By: Dr. Rich Rosell, Police Chief (Ret.)

Introduction

Since the initiation of the misguided fantasy associated with the “Defund the Police” movement, police departments have been forced to do more with significantly less human assets.  Very slowly, some municipalities have realized how catastrophic staffing reductions have impacted public safety and stopped looking at salaries and benefit cuts to defund their agencies. 

Unfortunately, some municipalities have shifted their foolhardy defunding efforts toward training budgets to make gratuitous budget cuts to appease their constituency.  Those who have taken this path do so at their peril. 

The landmark Supreme Court case of Canton v. Harris thirty-six years ago established a stringent standard of deliberate indifference, fundamentally altering a municipality's legal obligation to adequately train its police officers and holding them accountable for failures to train in core, foreseeable tasks.

The Case of Canton v. Harris

In Canton v. Harris, Geraldine Harris was arrested by Canton, Ohio police and, while in custody, exhibited incoherent behavior and slumped to the floor twice. The police did not summon medical assistance, and she was later diagnosed with emotional ailments after being taken to a hospital by her family. Harris sued the city, claiming the police department's inadequate training led to the denial of necessary medical care.

The legal question the Supreme Court was asked to decide was “could a municipality be held liable for failing to train its police force?”  The Supreme Court's holding was "yes" but under a very specific condition, granting certiorari to determine whether a municipality could be held liable for inadequate training under § 1983 when it resulted in a constitutional violation.  That condition (standard) is called deliberate indifference.

The Deliberate Indifference Standard

The Supreme Court defines deliberate indifference in the context of failure to train police officers as a conscious disregard for a known or obvious risk of harm to others, when that risk is a highly predictable consequence of inadequate training. It's more than negligence; it requires proof that policymakers were aware of a pattern of constitutional violations or that the need for specific training in core tasks was obvious and they failed to address it.  That failure to train must be so obvious and likely to result in the violation of constitutional rights that the policymakers can be said to have been deliberately indifferent to the need.

What are Core Police Tasks?

Core tasks are best described as those tasks which are "core" or "foreseeable" and essential to an officer's duties. Examples of these core tasks in which failure to train could be presented as examples of deliberate indifference in civil litigation include routine police patrol, investigating motor vehicle crashes, directing traffic, conducting motor vehicle stops, conducting criminal investigations, medical aid (the original basis of the Canton case), use of force (encompassing a wide spectrum of subtasks), handling mentally ill individuals, ADA application during arrest situations and vehicular pursuits, to name a few.

Burden of Proof

Fortunately, proving deliberate indifference is not a slam dunk for the plaintiffs.  Some attorneys consider these cases difficult to win, though not impossible.  Further, Harris differs from holding a municipality liable for the actions of a single, poorly trained officer, rather it looks for systemic departmental failure at the hands of administrators.  These systemic departmental failures can occur when municipality defunds requisite training in core tasks.

Mitigation

As with almost all aspects of police administration, an agency lives and dies on the relevance and actionability of its policies and procedures.  Promulgating strong policies and procedures which clearly establish those core, foreseeable tasks of your department is a good starting point, but it cannot end there.  An agency must still make certain it seeks credible sources and delivery methods to train its officers in the core, foreseeable tasks delineated in those policies.  A sad but true reality is that some agencies’ training budgets are so bleak that they only train on the state-mandated tasks, often provided for free, which sometimes are nothing more than PowerPoint presentations with little or no performance measurement.  Training must be comprehensive, thorough, and credible to protect against accusations of deliberate indifference.  Further, such check-the-box training does nothing to help the practitioner transition to expert. 

Conclusion

The central argument that Canton v. Harris created is a relevant and crucial, though high, legal standard for municipal liability in police training.  High as it may be, those of us who have been tasked with assisting with the defense of civil litigation understand that if there is an opening, most plaintiffs’ attorneys will find it and try to force their way through it.  It is best to make every possible effort to take away their ability to exploit that opening by making certain that reductions in police budgets do not affect training. 

Dr. Rich Rosell is a retired Police Chief from the Town of Indian River Shores, Florida.  He is the former Director of Public Safety for the Town of Dover, New Jersey and the Township of Springfield, New Jersey.  He retired from the New Jersey State Police at the rank of Captain.  He is currently the co-owner and co-publisher of a Professional Investigator publication and the owner of Expert Opinion Consulting, Training, Investigations, and Security, and is a retired veteran of the US Marine Corps and US Army.

Drones, a force multiplier for Departments throughout the Country

Drones, a force multiplier for Departments throughout the Country
By: Ken Dye

Last July, former President Donald Trump was almost killed in an assassination attempt.  The director of the USSS, in front of Congress, gave a lot of “I don’t knows” and “We have to wait for the investigation….”  She tendered her resignation the following day.

