Inside Perspective - Why Sell Hate and Division?

Why Sell Hate and Division?
The aftermath of Jussie Smollett
By Lt. Patrick J. Ciser (Ret.)

In 1987, almost 20 years after the race riots of 1968, a young African American woman named Tawana Brawley accused four white men of raping her. Her account horrified the nation as we learned that her attackers wrote racial slurs on her body, covered her in feces and put her in a trash bag. I remember thinking, “How will this poor young girl ever get this horrible experience out of her mind?” It took almost a year for the trial and truth to come out that it all was a hoax perpetrated on America by none other than Al Sharpton. So why would anyone, especially an African American, want to return us to the horror of yesteryear? Hate is a taught behavior. Each generation takes us further away from our racist past. Nevertheless, for some, like the Reverend, there is money in promoting racism.

In 2006, Crystal Gail Mangum, a black college student working as a stripper with a criminal record, including stealing a car and trying to run over a police officer, accused four white members of the Duke University Lacrosse Team of raping her at a frat house. An overzealous prosecutor got three of the four indicted and called it a “hate” crime. Mangum, along with another stripper, was hired to perform for a party at the house. Mangum claimed that she was beaten, called racial slurs, and raped to include being penetrated by a broom handle. The prosecutor seemed to ignore all exculpatory evidence in the case in his rush to judgement. The media again, thirsting for a story that they wanted to believe, made this the biggest story in the country. Not totally unexpected, because many of us saw this movie before, the three indicted college students were acquitted of any and all crimes. The story was totally fabricated and ruined the boy’s lives. The prosecutor, Mike Nifong, was terminated from employment and later disbarred.

It seems today that hate crime hoaxes are all the rage, with the biggest headline grabber being the Jussie Smollett story. First Smollett, an African American, mailed himself a hate letter. It is apparently cool now to be a victim, and you can get a lot of traction with the help of today’s gullible and complicit media. When he didn’t get the results that he hoped for, he concocted an extraordinary story with two friends.  Most of you I am sure are familiar with the story, but let me give you the gist of it. Jussie called the Chicago police late at night to say that he was the victim of a hate crime. According to him, two white men accosted him on the street in downtown Chicago, beat him up a bit, threw bleach on him and then put a noose around his neck. Moreover, get this; he left the noose around his neck until the police showed up. Oh, and it gets better! They yelled at him that this is MAGA country! He didn’t think the cops were smart enough to pick apart that lame story? First, they are in Rahm Emmanuel’s heavily Democratic city. Second, who in the hell walks around Chicago carrying bleach and a noose on one of the coldest nights of the year? Finally, Jussie held onto his sub sandwich throughout the entire ordeal. Not rushing to judgment, the Chicago Police Department did an in-depth investigation that determined that the entire story was fabricated. Jussie’s two Nigerian friends were paid $3,500 to help him “stage” the attack, and Jussie signed the check. It is likely now that Jussie will do some prison time.

Things are only getting worse since Donald Trump became our president. At a minimum, there have been fourteen hate crime hoaxes perpetrated on the American people, with the liberal media being willing participants. Black churches have been damaged, and one was even burned to the ground in an effort to stir up racial tension and hatred for Trump specifically, and whites generally. It turned out that the organ player burned down his own church.

In closing, there are always going to be hoaxes out there perpetrated by unscrupulous people; this will never change... But why does the media constantly stoke the flames in their rush to judgement? I invite you to search, “hate crime hoaxes” on the internet. I think you will be surprised to find out how many of these “crimes” actually turned out to be hoaxes. Let us remember when investigating ANY crime; facts before you act.

Over what time period? Since Trump was elected?

Things are only getting worse since Donald Trump became our president. At a minimum, there have been fourteen hate crime hoaxes perpetrated on the American people, with the liberal media being willing participants. Black churches have been damaged, and one was even burned to the ground in an effort to stir up racial tension and hatred for Trump specifically, and whites generally. It turned out that the organ player burned down his own church.

In closing, there are always going to be hoaxes out there perpetrated by unscrupulous people; this will never change... But why does the media constantly stoke the flames in their rush to judgement? I invite you to search, “hate crime hoaxes” on the internet. I think you will be surprised to find out how many of these “crimes” actually turned out to be hoaxes. Let us remember when investigating ANY crime; facts before you act.

Over what time period? Since Trump was elected?

Training - Big Data: The Future of Policing

Big Data: The Future of Policing
By Deniz Majagah

Mr. Marks was arrested and taken away for a crime he had yet to commit. This is pre-crime policing. Futuristic and foreboding.

Imagine a world where crime can be predicted. A world where you knew who was going to break the law. A world where you knew when a robbery was going to be committed. A world where you knew when someone was going to be murdered. This is the dystopian future of Minority Report, a short story penned by Philip K. Dick and later turned into a movie.

“Mr. Marks, by mandate of the District of Columbia Precrime Division, I'm placing you under arrest for the future murder of Sarah Marks and Donald Dubin that was to take place today, April 22 at 0800 hours and four minutes.” – Precrime Chief John Anderton, Minority Report

Rewind to today, to reality. Predictive policing is no longer science fiction. But, it’s not something necessarily new either.

The first uses of predictive policing resulted in people being falsely accused, arrested and imprisoned because of the crude, flawed theory put forth by the father of modern criminology, Cesare Lombroso. Lombroso postulated that criminality was inherited, and that certain people were predisposed to commit crime. These “born criminals” could be identified by a set of atavistic physical features such as facial asymmetry, big ears or the “angular or sugar-loaf form of the skull, common to criminals and apes.”

Pin mapping for hotspot policing and psychological profiling to identify serial killers and other criminals are well-established, though somewhat basic, forms of predictive policing. Observational information coupled with an officer’s experience also provides a certain level of predictive policing. As an overly simplified example, it’s not difficult to guess what is going to happen when you see someone in a ski mask walking into a bank when everyone else is wearing short sleeves and shorts.

The difference between the predictive policing of the past and the predictive policing of the present and the future lies with data. Small data versus big data.

Pin mapping, psychological profiling and observational information coupled with experience are all examples of small data. Small data is easy to access, analyze and small enough that we can comprehend and understand what it is. Big data is very much everything that small data is not. It is made of large data sets, often from different, disparate sources, making it very complex and difficult to use and make sense of. When used correctly, though, and with the right tools, big data reveals hidden patterns and useful information. It helps us to see connections and make correlations that we wouldn’t have been able to find otherwise. In the world of law enforcement, big data is a tool that can help us to predict crime and criminality.

If big data is the heart of smart, predictive policing, algorithms are the brains. At its simplest, an algorithm is a set of rules that are used to solve a problem. You feed the algorithm with big data information, it runs that information against the rules that are set up and it gives you results.

It’s easy enough to understand, sans the technical aspects. Tons of information from different sources are pumped into a computer and useful, actionable information is returned. You now have a crime forecast.

The computer is telling you when and where to expect certain crimes to occur. Great. Extra patrols are sent to those areas and it’s had the expected effect and there are no burglaries and only two assaults during the shift as a result.

The computer has also provided you a heat list of individuals; a list of people who are predisposed to commit crime. The list is built from the rules that you gave the algorithms, from the data sources that you provided.

But what happens when these tools are misused? What happens when during those same patrols individuals on that list are stopped, questioned, frisked or even arrested for no other reason than being on a heat list and spotted within or near a “crime forecast” location? What happens if the data that is fed into the algorithms is skewed somehow? Do we have information that is objective and neutral, or are biases that were present in the original, raw data now amplified by algorithms?

As with most things “police,” the Los Angeles Police Department is at the forefront of predictive policing. They are also now being scrutinized in how they implement and use predictive policing. Inspector General Mark Smith submitted a report ordered by the Board of Police Commissioners where he found that , “Officers used inconsistent criteria in targeting and tracking people they considered to be most likely to commit violent crimes.”

Predictive policing, like anything else, has its pitfalls when not used correctly. However, this type of intelligence-led policing and the technology behind it cannot and should not be abandoned because of some mistakes made by the LAPD or other agencies. These experiences and issues should be used to steer other agencies in the right direction.

Leveraging big data for intelligence-led, predictive policing is in the future for all law enforcement agencies big and small. It will enhance public safety as well as officer safety when used as the tool that it’s meant to be. It will also help to improve and strengthen community relations by augmenting police transparency and objectivity. But it needs to be implemented correctly, using unbiased data, with proper oversight that includes community stakeholders and strong controls that prevent misuse.

Predictive policing, like anything else, has its pitfalls when not used correctly. However, this type of intelligence-led policing and the technology behind it cannot and should not be abandoned because of some mistakes made by the LAPD or other agencies. These experiences and issues should be used to steer other agencies in the right direction.

Leveraging big data for intelligence-led, predictive policing is in the future for all law enforcement agencies big and small. It will enhance public safety as well as officer safety when used as the tool that it’s meant to be. It will also help to improve and strengthen community relations by augmenting police transparency and objectivity. But it needs to be implemented correctly, using unbiased data, with proper oversight that includes community stakeholders and strong controls that prevent misuse.

Then and Now - The Dirty Work of Protection: Winning the Battle

The Dirty Work of Protection: Winning the Battle
By: Joel E. Gordon

"There is no nice way to arrest a potentially dangerous, combative suspect. The police are our bodyguards; our hired fists, batons and guns. We pay them to do the dirty work of protecting us. The work we're too afraid, too unskilled, or too civilized to do ourselves. We expect them to keep the bad guys out of our businesses, out of our cars, out of our houses, and out of our faces. We just don't want to see how it's done."  -Charles H. Webb, Ph.D.

When I made the decision to become a police officer, I did so out of a desire to help people. The one unknown question in my mind was how I would respond to a physical confrontation in the process of apprehending those that were dangerous individuals. What a relief it was during defense tactics training in the Baltimore City Police Academy - circa 1980 - when my class was informed “Police don't fight fair; we fight to win.” Then we learned techniques with which we could maintain tactical advantage.  Of course, in today's world the police are frequently assuming greater risk of personal injury or death to satisfy a growing public perception that less is often more when it comes to use of force by the police.

Much of what a police officer does is misunderstood by outside observers. An angry person may possibly be talked down, but an enraged person will likely require a heightened use of force to stop any threat. Of course, doing so isn’t normally an easy task and certainly does not result in creating picture-perfect politically correct images for those recording the events as they unfold.

So is police reluctance to use reasonable and effective force in an attempt to avoid harsh judgement causing more harm than good to our law enforcement brothers and sisters? You be the judge...

For example, police failed to subdue a violent career criminal who was armed with a knife in Pittsburg, California this past February after a man called police to report that his son had tried to stab him.

Officers responded to the area, spotted the armed subject, and after realizing that the man wasn’t about to back down, tried to negotiate with him for the next hour. Bodycam footage showed as he refused to comply with officers’ repeated orders to drop his knife and to get onto the ground. A less-lethal round was deployed, a K-9 raced into the skirmish, and a Taser was utilized just as officers closed in, bodycam footage showed.

As the officers tackled the suspect to the ground while trying to get the knife-wielding man under control, he deliberately reached back and jabbed the officer in the neck with the open blade according to police accounts. Fortunately, in this case, the officer will recover and the suspect was ultimately apprehended.

A month later, a Maryland state trooper responded to a report of a man armed with a knife and slashing tires. The trooper approached the man and was stabbed in the side of his body. The trooper then fatally shot the man to stop the threat. The trooper survived the attack.

As is widely known, a close-quarters edged weapon or knife attack by an enraged person is almost certainly a losing proposition to anyone going up against it.

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Back in the day, I was taught the 21-foot rule, which itself has been more recently under attack. The 21-foot rule was developed by Lt. John Tueller, a firearms instructor with the Salt Lake City Police Department. In 1983, when officer safety concerns were routinely first and foremost, a drill was conducted where a "suspect" armed with an edged weapon was positioned 20 or so feet away from an officer with a holstered sidearm. The armed suspect ran toward the officer in attack mode. The training objective was to determine whether the officer could draw and accurately fire upon the assailant before the suspect stabbed him. After repeating the drill numerous times, it was determined to be entirely possible for a suspect armed with an edged weapon to fatally engage an officer within the distance of 21 feet.

While deadly force should be a last resort, we must be able to do what is necessary to effectively stop any threat while fulfilling our mandate as peace officers. Today’s diminished concern for police safety in favor of elimination of perceived harshness in the handling of violent encounters cannot stand. We must not relinquish the tactical advantage training that has been received due to perceptions based upon false narratives. Let’s go home safely to our own families after every shift.  After all, is the old adage not true that, if necessary, it is better to be judged by twelve than carried by six?

Square-Shooting - MANY CAN NEVER UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFICULT MY JOB CAN BE

MANY CAN NEVER UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFICULT MY JOB CAN BE
By: Officer Deon Joseph

I wanted to wait a few days before I posted this. I needed to process it thoroughly. Two nights ago I left the police station after a long day’s work. I was in my personal car, wearing nothing more than a T-shirt and jeans. As I’m driving, I pass a very dark street. I see a commotion on the south side of the street. People are walking away quickly from a shadowy figure walking in and out of traffic pointing something. I could not tell what it was as I passed him. As I looked in my rear-view mirror, it appeared he was continuing to point something in his hand at people and vehicles passing him by. I tried to stop and investigate, but he took off westbound. So I drove around the block and see the young man again. The light of an oncoming vehicle illuminated him. He was a young black male in his mid-20s wearing a hoodie off his head. He was still pointing at people. As they walked away nervously, another vehicle shined their lights on his hand and it appeared to be a firearm.

I was still not 100% sure. But as I drove closer it indeed appeared to be a firearm. I passed him and made a U-turn to try to confront him. I wasn’t thinking about the consequences. I was not thinking about what color he was beyond knowing his physical descriptors. I was not thinking about the criticism I would receive in the press afterward, my only focus was trying to stop him, hopefully without having to use deadly force. All I knew was he had a gun. As I completed my U -turn, he ran into a nearby shady hotel.

Still trying to process if he was holding a gun or not due to the darkness, my suspicion that he had an actual weapon was heightened when I saw a man run out of the hotel screaming for his life and begging the young man not to shoot him. The young man immediately followed the screaming man, chasing him down pointing what truly looked like a firearm at the man. I grabbed my gun and tried to exit my vehicle to shoot the young man and protect the older gentleman he was chasing. I was stuck in my seatbelt and frantically tried to get out of it to neutralize the threat.

As I was finally able to unbuckle my seatbelt, the young man ran across the street to the back of my police station. He was now pointing the weapon at the wall of the station and yelling incoherently. The station was well lit but he had his back turned so I could not see the weapon. I drove my car closer so I could use it as cover. I got out and pointed my weapon at him. I ordered him to drop it as a detective showed up to assist me. When he saw me, he paused. If he would have turned and pointed what I truly believed was a weapon in his hand based on the reaction of the people he was chasing, I would have shot him. I was scared for my life and the people around me. I had no vest, no radio, no ballistic door paneling. But as frightened as I was, I was ready to push past my fear to do what I prayed I would never have to do in my career. He then threw the item into the station planter.

I ordered him to the ground. He complied, but was still yelling at the sky. Sweat was pouring down his face. As my fellow officers arrived to help me, we were able to detain him without incident.

As we looked into the planter, it was a cellular phone. In his hand was a wadded-up piece of rubber or plastic made to resemble the handle of a gun. I was relieved and thankful to God that I did not have to shoot him.

He was a young man in his early 20s or maybe even 19. He was stoned out of his mind. It was obvious that he was mentally ill and under the influence of some substance. On the way home, I could not help but think of how I would have been perceived if I shot that young man.

Out of all of the things I have done to save lives, this one incident, on a dark street, with frightened homeless people fleeing from this man, and an item he purposely made to look like a gun … If I would have shot this man what would they say about me? How would I be portrayed? Would they call me a racist? Would they say I racially profiled him? Would the media call this a pattern? Would I get thrown under the bus, to satisfy an irrational and unquenchable anger within a political movement? Would it have sparked protest and another lawsuit? Would there be mobs of people looking for “answers” no matter what the facts would bear out? Would I be seen as a hypocrite? Would political candidates use this incident to get elected citing that I … a 20-year veteran who has never shot anyone, was “Too quick to pull the trigger” to pander to a voter base. Would the headline in the paper the next day read “Veteran LAPD Cop Slays Teenager for Carrying a Cellphone?”

That beautiful young black man could have been my son. I had no hatred in my heart toward him before I saw him, nor after he was detained. My heart broke for this lost soul who may have wanted me to kill him via suicide by cop.

But would I have done what many of us dread to keep people safe? Yes.

I need you all to know that my job is not an easy one. No police shooting can be simply summed up by racial measures. Race had zero to do with what I almost did. But if folks still want to “racialize” this incident, then tell the truth.

And that truth is that I was almost forced to take a young life, to save many black lives. But I am thankful to God I did not have to.

I share this for those who wonder what goes through the mind of a law enforcement officer in situations like these. If I would have shot that young man, I would have been ordered not to talk about it until the investigation was complete for logical reasons. That would have left those with an already negative view toward police to sum up in their minds why I would have taken that action. Police shootings are not something we take lightly. I value human life as much as the next person, but if a human tries to harm others, then I in my humanity, bound by duty, would have had to take action.

Please stop judging until you are in our shoes.

Technology Feature - Police Body Cameras

Police Body Cameras
By Danny Reynoso

In recent years, the words police brutality has appeared on every news outlet possible. There are tons of recording devices all over. Whether it’s a security camera on an apartment building or at a gas station or from a personal cellphone, all of these pieces of footage are coming together to capture different time frames of the same event. The questions that need to be answered are what really happened in these moments and what did the officer see that perhaps the additional footage did not. Body cameras capture this angle.

When body cameras were first implemented, some thought they would infringe on the privacy needed for certain police activity as well as civilian privacy and police officers’ personal rights. While there is some conviction in this statement where privacy laws come into play; they hold little power over the counter arguments of safety and protection of those involved in these dangerous encounters. This applies to both the police officer(s) and any civilian(s) involved. A police officer labeled with police brutality can have their entire career ruined. Their faces get plastered around the public and their lives then become on the line as their career falls. Whether that claim has merit or not is something that falls into the hands of our justice department, and with the help of body camera footage, many officers are exonerated and some are clearly wrong.

Body cameras can determine whether or not police-civilian encounters required the use of deadly force. Did the civilian threaten police with a weapon, or start a physical altercation with the officer that escalated to a deadly force situation? That is something that a video shot midway into an officer subduing a suspect cannot tell. The stories right now that can be easily shared on social media have created an environment where pictures and videos can be taken out of context. Body cameras fill in the gray areas.