One should have only one question on their mind, HOW?  How did this person get to a position that he could have a clear shot at the former president?  How, indeed!

The next question should be does the USSS have drones?  If so, why weren’t they used?  Good question.

This incident has thrown the unmanned drone as an adjunct to law enforcement into the forefront.  It’s easy to say and pontificate about how things SHOULD have been done after the fact.  Now is the time to move on this important and necessary tool in the department’s tool box.

Just think how easy it would have been for the USSS to deploy a drone prior to and during the former president’s appearance in Butler, Pa. 

Upon a review of the air operations of the USSS as stated in the Department of Homeland Security Privacy Impact Assessment dated May 2022, it was determined that the USSS is still “discussing” the value and impact of drones.  That’s well over two years ago.

If the USSS can’t perform the aerial surveillance and real-time situational awareness, perhaps they could rely on their state and local law enforcement partners to lend a hand and observe the area from above.  Going to bet they have that capability and would be gracious in assisting in the security of statutorily protected persons!

Editor’s note: The U.S. Secret Service refused offers to use drones at former President Donald Trump's rally in Pennsylvania before the failed assassination attempt there. A whistleblower told Sen. Josh Hawley, “The night before the rally, U.S. Secret Service repeatedly denied offers from a local law enforcement partner to utilize drone technology to secure the rally.”

Ken Dye is the author of 5 books about crime, cops and bad guys in the St. Louis area. He Blogs under “Cops Perspective” and has over 20,000 followers. Ken served with the St. Louis County Police Department for 13 years and finished his LE career with the Illinois Criminal Justice Authority as the administrator for the statewide MEG’s and Narcotics Task Forces.

Train, Lead, Inspire, & Learn

Train, Lead, Inspire, & Learn
By: Chief Ron Camacho, DCJ

In today's world, life can be complex and demanding. There are so many distractions in our daily lives that concentration has become a full-contact sport. Try this simple experiment: Name all the different streaming platforms on your television, or list all the apps you use on your phone every day. I receive hundreds of emails daily. I'm checking emails when I'm eating, in the car, watching TV, before I go to bed or during any spare time I have. I know, I know, that is not a healthy habit, but it seems to be the only way to keep up with the tsunami of information I need to run my department. The problem becomes how to retain all this information and concentrate on what is required to perform our jobs effectively. I found that breaking down complicated or extensive tasks into their simplest forms is effective. Recently, while examining the numerous and complex concepts of leadership, I sought to simplify and get to the root of this crucial topic. I needed to find a concise way to illustrate to the officers, supervisors and executives in my department what authentic leadership is. After some thought and reflection on my own past experiences, training and education, I distilled the principles into four main, simple categories: train, lead, inspire and learn.

Train – Policing is now at its most technical level, and I do not see that changing anytime soon. Additionally, while some cities have experimented with reallocating non-traditional police roles to civilians, most officers continue to respond to non-law enforcement-type calls. We do our people a disservice if we're not training them to their fullest capabilities. We need to equip every individual with the training necessary to ensure their success in handling the myriad of calls they respond to. Once an officer completes field training, we should continue to provide them with ongoing training and support. Training is a valuable commodity in policing, and we cannot afford to be cheap or stingy in its dispersal.

As leaders, it is a core mandate that we train our people to the "standard.” You should be sharing your knowledge, training and experience daily to meet and exceed the standard. If you are not doing this, you are failing as a leader! Suppose you don't have the necessary skills your people need; you have several options. First, you can learn the skill well enough to teach it. This can be problematic at times, as specific skills require extensive use and training to master. Second, consider having another officer or supervisor with that skill teach your personnel. Internal department trainers are the most common and cost-effective way we obtain training. Finally, enroll them in a school or class that can teach them the specific skills they need to be confident in their roles. Doing nothing or letting your officers fend for themselves is not an option! Remember, well-trained units are safer, more productive, provide better service to the community, and have fewer disciplinary issues.

Lead-What do leaders do if not lead? Yet many currently in those positions are not doing that effectively. Some in the profession have adopted a "risk-averse" leadership approach. They believe that if their officers are only answering calls, doing the bare minimum and not being proactive, they can avoid any problems or liability. That is a falsehood and not a good practice to follow. To be blunt, it is a cowardly philosophy that does a great disservice to their officers and the community they serve. Officers grow through their experiences; a risk-averse leader's methods hold their people back. A lack of proactivity could, in many cases, make policing a community less effective and potentially more dangerous. If you are a risk-averse leader, I implore you to reconsider your approach, retire, or change your ways before you cause further harm to your personnel, community or agency.