But body cameras are not a perfect solution. There are pros and cons to having police officers wear body cameras. First, body cameras increase the safety of officers and the public. At the same time, the camera can negatively affect the physical and mental health of the officer. The camera improves police accountability and protects officers from false accusations of misconduct. At the same time, it invades the privacy of citizens, exposes victims and witnesses of crimes, and damages police-public relationships. Finally, the cameras are a good tool for learning and have a strong support from members of the public. But in the end the cameras are expensive and can be unreliable at times.

However, body cameras offer the advantage of being able to tell the full story of an event. They eliminate the need for fragments of videos and pictures taken by people walking past in the middle of what is happening. Body cameras can be used for the safety of the officer and the civilian. They show an unbiased image of the situation and are tools that can be used for the good of all.

Straightforward - On the Job … Why it’s Worth It

On the Job … Why it’s Worth It
By Lt. Anthony Espino

Being a police officer can be a rewarding job with many benefits, but it also comes with many challenges. The profession has changed in so many ways. In many regards, police agencies are a mirror of our beliefs and values as a society.

Our profession is held to a higher standard today compared to our predecessors. Think about it back in the 1950s, police officers knew their beat and those who were the troublemakers by name. More often than not, they dealt out justice as they felt it was needed. Argue with them, and two things were guaranteed, a beating by the officer and another when they got home and told their parents what had happened. Those cops of yesteryear would never make it in today’s society.

Today’s police force has become publicly accountable, subject to the rule of law and respectful of human dignity irrespective of whether or not they are treated the same way. Whatever course of action we take, we’re scrutinized, right or wrong, and often the media make us look like the bad guys. External pressures have increased tenfold from even fifty years ago. However, this has modernized our police forces and increased community trust and accountability.

Protecting the community and making a better environment for others to live in was a big reason why I chose to be a police officer. The police business is a tough one. There are days you deal with the scum of the earth and see the inhumanity that most people never see and would never understand. However, there isn’t anything more satisfying about police work than stopping a crime in progress or arresting someone who has victimized an innocent person. Rolling up on a burglary that is otherwise not yet reported, or any number of other crimes of the sort is an amazingly gratifying experience. Placing handcuffs on a suspect of a brutal crime is even better.

We encounter all walks of life, and it doesn’t matter what socioeconomic category, race, color, or creed we meet, each interaction is unique. To me, every day is different, and that's what keeps me coming back for more. Like many of my brothers and sisters in blue, I’m willing to make sacrifices, work odd hours, weekends and holidays because I believe in our profession and our purpose.

Being a police officer takes a lot of commitment, dedication and sacrifice. It’s not for everyone. No one should enter into the job with selfish motivations, because they will most likely be disappointed. Although there are negatives to the job, the benefits by far outweigh the detriments.

I love my job and would never trade it for another. It's a great job as long as you can get past the fact that you’re not going to save the world every day. Unfortunately, there are also some cops out there who show up for a paycheck or think they are above the law. They give our profession a bad name, but we should not focus on the few bad apples, rather the overwhelming number of good officers who do this job with respect and admiration.

This profession will expose you to see inhumanity at its worst, and people at their lowest. We often encounter people who are down and out, addicted to drugs, destitute, emotionally unstable, suicidal, violent and basically at the lowest point in their lives. One of the most rewarding and satisfying aspects of being a police officer is the unique opportunity to help these people get out of a bad situation, get back on their feet and ultimately turn their lives around. Millions of acts of kindness are committed each year by police officers, and millions more are changed for the better by the compassion and dedication of police officers who are committed to helping those people who need their help the most.

I’ve had many people thank me over the years for my service. It is indeed the most rewarding experience when people remember you for what you’ve done. Being able to help is what being a police officer is all about. Always remember that and carry it with you through your career.

Spotlight - From Dead on the Table To Fighting for the Wounded and Officers across America

From Dead on the Table - To Fighting for the Wounded and Officers across America
By Valerie Velazquez-Stetz (Ret.) J.C.P.D.

Detective Mario Oliveira proudly served the Somerville Police Department for 17 years. His life changed forever on Nov. 2, 2010. While being assigned out to the ATF Boston Office as a Task Force Agent. Detective Oliveira was shot six times at point-blank range while serving a federal arrest warrant. He pulled over the vehicle and was shot by the actor and by crossfire from his squad. Detective Oliveira was rushed to the Emergency Room where the paramedics, other officers, the surgeon, his grandma and God had a hand in his recovery. Mario was dead on the table for 2 minutes. With the help of God and his grandmother’s spirit he came back to life. At this time, Mario, who had a wife and one son, did not know his wife was pregnant with their second son. The injuries sustained during this incident forced Oliveira to retire. Since being retired, Mario has dedicated his time to educating and assisting police departments and law enforcement officers and their families on the dangers of police work. He educates on coping skills due to the tragedy of serious injury or death in the line of duty. He is the executive director of the New England Chapter of Concerns of Police Survivors. He is also a co-founder of Violently Injured Police Officers Association (V.I.P.O) (both 501c3 nonprofit organizations), along with retired Woburn Police Officer Robert DeNapoli. Oliveira is currently employed with the New England State Police Information Network (NESPIN) as the Eastern Massachusetts Metro/Boston area law enforcement coordinator.

Officer Robert DeNapoli served the Woburn Police Department proudly for 17 years as a patrol officer. On Sept. 6, 2011, DeNapoli was shot several times while responding to an armed robbery at a local jewelry store. He was shot in the face, trigger hand and throughout his body. He sustained permanent career-ending injuries. With the help of his wife and children, he was able to recover at home after several surgeries. His one son followed his example and became a police officer as well.

Both officers from the State of Massachusetts fought for their full pension “special legislation” which was granted to a few officers prior to them. They did not think it was fair for them to receive only 70% instead of the full 100%. It took them a couple of years, but eventually they were granted their full salaries tax-free, benefits, and pay increases until the age of 65. They can also be gainfully employed, with the exception of being a police officer. It is their mission to have every state recognize those officers severely injured on the job. As it stands, officers find themselves being punished for surviving a work-related serious injury. By receiving a pay cut (in N.J 66 ⅔) and ZERO cost of living increases, these injured officers are often forgotten. Their whole world changes and their future dreams are destroyed. The careers that they loved can be taken away in a blink of an eye, and through no fault of their own. It is taken away as a result of doing their jobs to protect the cities or towns that they served. Their families are not cared for as well. We all need to do our part for our brothers to achieve their goals, to help every tragically injured officer receive 100% of their salary throughout the United States.

V.I.P.O has recently created a new piece of commonsense legislation (SD815) that is currently up for debate. This will help make nighttime traffic stops safer for both our officers and operators alike. It is also refreshingly succinct, clear and concise and much shorter and more to the point than any proposed legislation state lawmakers have seen in some time. The “LIGHTS ON” bill mandates that any driver of a vehicle that is stopped by the police after dark activate their interior cabin lights upon pulling to the side of the road and stopping. Of the 46 officers who were shot and killed nationwide in 2017, eight, or 17%, were killed by motorists whom they had stopped. Detective Oliveira and Officer DeNapoli are extremely grateful to State Sen. Bruce Tarr for his continuing support to bring this safety issue to the forefront. They hope that the entire legislature and the governor will support this “LIGHTS ON” bill and set the tone for what could be a huge safety factor for officers nationwide.

Tribute - We Knew Him Well

We Knew Him Well
By: BBO Staff Writer

A few weeks back, I had written a reflective piece on law enforcement line of duty death funerals. Little did I know that, as I sat there, those words would be so relevant so quickly.

On February 12th, 2019, NYPD Detective Brian Simonsen was killed in the line of duty as he and several other NYPD police officers and detectives attempted to apprehend a robbery suspect. What followed in the days after was a living representation of what I had just written about weeks before.

As a police officer since 2007, I have seen my share of police funerals, both line of duty and otherwise. While there is a familiar cadence to services surrounding a line of duty death, each one is unique; as unique as the individual who was lost. As a board member for Brothers Before Others, I have been afforded an even more special perspective.

Since he founded the group in 2014, BBO’s Founder/President, who also serves as Editor-In-Chief for the New York edition of BLUE, retired NYPD Police Officer Michael J. Burke has had one goal in mind; honor our police officers and support their families. In order to accomplish this, Michael immediately established the National Flower Fund, which has sent a floral arrangement on behalf of the group to the services of every line of duty death, regardless of where in the country they have occurred.

From a personal perspective, attending a line of duty death service, when feasible, is, or should be, a requirement. As I discussed in the article I referenced earlier, it is impossible to leave a police funeral without a profound sense of humility. Our presence, often referred to as a “sea of blue” is a crucial step in what is the beginning of a family’s healing process; both for kin AND blue.

While the ceremonies of both the viewing and the actual funeral are a show of respect for the fallen, they are so much more than that. As police officers, we often take for granted that our friends and our families love this profession as much as we do. For us, understanding the level of sacrifice made by the ones we mourn comes naturally. However, for those whose life is focused on simply supporting their loved one and running the household while they were off playing policeman, that understanding might not come so easy.

When we turn out for police funerals the way that NYPD turned out for Detective Brian Simonsen, the family left behind has no choice but to see that the loss of their loved one was not in vain. The parents, siblings, spouses and children immediately are hit with the reality that their loved one was a hero.

Being a member of Brothers Before Others has afforded me the experience of attending police line of duty death services in a unique capacity. I am not family. I am not a friend. Often times, I am not even on the same department. Yet, especially since partnering with Philadelphia Police Officer Jonathan Castro and often times hand-delivering one of the portraits that he creates, I have been able to meet and connect with the grieving family left behind. I can tell you that, of all the things I have done and seen in this life, both on and off the job, these interactions have been by far the most humbling experiences that I carry with me every day.

There is a saying (paraphrased) that, when an officer is lost in the line of duty, it’s not a department that loses someone, it’s the entire law enforcement community. Attending Brian’s services reinforced this point to me.

Again, being an essential outsider, I was there out of respect; respect for Brian, respect for his sacrifice and respect for the sacrifice that his family has made and will now make every day they live without him. However, being separated from the immense grief experienced by Brian’s close friends and family, I was able to more closely observe and appreciate, in real time, the amazing amount of love and respect being shown by everyone who braved the cold weather. I was able to see the strain on the faces of his coworkers. I was privy to just how much work and time went into those days, ensuring that not one need or request of Brian’s family went ignored.

One of the things that humbled me was how clear it was how much Brian was loved. As I stood in the lobby of the church, watching photo after photo of Brian with his friends and family scroll on TV screens that had been placed around the church, I couldn’t help but see exactly why they called him “Smiles.” Listening to the heartbreaking eulogies delivered by his coworkers and friends, there was no mistaking what Brian meant to the people in his life.

As police officers, I think we often take for granted that people are just going to pack the church at our funeral because of the uniform and shield we wear. However, I am here to tell you that is not the case. The turnout that you saw for Brian, the visible strain and emotion on the faces of his family, coworkers and friends, all were a testament to who this man was.

We personalize funerals. We always do. Virtually every line of duty death starts off as something that police officers do every day, sometimes multiple times during a day; motor vehicle stop, vehicle pursuit, domestic violence intervention, motor vehicle accident investigations, assisting disabled vehicles, and as was the case with Brian, calls for help/service. So, inevitably, you find yourself sitting there thinking “Damn. I do that stuff every day” and the weight of the humbling reality hits you. You’ll often hear cops say, “We hardly knew you, but we knew you well.” We DO know each other well, because we experience the same stresses and realities.

This emotion was so prevalent during my time at Brian’s services that I could literally feel its presence. As I looked at the photos, heard the stories and met his law enforcement family, I was overcome with the reality that none of us really think this could be us. An incident like the one that ultimately took his life was the farthest thing from Brian’s mind as he posed for the pictures that we all saw flashing up on the screen.

I try to take something from every service; basically my way of acknowledging to the lost that they taught me something, even though we often times never met. Brian reminded me to not take one day on this job for granted; whether you have 19 years in as he did, 12 like I do, or if you’re just starting out. He reinforced the concept of conducting myself, both on and off the job, as someone who people will WANT to remember when they retire or leave this earth. Most of all, Brian made me want to be the kind of guy who, when I’m gone, will be remembered for my smile. How amazing and outwardly loving must he have been for his smile to be that impactful?

While my heart breaks for their loss, I am grateful that every member of the Simonsen family, including those he worked with, were able to experience that kind of great love. I am grateful that they had someone in their lives so amazing, worthy of every tear they have spent and will spend.

Former NYPD Commissioner Bratton once said during a eulogy that he was delivering: The most common phrase he hears repeatedly at police funeral services is that “God always takes the good ones.” He added, “That is not a mistake. Because police officers represent the best of all of us.”

I may have been an outsider at Brian’s services, but I left without a shadow of a doubt that Brian was exactly the kind of cop Commissioner Bratton spoke about and that is a tribute to both how he lived, how he loved and, most importantly, how he was loved.

Fare Thee Well, Detective Simonsen.

Unwavering Patriotism - Recognizing Those Who Serve Their Country and Law Enforcement

Recognizing Those Who Serve Their Country and Law Enforcement
The Patriot’s Pride Ceremony
By Cynthia Scott, Public Information Officer and Ted Freeman, Executive Undersheriff

March 14, 2019, was a special day at the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, as once again, the sheriff’s office was recognized for the support that it gives to its employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve at the Patriot’s Pride Ceremony. Corrections Officer David Leventhal, a staff sergeant in the New Jersey National Guard, submitted three names for consideration for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Patriot Employer Award: Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden, Acting Warden Donald Sutton and Corrections Lt. Stephen Riznyk. All three were presented their awards at the Patriot’s Pride Ceremony by Command Sgt. Maj. Arthur G.A. Maggs, USA (Retired). Monmouth County Executive Assistant Selma Morris (former specialist, United States Army) and Assistant Veteran’s Services Officer Michael Ferraro (Command chief master sergeant, United States Air Force, Ret.) planned and coordinated the Patriot’s Pride event.

“I’m honored and humbled to receive this prestigious award. It’s vital that we continue to provide support and a strong commitment to our citizen soldiers in the National Guard and Reserve especially when engaged in responding to emergencies on the home front or deployed overseas in service of their country,” said Golden. “They fight for our freedom and sacrifice everything to keep us safe through their heroic efforts, and it’s our duty to our nation to strongly support them and their family members.”

The keynote speaker at the ceremony was Capt. Brian Sheakley, Commanding Officer, Navy Operational Support Center, Fort Dix. Sheakley commended the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office and Board of Chosen Freeholders for their exceptional support for the military men and women serving in the National Guard and Reserve. "I appreciate the community honoring the sacrifices that our courageous men and women make on behalf of the nation with aid to military families who may face hardships while fighting for our freedom."

In Monmouth County, county employees who are in the National Guard and Reserve receive full pay for 90 days when called to active duty. Following the first 90 days, the county makes up the difference between their county pay and their military base pay for active duty. Families of those on active duty maintain their health benefits and are actively supported by the sheriff’s office during the duration of military activation. The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office has several officers who are currently serving on active duty and deployed overseas and stateside locations.

The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office has hosted two other veteran recognition ceremonies within the last five years. On April 22, 2015, an ESGR (Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve) ceremony was held in the Sheriff’s Office Operations Center in Freehold. Recognized at that ceremony were Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni, Freeholder Lillian Burry, Michael Ruane – director of the Monmouth County Office on Aging, Disabilities and Veterans Affairs and Randy Schwartz, director, Neptune Community Resource Center.

On Dec. 7, 2016 a Patriot’s Pride Awards and Recognition Ceremony was held at the Monmouth County Police Academy. Guest speakers at the ceremony were Sheriff Shaun Golden, Freeholder Lillian Burry, ESGR Employer Outreach Director Norm Patten, NJ DMAVA Deputy Commissioner for Veterans Affairs Raymond Zawacki and Adjutant General Michael L. Cunniff. The keynote remarks were presented by then-Lt. Gov. and former Monmouth County Sheriff Kim Guadagno. Sheriff Golden, along with Neptune Township and Ocean Township Police Departments, received awards for their support for the National Guard and Reserves at this ceremony. In addition, 49 police chiefs submitted their Statements of Support

Affirmation for the Guard and Reserve, and the NJ DMAVA Military Awards and ESGR Awards were presented. Just before the closing of the ceremony, the “Wall of Heroes” was unveiled, listing every employee of the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office who has served in the military, Guard and Reserve. That “Wall of Heroes” is proudly displayed in the entrance foyer of the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office Public Safety Center for all who enter to see.

“The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to supporting our men and women who, in addition to their duties as law enforcement professionals, have a commitment to the safety and security of their country by serving in the National Guard and Reserve,” said Golden.

Thomas Jefferson once said, “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.” Our dedicated officers who remain in the Guard and Reserve continue to pay that price for all of us.”

Wellness - My Brother and Sister’s Keeper

My Brother and Sister’s Keeper
By Julia Torres

In light of the amount of police suicides recently occurring, we at Blue would like to extend our open, unending invitation to unload your weight. We are “my brother’s keeper” and have chosen to take this issue very seriously. We do not want this to be a growing trend. You are valued; we care and love you.

If you feel desolate, tormented, know that you are not alone. Someone, somewhere, has been in that moment and they found a positive solution. You can, too. The way out is not taking your life. You are too valuable, loved and cherished to cease to exist of your own volition.

Your future is bright. God, our Father planned prosperity and hope for His children (Jeremiah 29:11). Therefore, there is no temptation that cannot be conquered (1 Cor 10:13). He has equipped you with the tools required to combat all challenges. You are a victor, victorious in the abundant life Jesus came for you to have. How can I be so certain? Simply and unequivocally, God has said it in His Word (John 10:10).

Decide to believe in the future you were meant to live. Ask Him to lead you to it, to guide you through it. He will bring a confidante and you will find relief. But reach out. The longer you remain silent, the more emotions fester, feeding further into negative emotions until you believe there is no hope. It’s all untrue. You were designed for more.

A warm hand is available. The pastoral staff of Abundant Grace Christian Church, at 70 Home Avenue in Rutherford has expressed their desire to provide free counseling in a loving environment. Steve Hannett, founder of Abundant Grace, and EveryHouse, a nonprofit 501(c)3, is passionate about changing lives. It is with this intention that he has volunteered the staff’s services to the Blue community and their family. As host of the The Miraculous Life TV show, Pastor Steve reaches over a hundred nations delivering hope, an invaluable endeavor he offers to those in Blue. Having been healed of cancer, Pastor Steve understands firsthand the turmoil and anguish one can experience in a grave situation.