Good leaders understand and successfully navigate the eternal balancing act between accomplishing the mission and taking care of their troops. They hold their personnel accountable for their actions, use mistakes as learning opportunities, look out for their welfare and mentor them to ensure they have fruitful careers. When I was a young sergeant, a veteran and well-respected lieutenant told me, "Welcome to the club, you are now your troops' father, uncle, brother, priest, pastor, coach, psychologist, drill instructor and at times friend. This is what you signed up for when you put on those stripes." He was absolutely right; throughout my career and to this day, I have filled every one of those roles. It is a privilege to be a leader; sometimes we forget that. Remember and reflect on why you chose to lead the men and women of your department. Respect that you made a willing choice to earn the title of leader every day; your troops, agency and community will greatly appreciate it.

Inspire-What separates a good leader from a great one? In my opinion, it is the ability to inspire, getting people to believe they can push themselves beyond their current capabilities. During my travels, crisscrossing the U.S. while teaching or presenting, I observed career stagnation throughout the ranks in many agencies. We often become comfortable and complacent in our positions and assignments. At times, we need that "spark" that stops the inertia that keeps us from getting out of our comfort zones. At specific periods in our lives, we may lack the internal motivation and mindset to push ourselves. When this occurs, we should look for individuals who are energizing, stimulating and successful to help us. Be one of those inspirational leaders who officers are searching for.

Inspire your troops to be great, to reach for heights they thought were untouchable. Rouse their curiosity to learn unfamiliar subjects and examine problems with fresh and novel perspectives. Show them the options available in their careers. Fully develop your officers so they can capitalize on opportunities when they arise. Teach your officers not to rest on their laurels; always encourage them to look forward to the challenges ahead. Make striving for excellence your team's mantra. Younger generations yearn to make a difference in the world and inspirational leaders show them how to achieve it.

Learn- First, Learn Your Job! While mastery of leadership and policing may not be possible, strive for proficiency and effectiveness in your duties. If there is a "hole in your game," obtain the necessary training or skills to fill it. Additionally, nothing bothers me more, especially at higher levels of leadership, than when a newly promoted person acts as if they have "made it." They stop progressing and improving, becoming stagnant. The proverbial "feet on the desk" syndrome sets in. Comfort with career stagnation is the wrong attitude to have, one that, unfortunately, has permeated the ranks of our proud profession.

Great leaders are constantly looking to improve themselves. Many become "students" for life, continuously searching for knowledge and opening their minds to new concepts and ideas. These "treks" for knowledge often evolve into challenges that drive the leader toward professional and personal improvement. The process of continually acquiring knowledge helps us transform into the best versions of ourselves. Become a knowledgeable and well-read professional. Present an opportunity for your team members to emulate you as they pursue their own paths of professional development.

We must also learn as much as we can about our officers. Dive into discovering what makes your personnel tick. Ask them for their goals, aspirations and hobbies. Take the time to get to know your officers on different levels. Is family their top priority? Is religion important in their life? Are they a dog or a cat person? Your genuine curiosity will open the door to stronger and meaningful connections with your team. Leaders who are engaged positively in their personnel's lives enjoy running teams that are well-functioning, cohesive and integrity-based.

Furthermore, cultivating familiarity with our personnel allows us to develop a baseline of their behavior. Leaders who are in tune with their officers can quickly identify and address any changes in said behavior. Quickly addressing changes in behavior, particularly negative ones, can prevent or mitigate problems before they escalate. Aren't the best leaders the ones who address and solve problems before they arise? Learn who your people are!

No matter the size of the agency, unit, platoon or squad, you want all your officers to be "traveling in the same direction." The trick is delivering your message (the direction) to your troops without it getting filtered, misunderstood, or ignored. As leaders, we must provide clear instructions on how, why and where we need to travel as a collective group. I needed my department to understand what I was looking for in leaders. By breaking down the numerous concepts of leadership into four main, simple parts, I was able to deliver that message loudly and clearly. Hanging posters with the words "Train, Lead, Inspire, & Learn" in the different precincts, along with the inclusion of the slogan at meetings, ceremonies, promotions and trainings will solidify the message. Remember, we are competing with many different elements for our personnel's attention. We need any advantage we can get. I chose simplicity.

Chief Ron Camacho is an accomplished law-enforcement executive with 30 years of experience who is currently the chief of the North Charleston Police Department in South Carolina. He holds a Master’s and Doctorate in Criminal Justice from Liberty University and Penn West University. He’s a highly requested speaker and nationally published author and in 2023, he was honored as one of Police magazines, innovative law-enforcement leaders. Chief Camacho is a graduate of the FBI National Academy 239th session and is an experienced international trainer/advisor. He owns Camacho Consulting, a company specializing in developing leadership, management, and security solutions. https://www.camachoconsulting.net/