Take a moment to read the fervent zeal in his voice as he shares God’s truth and love with the desire to protect and love those who serve others.

A Look at the Upward Trend of Police Suicide & How to Combat It

Shots fired! Shots fired! The blood rushes through your body as you race to the scene to provide backup. Your body floods with emotion as you approach the chaotic conflict, wondering what you’ll encounter. To your horror, you see officers down and blood pooling. The assailants have fled, but you're shouting for help as you radio for medical assistance to save your brothers and sisters in blue.

Incidents like these last for moments, but the traumatic memories last a lifetime. Adding fuel to the fire are the memories of daily calls dealing with tragic accidents, domestic violence and drug-related incidents. These memories give rise to new fears, stresses and burdens that are increasingly overwhelming to the mental and emotional wellbeing of many police officers.

Data via the Ruderman Family Foundation/the International Journal of Emergency Mental Health reports that the occurrence of depression among police officers is two times as likely and the occurrence of PTSD approximately six times more likely than the general public!

The problem is real, and it's causing an increasing number to end their trauma by tragically ending their lives. According to Blue H.E.L.P., a nonprofit run by active and retired police officers, at least 159 officers died by suicide in 2018, nine percent more than the total number of line-of-duty deaths resulting from 15 other causes such as felonious assault, patrol vehicle accident, heart attack and duty-related illness. For the third straight year, police officer suicides exceed all combined causes of line-of-duty deaths.

The problem is that less than 10 percent of U.S. police departments have suicide prevention programs. The simple fact is that the problem is not being addressed at all or it's addressed too late after a police officer is already suffering.

Police officers are modern street warriors who need proactive training that strengthens more than just physical skill. They need to return to the training methods of ancient warriors who trained not only their bodies but also their minds and spirits.

For thousands of years, the warrior understood that their spirit was an essential part of their being. They knew if their spirit was strong, their minds and bodies would follow. Modern warriors have suffered from a modern culture that frequently shuns spiritual training, and it’s time for a change.

One of the greatest ancient historical warriors is King David. He was a man so close to God he lived, loved, and fought from a place of spiritual strength. He wrote his own words saying,

“The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident” (Psalm 27:1–3).

David fought many battles, and though the Bible records he went through deep emotional turmoil, he always came out on top because of the hope and strength he found in God. This strength David accessed then is the same strength all can access now!

Satan is real, and police officers daily witness the evil he releases on the frontline streets. We desperately need Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is the ultimate warrior who “overcame” and “overcomes” darkness with infallible proof. We need the power, teaching, love, forgiveness and grace of God to flood our hearts so our minds may be filled with peace and be able to stand strong in battle.

Imagine for a moment what life would be like for you and your family if you trained like King David and had what he had. Imagine if you had his spiritual weapons! You would without question take down your Goliaths!

There’s hope for you no matter how much pain you feel. We invite all who would like more information to contact EveryHouse, a nonprofit organization, at 201-355-3225 or contact www.everyhouse.org. We stand ready to stand with you to combat the growing trend of police suicide. Failure is not an option.

Resources:

https://www.menshealth.com/health/a20944664/police-officer-suicide-rate-mental-health/

https://bluehelp.org/158-american-police-officers-died-by-suicide-in-2018/?fbclid=IwAR0eCgLUQ0zrmtf75B_mWHQqMH6eccmIuYT-J3eoJomcIckdPFI7pCwgAcM

https://www.policeone.com/lodd/articles/482561006-Report-More-cops-died-by-suicide-than-in-line-of-duty-in-2018/)

For thousands of years, the warrior understood that their spirit was an essential part of their being. They knew if their spirit was strong, their minds and bodies would follow. Modern warriors have suffered from a modern culture that frequently shuns spiritual training, and it’s time for a change.

One of the greatest ancient historical warriors is King David. He was a man so close to God he lived, loved, and fought from a place of spiritual strength. He wrote his own words saying,

“The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident” (Psalm 27:1–3).

David fought many battles, and though the Bible records he went through deep emotional turmoil, he always came out on top because of the hope and strength he found in God. This strength David accessed then is the same strength all can access now!

Satan is real, and police officers daily witness the evil he releases on the frontline streets. We desperately need Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is the ultimate warrior who “overcame” and “overcomes” darkness with infallible proof. We need the power, teaching, love, forgiveness and grace of God to flood our hearts so our minds may be filled with peace and be able to stand strong in battle.

Imagine for a moment what life would be like for you and your family if you trained like King David and had what he had. Imagine if you had his spiritual weapons! You would without question take down your Goliaths!

There’s hope for you no matter how much pain you feel. We invite all who would like more information to contact EveryHouse, a nonprofit organization, at 201-355-3225 or contact www.everyhouse.org. We stand ready to stand with you to combat the growing trend of police suicide. Failure is not an option.

Resources:

https://www.menshealth.com/health/a20944664/police-officer-suicide-rate-mental-health/

https://bluehelp.org/158-american-police-officers-died-by-suicide-in-2018/?fbclid=IwAR0eCgLUQ0zrmtf75B_mWHQqMH6eccmIuYT-J3eoJomcIckdPFI7pCwgAcM

https://www.policeone.com/lodd/articles/482561006-Report-More-cops-died-by-suicide-than-in-line-of-duty-in-2018/)

For thousands of years, the warrior understood that their spirit was an essential part of their being. They knew if their spirit was strong, their minds and bodies would follow. Modern warriors have suffered from a modern culture that frequently shuns spiritual training, and it’s time for a change.

One of the greatest ancient historical warriors is King David. He was a man so close to God he lived, loved, and fought from a place of spiritual strength. He wrote his own words saying,

“The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident” (Psalm 27:1–3).

David fought many battles, and though the Bible records he went through deep emotional turmoil, he always came out on top because of the hope and strength he found in God. This strength David accessed then is the same strength all can access now!

Satan is real, and police officers daily witness the evil he releases on the frontline streets. We desperately need Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is the ultimate warrior who “overcame” and “overcomes” darkness with infallible proof. We need the power, teaching, love, forgiveness and grace of God to flood our hearts so our minds may be filled with peace and be able to stand strong in battle.

Imagine for a moment what life would be like for you and your family if you trained like King David and had what he had. Imagine if you had his spiritual weapons! You would without question take down your Goliaths!

There’s hope for you no matter how much pain you feel. We invite all who would like more information to contact EveryHouse, a nonprofit organization, at 201-355-3225 or contact www.everyhouse.org. We stand ready to stand with you to combat the growing trend of police suicide. Failure is not an option.

Resources:

https://www.menshealth.com/health/a20944664/police-officer-suicide-rate-mental-health/

https://bluehelp.org/158-american-police-officers-died-by-suicide-in-2018/?fbclid=IwAR0eCgLUQ0zrmtf75B_mWHQqMH6eccmIuYT-J3eoJomcIckdPFI7pCwgAcM

https://www.policeone.com/lodd/articles/482561006-Report-More-cops-died-by-suicide-than-in-line-of-duty-in-2018/)

Remembrance - Illinois State Trooper Gerald Ellis

On March 30th, Illinois State Trooper Gerald Ellis was on duty in his patrol car, traveling on Interstate 94 in Green Oaks. Gerald observed a vehicle heading toward him in the wrong direction at a high rate of speed. Without hesitation, Trooper Ellis selflessly crossed over two lanes of traffic and put his patrol car directly into the path of the driver. The collision stopped the wrong way driver and saved several other vehicles behind him from being hit, but it cost him his life. Gerald passed away from his injuries at the hospital. Trooper Ellis had served the Illinois State Police for 11 years, spending his entire career at District 15 in Downers Grove. He was a husband, father of two and a U.S. Army Combat Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was 36 years old.

Reflection - Is Your Job Really Boring?

Is Your Job Really Boring?
By: Christian Argudo

A fellow officer once told me that he loved his job, but he wasn’t too happy that it consists of endless boredom with very few moments of rush. I didn’t know exactly what he meant, but I guess a sluggish officer sees his daily routine as constant boredom. On the other hand, for a highly motivated officer, the job is anything but boring.

Besides this officer’s perspective, there is also a public misconception that cops sit in their vehicles waiting to be sent to a job, and occasionally conduct a traffic stop to write a ticket. Although not one hundred percent accurate, I can see some correlation. However, if you put certain perspectives in place you would realize that…

• There is nothing boring about directing traffic when there is a major accident or a traffic light is not working properly.

• There is nothing boring about conducting a field interview when you see a person who is not a resident of the area and is acting suspiciously upon your presence.

• There is nothing boring trying to be one step ahead and attempt to figure out where the car that was stolen a little while ago will be heading.

• There is nothing boring with doing community-oriented policing, and getting out of your car to talk to the local residents about what they want to see done in their neighborhood to make it better.

We know that unpredictability is what makes our job interesting. The problem comes down to some officers do not do the above and have become complacent with their job. They are known as the “call takers” instead of the “call makers.” The latter will find the stolen vehicle and pull somebody over, which will result in several felony charges. They even deter crimes just with their presence around town. The bad guys avoid them at all cost.

Most people don’t understand that the outcome of their work is not always “luck,” but hard work.

So, how do you deal with a “call taker” and keep them attentive and ready for action? In other words, keep them on their toes. There is not a “one size fits all” type of answer, since everybody has different personalities and reacts different to their environment.

To motivate your team, you need to get to know each person individually and persuade him or her to do the right thing. There are extrinsic motivators such as a favorite sector in town or even a preferable parking spot. There also intrinsic motivators, such as them knowing what they do means something to you and your department; but the utmost important motivator for everybody is recognition.

Recognize them by letting them take ownership of their jobs. Listen to any ideas they may want to share. Make them feel like they are part of the team and their opinions toward certain tasks matter. In addition, compliments are a great way to boost their morale. These are a few ways that would not only make your officers feel empowered, but you’ll also find they will work harder when they know they have a say.

So, the endless boredom attributed to the job could be more than just the job but other factors unknown to the naked eye. Hence, when your officers tell you that their job is boring; don’t go out elsewhere looking for an answer, because the real answer may be standing right in front of you.

Operation Rebound - Serving Your Town While Serving Your Country

Serving Your Town While Serving Your Country
By Michael D. Boll

For nearly twenty years, our combat veterans have been switching roles and becoming first responders! However, some of these veterans have decided to continue defending our nation, part time as military reservists. It should be noted that our New Jersey Military Reserve Units are still being constantly deployed to various combat missions.

Sometimes, our military reservists must leave with little notice. The vast majority of our law enforcement and fire departments bend over backward to help their men or women who are leaving on a deployment. However, sadly a few leaders really do not understand their employee's sacrifice and begin to resent the military reserves all together. Some employers will even go out of their way to deter employees from being in the reserves and do whatever they can to make them quit the reserves altogether. Being a first responder, one would think the command would understand and support our military reserves, but time after time, our military reserve brothers and sisters have to deal with some horrible and unnecessary treatment from their bosses. There is enough stress with being a first responder, and we should be praising and rewarding our first responders who actively serve in the military reserves.

Recently, according to my brothers and Operation Rebound teammates from the Clifton Police Department, there have been major problems serving in the military reserves. After interviewing a few of my Clifton teammates, I learned that harassment of and discrimination against military reservists at the Clifton Police Department has been rampant for well over a decade, but it was not always this way. Prior to September 11, 2001, training for military reservists was mostly the old one weekend a month and two weeks over the summer standard. After the terrorist attacks on 9-11, the military reserve forces were, and still are, used regularly to supplement active duty forces, and as a result, the training tempo for military reserve forces increased, deployments overseas increased, and other military obligations became more common. This required the military reservists to be absent more often from the Clifton Police Department in order to fulfill those obligations.

Unfortunately, the increased necessary military absences to fight the Global War on Terror (GWOT) have reportedly been met with overt disdain by some Clifton police supervisors. There are repeated complaints about the inconvenience of having to modify schedules and derogatory statements made upon returning from military leave, such as “You still work here?” or “Hey, who’s the new guy?” On one occasion, an officer returning from military leave was ordered to stand in front of patrol lineup and introduce himself as if he was new to the force. When drill schedules were submitted, derogatory remarks would follow, such as “How much do you get paid on weekends to drink beer and barbecue?” or “How much do you make to go camping?” Upon submitting notification and orders for an upcoming deployment to Iraq, one officer’s superior officer commented, “Must be nice to go on vacation.” Some officers have even been questioned improperly about their disability ratings for injuries sustained in the service.

Most offensive, however, is the repeated pressure placed on reservists to choose between the police department or the military. They have been told, “You have to pick one, you can’t do both.” A high-ranking department official reportedly once told an officer, “The military is your mistress and the police department is your wife. You need to treat your wife better than your mistress.” This same official was also said to have threatened termination of the officer if he accepted a set of military orders.

Because of their strong commitment to serve their country, they endured the years of harassing comments and threats by department supervisors and officials. Service to both the city and the military can, and should, peacefully co-exist. Instead, they have now received threats to reduce their pay unless they reimburse the city all military pay received retroactive to 2011 for military leave that the City had already approved if they fail to turn over seven years of military paystubs. The financial burden this could cause their families could not possibly be lost on City officials. There is not much more of a deterrent to reservists, and those who may be contemplating military service, than this.

These uniformed heroes are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for our country. They don’t ask for recognition; they don’t ask for praise. All they ask is the unfettered ability to serve.

Military News - What’d they Say? Hearing Loss for Military and Law Enforcement Professionals

What’d they Say? Hearing Loss for Military and Law Enforcement Professionals
By Scott Frezzo

How many of you have ever been told by someone close to you to get your hearing checked? Whether you are watching TV, in an important briefing or out in the field, missing words or entire sentences is dangerous and frustrating. Being unable to clearly hear a command can get people hurt, and it’s frustrating not only for those who suffer from hearing loss but for your loved ones as well, who are constantly repeating things so you can remain engaged.

Some people with hearing loss are in denial because of the stigma that goes along with losing your hearing, or fear it may be time to hang up your sidearm or take a desk job. Many of you have been told to get your hearing checked so many times, you do not even ask for things to be repeated, out of fear that you may actually have a deficit. Well, don’t panic. There are many causes of hearing loss, like excessive earwax, aging, severe pressure change, ototoxic drugs, foreign objects in the ear and noise. And if you feel as if you may not be hearing as well as you used to, please see a physician. But military and law enforcement professionals have other forces to contend with, such as gunfire, explosions, aircraft and heavy traffic for multiple hours every day. Even vigilant users of ear protection can suffer from some hearing loss, so be sure you’re wearing OSHA-approved equipment that reduces exposure to below 85 dBA over the course of 8 hours.

Normal noise exposure is 85 dBA for 8 hours, and for every three dBA over 85 dBA, the exposure time is cut in half. Normal stadium noise is 105 dBA, but peak stadium noise is 130 dBA, and should only be tolerated for 1 second in a 24-hour period. At 91 decibels (dBA), the equivalent of a lawn mower, a person can withstand that noise safely for only 2 hours a day, before becoming susceptible to hearing loss or damage. A .357 magnum revolver round and a shotgun blast are both around 160dBA.

I was an infantry paratrooper in the Army for many years and jumped out of more C-130s and C-17s than I can remember. The firing range alone may have damaged my hearing, but my time spent in combat zones definitely didn’t help. My wife has been telling me to get my hearing checked for quite a while, but I didn’t realize how bad my hearing was until an Army buddy came to stay with us back in February. We were watching TV and I kept asking, “What’d they say?” My buddy, who served longer than I did, could hear everything while I strained to hear the dialogue. Wait! Do I really need to have my hearing checked? Maybe it is me and not my wife, (whom I accuse of mumbling all the time). I am about 10 years older than my friend, and have more bomb exposure than he does, but I am ready to face the truth.

I scheduled an audiology appointment at the Veterans Administration Hospital for next month. I can’t say I’m excited to go, but if I do have an impairment, I’d like to know. Hearing aid technology has come a long way in the last 20 years. They are virtually undetectable to anyone but the wearer. Still, I’m hoping my mother was right, and all I have is potatoes growing in my ears. So, if you too feel that your hearing is changing from what it once was, make that appointment and have it checked out. Your health is worth it.

Legal News - Know Your Rights: Accidental Disability

Know Your Rights: Accidental Disability
By Timothy Smith, Esq.

A New Jersey police officer who retires on an accidental disability retirement pension is entitled to higher pension benefits. Accordingly, it is important to understand the eligibility requirements for securing such a pension. To be eligible, a claimant must establish:

(1) that he or she is permanently and totally disabled;

(2) as a direct result of a traumatic event that is

a. identifiable as to time and place,

b. undesigned and unexpected, and

c. caused by a circumstance external to the member (not the result of pre-existing disease that is aggravated or accelerated by the work).

(3) that the traumatic event occurred during and as a result of the member's regular or assigned duties;

(4) that the disability was not the result of the member's willful negligence; and

(5) that the member is mentally or physically incapacitated from performing his usual or any other duty.

One would need to write a book to explain the ins and outs of all these requirements. This article focuses on just one: that the injury be “undesigned and unexpected.” The meaning of the phrase is not at all self-evident. The best way to understand it is to look at cases that have interpreted it.

In one New Jersey Supreme Court case, Richardson v. Board of Trustees, PFRS, the court gave the following examples of the kinds of accidents that would qualify for accidental disability retirement benefits: “A policeman can be shot while pursuing a suspect; a librarian can be hit by a falling bookshelf while re-shelving books; a social worker can catch her hand in the car door while transporting a child to court.”

The Richardson Court said that a police officer who has a heart attack while chasing a suspect would not qualify because, “Work effort alone or in combination with pre-existing disease, was the cause of the injury.” However, the court explained that “The same police officer who was permanently and totally disabled during the chase because of a fall, has suffered a traumatic event.” Likewise, the court stated, a gym teacher who develops arthritis from repetitive effects of his work over the years would not qualify as suffering a traumatic event. But if the same gym teacher trips over a riser and is injured, that injury would satisfy the standard.

There are Appellate Division cases that have applied the “undesigned and unexpected” legal standard to different fact patterns. For example, in one case, the Appellate Division ruled that a fireman who suffered a disabling injury while kicking down the door of a burning building — because the tools normally used by firefighters to break down doors had not yet arrived — had suffered an “undesigned and unexpected” event. In a school-employee case, the Appellate Division approved of accidental disability retirement benefits for a school custodian who injured his shoulder moving a 300-pound weight bench into the school. The court reasoned that the custodian's accident was clearly “undesigned and unexpected” because he had been confronted with an unusual situation of students attempting to carry the heavy bench into the school, took charge of the activity, and the students suddenly dropped their side of the bench, placing its entire weight on the custodian.

In another case, a female corrections officer disabled her wrist while operating a gate that separated access to the prison’s tiers. Although the officer had operated the gate many times without incident, on one occasion, the gate suddenly stopped in its tracks. The officer then heard a pop in her wrist. That injury turned out to be a permanent and totally disabling injury. But the Pension Board ruled that the injury was not “undesigned and unexpected.” The Appellate Division disagreed. It reasoned that absent evidence of known prior malfunctions, employees should be able to expect that equipment supplied to them will not injure them. The court further stated that such an expectation was especially true in a prison where safety and security concerns are elevated. Hence, the court concluded that under the particular circumstances of that case, the officer’s injury resulted from an “undesigned and unexpected” event.

Reviewing these examples, the one thing that becomes clear is that there is nothing clear about determining if any given situation fits the test of being an injury that is “undesigned and unexpected.” If an officer’s injury is absolutely identical to one of the examples given above, then that officer’s accidental-disability application should be approved of without difficulty. Otherwise, a trip to the Appellate Division may be necessary to decide the matter.

Something to think about

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

THERE COMES A TIME IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOUR WORKPLACE CHANGES DRASTICALLY, AND LATELY, LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS BEEN THE MAIN TARGET. BUT WE CANNOT BLAME ANYBODY BUT OURSELVES. BEING RETIRED FOR THE PAST NINE YEARS, IT STILL BAFFLES ME WHEN I READ THE NEWSPAPER AND SEE THE STUPID THINGS COPS ARE DOING

AND GETTING CAUGHT, IT MAKES ME CRINGE. HERE IS MY ADVICE: AS A COP YOU HAVE CHOICES. YOU CAN BE A GOOD COP, A BAD COP, A CORRUPT COP, A MOANER, OR A PAYCHECK COP, BUT DEEP DOWN INSIDE YOU KNOW YOU

ARE BLUE. SO LET'S CAST ASIDE THE PETTINESS, THE ENVY, AND ALL THE STUPID DRAMA THAT SOME COPS THRIVE ON.

LET'S CONCENTRATE ON BRINGING BACK THE HONOR, THE RESPECT WE HAD FOR EACH OTHER AND OF COURSE FOR THE BADGE. IF ONE OF US BLEEDS, WE ALL BLEED. I CAN REMEMBER BEING SOMEWHERE AND MEETI

THAT'S THE FEELING WE NEED TO BRING BACK. LET'S CONCENTRATE ON HOW TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA FOR OUR BENEFIT, HELP OUR STRUGGLING BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND MOST OF ALL THINK BEFORE YOU ARE ABOUT TO DO SOMETHING STUPID. REMEMBER THAT AT ANY TIME OF THE DAV MANY CELL PHONES WITH RECORDING CAPABILITIES SURROUND YOU.

ONE OF MY MANY MENTORS ONCE SAID, "YOU CAN BE A COP, OR YOU CAN BE A THUG, BUT YOU CAN'T BE BOTH." ... SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.

STEVEN OLIMPIO IS A MEMBER OF THE NEW JERSEY POLICE HONOR LEGION AND THE RECIPIENT OF NUMEROUS AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS FROM VARIOUS LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS FROM AROUND NEW JERSEY AND THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING CONGRESSIONAL AND UNITED STATES SENATE AWARDS FOR HIS EXPERIENCE AND LEADERSHIP.

Out Front - Where have all the leaders in law enforcement gone? By Christoper Scilingo

Far too often it seems that titles, stripes or shiny bars bring forth de facto leadership within our law enforcement organizations. However, this idea couldn’t be farther from the truth. A supervisor is just that; a person who supervises or manages people and their activities. Law enforcement organizations have plenty of supervisors. They may be your corporals, your sergeants, your lieutenants, your captains and so forth. But does your law enforcement organization—your department—have any leaders? If your department has effective leaders, great, I am sure you are aware of the positivity and success that they bring to your organization. If your department does not have effective leaders—or no leaders at all for that matter—be cautious and watch closely, because that can be dangerous for an organization. Leaderless police departments are often found plagued with crippling low morale, troubled officers and numerous complaints from the public.

Law enforcement supervisors are necessary in operating a department and its functions. Effective law enforcement leaders are absolutely vital in whether or not that same department operates effectively. Let’s not forget, we’re in a service industry. We don’t manufacture any goods, we don’t necessarily make our employers money and we’re not profit-based. We do, however, provide value to the communities we serve. Whatever definition of service you come up with doesn’t necessarily matter; the fact is that we all serve. What level of service can we as law enforcement officers provide if we are only managed and supervised by those who solely place emphasis on controlling procedure or scheduling a work force to limit overtime?

In comes the leader—he or she may be your supervisor or your peer. Here’s a scary thought: The sole leader may be your chief of police. It doesn’t matter who the leader is. What matters is if they can positively influence a workforce to go out and do great things and to serve successfully. I’m not here to debate the abundance of leadership styles, especially in the law enforcement business. I believe we all understand that police work and police organizations are a paramilitary business. We take our orders from those senior in rank or time, and we carry out those orders to the best of our ability often without question. Every situation is different and every situation should dictate which leadership style be used most effectively. We hope, at least, an effective leader can do exactly that in assessing a situation and responding with an effective leadership style. You don’t need rank and you don’t need titles to be an effective leader. What you need is the will to positively influence others and set the example for others to follow.

My advice to that fresh-caught rookie from the academy is to educate yourself on effective leadership and gravitate toward those who possess great leadership traits that you will be working with. It is in this way that you will only become more successful. My advice to the supervisor with stripes or bars on your collar is to take a moment to truly realize the influence you have on subordinates and know that you can make a positive impact in their life and career. This will only help the greater mission in providing effective law enforcement services. Lastly, my advice to you, the big dog, the head honcho, the officer in charge-chief of police, sheriff, director, colonel, the person that the buck stops at is you are at the top and you have absolute influence over all that you command. It begins with you and ends with you. You must take responsibility when times are good and when times are bad. Understand that taking no action or providing no leadership is the single most destructive behavior that you can display — your command and those under you will suffer from it. Leaders don’t know it all, but an effective leader certainly will know what they do not know, and that inspires the truest respect. If you’re not up to the leadership task, be responsible enough to admit it and walk away. Let a real leader step in, before someone you supposedly “lead” gets hurt or killed. In our line of work, the stakes are too high for ineffective or absent leadership.

Chris Scilingo is a police officer in NJ since 2011. He’s a Marine veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is near completing his bachelor’s degree at Fairleigh Dickson University; where he also plans to pursue a master’s degree. Chris aspires to teach higher education after transitioning from law enforcement.

One The Beat - Can Banks Sometimes Seem Like a Thief’s Partner in Crime? By Ryan Weber

Banks try to make it as easy as possible for a person to obtain a bank account. They don’t have many security requirements that one must go through to open a checking or savings account. Anyone can walk into a branch with a single form of identification, deposit money and walk out with an active account, a debit card and some starter checks.

But in comparison, when a police investigator contacts the bank to obtain all available information, they put the brakes on the easy accessibility. Often the investigator must jump through hoops to solve a case where 99% of the time the banks are the victims.

The following is a typical scenario in connection to stolen check cases. There are many ways a check can be stolen. Currently, in the Tri-State area, we are experiencing a high volume of thefts of checks from United States mailboxes, a practice commonly referred to as fishing. Fishing is the term used to describe when a sticky substance is applied to a bottle or some other item, and then a string is tied to the bottle or item, which is then used to lower the bottle/item into the mailbox to extract the mail. Many people still mail checks to pay bills, and they use the blue mailboxes scattered throughout the suburban neighborhoods to send their checks.

When an account holder discovers that a check, which they wrote to pay a bill, did not make it to its destination, they immediately contact their bank. The banks have the account holder write out an affidavit, which they sign indicating that they did not have anything to do with the theft and fraud. The banks then advise the account holders to file a police report.

Usually, by the time the victim files the police report, weeks or months have passed since the crime has been committed. Seldom do banks notify the account holder immediately, and the police are notified sooner rather than later. So, investigators contact the victim’s bank and depending on the bank, they usually spend about a half an hour on hold before they can speak to a customer service representative who ultimately gives a phone number to a fraud investigator. Once the fraud investigator is contacted, after more time wasted on hold, the case details are finally provided to them. The first question that needs to be answered, and one that most banks will not provide without a subpoena, is where was the bank of first deposit?

Some banks will not provide that information, nor will they give any additional information without first receiving a subpoena. Investigators typically ask the bank employee why they still need to provide a subpoena when they are ultimately going to be the victim.

So the investigator applies for a subpoena, and it takes a day or two to get it back from the prosecutor’s office. Then, the investigator must figure out how the bank wants to be served with the subpoena. Some banks want it to be served in person, some via email, some by fax, some regular mail and some want service to be via certified mail. So, depending on the service, and a lack of a standardized process, more time is lost.

A good tip is to request that the bank provide a photograph of the person who deposited the check and a photograph of the person who first withdrew money from the account after the fraudulent transaction occurred. If the check was deposited via a mobile device, then requesting an IP address and date and time of the transaction is needed.

Sometimes, depending on the amount that has passed since the crime, the surveillance video is no longer available and important evidential information is lost.

Lastly, investigators must ask why banks make it easy for thieves to deposit stolen checks into their customer’s accounts. They allow the customers to remove money from their accounts before the clearing of the checks. In the current environment, it is easier for a thief to commit the crime than it is for the investigator to investigate the crime, therefore begging the question: Have banks become complicit in their own victimization? You decide.

Reform is needed. All bank customers should be required to provide a photograph and fingerprint when opening an account. All existing account holders should also be required to provide that information. All transactions should be verified with that information prior to being executed. Finally, banks should be more cooperative with law enforcement and should expedite the flow of information. Catching the thieves should be everyone’s number one priority. It shouldn’t take a battle through red tape to uncover criminals.

Ryan Weber is a 13-year veteran law enforcement sergeant, currently assigned to the detective bureau in a northern New Jersey police department. He will be completing his bachelor’s degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University in April of 2019.

Cover Story - Phishing Season - Don’t Get Hooked By Deniz Majagah

You and your agency are targets. Everyone is fair game, and no one is immune.

Cybercriminals have become quite effective at targeting end-users. People just like you and me. They’ve learned that the easiest way around your organization’s technical defenses and controls isn’t by hacking through them. It’s by tricking you into letting them in.

Verizon publishes an annual report known as the Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) which provides information and data on real-world cybersecurity incidents and data breaches. The report gathers, aggregates and analyzes data from public and private organizations, including law enforcement agencies, from around the world. According to this report, upwards of 90% of breaches have a social engineering component.

Social engineering is a form of hacking, but it differs from what most people commonly understand to be hacking. Instead of seeking out and exploiting technical vulnerabilities in computer systems, social engineering targets the human mind. Cybercriminals use psychological methods to get people to unwittingly further their schemes. After all, it’s easier to talk your way past the front desk by having the security officer believe that you belong in the building than it is to try to bypass door locks, alarms, cameras and other security controls.

Hackers use social engineering techniques to manipulate and dupe people. Phishing and its variants, spear phishing and whaling, are by far some of the biggest concerns because they are the simplest as well as the most dangerous and effective tools at their disposal.

Phishing starts off as an email that appears and purports to be from a legitimate source. The email tries to fool the recipient into taking an action. That action might be to send a password or to click a link or open an attachment from within the email that inadvertently installs some sort of malicious software such as ransomware. The other phishing variants, spear phishing and whaling, are targeted messages against particular people. In the case of spear phishing, an email is crafted and sent to a person or group of people serving a certain role such as human resources or perhaps a patrolman or patrol squad. Whaling emails target the “whales” or high-value people of an organization such as a chief or mayor.

Phishing attacks are increasing in frequency as well as sophistication. Knowing what to look for will help to protect you as well as your agency from being a victim of cybercrime.

Required Action

Phishing messages often express a sense of urgency that invokes fear or reward. These messages use psychological triggers either in the subject or body of the email to get people to take an action quickly. Some emails attempt to scare the recipient while others do the exact opposite by offering some sort of reward. Remember, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. You did not win a brand-new car or a free TV from BestBuy. These types of emails require you to click on a malicious link or respond with personal information as soon as possible.

Inaccuracies and Generic Feel

Phishing emails often include grammatical errors, typos, inaccuracies, or generic greetings and signatures. Emails from legitimate sources generally make sure to use good grammar and check for spelling mistakes. With the exception of spear phishing or whaling, email messages are often sent to hundreds or thousands of recipients. The greetings and signatures are general and lack a personal feel to them. Though cybercriminals are getting more sophisticated and are crafting better emails with less errors, the messages still tend to be generic.

Deceptive Addresses, Links and Attachments

Links and addresses in an email can be obscured by using a hyperlink, spoofing the sender address, or by using Punycode – use of foreign language characters that look like letters of the English alphabet. Hovering your mouse over a link within an email should show the real address. If there is a mismatch with a link or if the link or sender address looks suspicious in any other way, the email is probably a phishing attempt. Spear phishing and whaling messages will often contain links or attachments with names geared towards the recipient’s roles and responsibilities. Phishing messages with attachments play on the mind’s natural curiosity and the result is an impulse to open them.

We regularly see talk about huge data breaches hitting the mainstream news outlets. Every year the number of breaches and data compromises increases. 2018 was no different. Some of the more recognized names that were hacked are Under Armour, Facebook, Panera and Marriott.

You will rarely hear about Smallville, USA being hacked but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t happen. A Bergen County town was recently hacked and duped out of nearly $500,000. A state agency’s entire email system was supposedly compromised in late 2018, as well. Within the last six months, there have been at least four North Jersey municipalities and police departments hit with ransomware. In all likelihood, all of these attacks were the result of someone clicking something in a phishing email.

Phishing is a real problem that all agencies face. Our adversaries aren’t just on the streets or locked up in jails and prisons, they are sitting behind computer screens.

We are the weakest link in any organization’s cyber strategy but knowing what to look for will help reduce liability, risk and exposure and help defend against cybercriminals. Don’t get caught in a cybercriminal’s phishing net. Always be wary of and use your best judgment with unsolicited emails. Be mindful with and use caution before clicking any links or downloading or opening any attachments. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Always think before you click!

Deniz Majagah is a corrections sergeant and heads his agency’s Office of Information Technology where he has served nearly 19 of his 23 years with his agency. He has a bachelor of science in criminal justice from Rutgers University and is currently enrolled at Fairleigh Dickinson University where he is pursuing a master’s degree with a focus on Computer Security and Forensics Administration. He has multiple certifications focusing on cybersecurity and information assurance including CISSP, GCIH, GCCC and GSTRT.

Should you need any advice or assistance, he can be reached at dmajagah@gmail.com

Success in Retirement - Retirement - who me? By James F. Ford, Jr., Ph.D.

Corporate Security, Police Chief in another community, Campus Police Director, Radio DJ, Ballroom Dancing Instructor, Nursing, Coaching, PGA Teacher, Adjunct Professor, Construction, Range Officer, Process Server, Paramedic, Real Estate Agent, Executive Protection, Insurance Investigator, Substitute School Teacher, Town Manager, Forensic Hypnotist, Campus Security, Driving Instructor, and Mobile Pole Dancing Cleaner. Believe it or not, these are a few of the many employment opportunities awaiting you when you retire, or you could just sit home and do nothing.

The positions listed above were obtained from a two-day survey conducted on retired law enforcement officers. Are you ready for retirement? Have you thought about what you might want to do? How have you prepared yourself? I am not referring to the New Jersey Civil Service or the New Jersey State Pension Board holding seminars to prepare you. I’m talking about a year or so before you retire from the job. Are you going to be one of those people who cannot leave the job and go visit the station/headquarters every day for coffee with the guys? Don’t forget you couldn’t wait to get out of there, remember? I worked with an officer who from my first day on the job said to me, don’t stand in my way when my times comes to retire. Guess what? He stayed longer than 25 years. Statistics in the past have shown that police officers were usually given a life expectancy of five years past their retirement. Don’t become another statistic.

Today, officers are retiring at a young age and some aspire for another career. Maybe your department sent you to the Certified Public Managers Courses or the FBI Academy. Why not use those skills and education that you have acquired over the years? Think about some of the in-depth specialized courses you have attended. Perhaps you took Crash I, II. Reconstruction Expert, DRE School, or maybe forensic accounting courses? You are valuable to the private sector. Over your 25 or more years, you have acquired more knowledge and experience than the average citizen has.

I’m sure we all can agree that law enforcement is (especially patrol) for younger officers. Do you really want to work shift work in your 50s or beyond? We have many officers who are in great physical condition regardless of their age because they work at it. What is often difficult to measure is the toll “the job” takes on us psychologically. How many sexual assault or child abuse cases do you have to investigate before it really affects you and your home life? Many of you are running from call to call with hardly any downtime. You’ve been working at this pace for years and years and then all of a sudden that comes to an end. How many Jerry Springer shows or other talk shows can you possibly watch? For the officers who aren’t running from call to call, you still are anticipating calls coming in and how to handle them in the most efficient productive manner - it doesn’t end.

Please realize that you too can have another career after your stellar work in law enforcement. In your last few years on the job, think about what you want to do when you do retire. If you want to pump gas or work part-time at some convenience store, there is nothing wrong with it. Just do something. Don’t sit home and do nothing.

As police officers, we are called upon to make life-changing decisions for so many but often neglect ourselves. Healthwise, one of the worst decisions to make is to retire and do absolutely NOTHING! Before I retired, I became an adjunct at the College of Saint Elizabeth teaching Criminal Justice. My first class was the best and I knew this was for me. This was my opportunity to share my own experience and education with adult students who had no clue about the criminal justice system except what they saw on “Law & Order.” They really did think that most cases were solved in 45 minutes and that court lasted about 15 minutes!

I soon discovered that in order to teach full-time at a four-year college/university I would need a doctorate degree. Four and half years later, I earned my Ph.D. and I enjoy every day. I feel blessed to have another career. You can too! Do something you love and stop stressing!

Contact Professor Dr. Jim Ford at the College of Saint Elizabeth for more information. Dr. Ford can be reached at jford@cse.edu or (973) 290-4324. It should be noted that CSE’s Graduate Program in Criminal Justice is ranked 14th in the country by U.S. News and World Ranking.