Staying Safe in the Storm: A Tactical Guide for Officers Facing Violent Protests

Staying Safe in the Storm: A Tactical Guide for Officers Facing Violent Protests
By Lt. Joseph Pangaro CPM, MOI

Across America, the growing intensity and unpredictability of public demonstrations have placed law enforcement in an increasingly dangerous spotlight. While the First Amendment protects peaceful assembly, many recent protests have crossed the line into violent riots — resulting in officers being assaulted with rocks, bricks, bottles, fireworks, and improvised weapons.

In cities like Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle, officers have faced not only hostile crowds but also coordinated attacks from agitator groups using military-style tactics. The danger is real — and growing. For law enforcement supervisors and officers, preparation is no longer optional. It is a matter of survival and mission success.

In an attempt to offer some considerations for supervisors and officers, I have created this article. I have also created a 10-point checklist of the topics discussed herein for easy reference and briefing training.

Based on recent incidents and professional best practices, here is a tactical approach designed to help agencies increase operational safety and effectiveness during civil unrest:

1. Thorough Threat Assessment & Pre-Event Planning
Supervisors must begin with actionable intelligence. Before deployment, collect data from social media, open-source intelligence platforms, local informants and news reports. Identify the presence of known agitator groups, prior protest locations and hot zones like federal buildings or courthouses. This proactive approach allows command staff to anticipate flashpoints, allocate resources efficiently and avoid reactive tactics.

2. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) & Gear Checks
Every officer deployed to a protest — especially one with the potential for violence — must be equipped with the proper PPE. Helmets with face shields, reinforced gloves, gas masks, body armor and riot shields should be standard. Supervisors should inspect gear before deployment and ensure spares are available. When rocks and fireworks start flying, your PPE is your lifeline.

3. Dynamic Unit Organization & Role Assignment
Chaos can be controlled with structure. Assigning officers to specific teams — crowd control, arrest units, medics and QRF (Quick Reaction Forces) — gives clarity and prevents confusion in high-stress scenarios. Each officer should know their assignment and supervisor, and there should be a chain of communication to adapt on the fly.

4. Layered Defensive Positioning & Use of Barriers
Using natural and man-made barriers gives officers time and space to respond. Line formations should include layered defense zones and fallback positions. Well-placed patrol cars, fencing or portable barricades can shield against thrown objects and help redirect aggressive groups away from vulnerable areas.

5. Escalated Warning Procedures & Communication Protocols
Officers must deliver clear, legally sound dispersal orders before using force. These warnings should be amplified and repeated. Visual cues, such as raised colored flags or visible less-lethal weapon deployment, provide transparency and may encourage compliance. Supervisors should closely monitor the escalation of force to prevent overreaction or under-response.

6. Situational Awareness & Targeted Surveillance
Deploy trained observers or drones to scan the crowd and identify agitators early. Look for behaviors like masked individuals dropping backpacks, stacking bricks or forming tight formations. Spotters can alert line units to emerging threats, improving response time and officer safety.

7. Tactical De-Escalation & Force Discipline
The goal is to restore order without unnecessarily escalating tensions. Officers should be trained in tactical communication and recognize when to use presence, time and distance to defuse aggression. Flash-bangs or pepper balls fired into open spaces — not at individuals — can disperse threats while minimizing injuries. Discipline in the use of force maintains public trust and protects officers legally and professionally.

8. Injury Prevention & Immediate Medical Response
Designated medics or officers trained in basic trauma care should be embedded within teams. Rapid extraction protocols for injured officers must be rehearsed. Providing on-site care can save lives and prevent a minor injury from becoming catastrophic.

9. After-Action Review & Intelligence Sharing
Once the protest is over, the work isn’t done. Conduct detailed debriefs. What worked? What didn’t? Were agitators identified? Share findings with neighboring jurisdictions and internal units. This intelligence loop is vital for improving responses in future events.

10. Mental Health Support & Ethical Oversight
Exposure to violence, chaos and abuse takes a toll. Supervisors should encourage officers to seek peer support or professional mental health services. At the same time, internal affairs and command staff must review conduct to ensure integrity. Ethical behavior under pressure strengthens public trust and department morale.

Conclusion: Preparation is Protection
Protests can go from peaceful to perilous in moments. For today’s law enforcement professionals, safety is found in preparation, structure and training. The checklist above is not just a tactical guide — it’s a call to leadership.

Supervisors must lead by example: ensuring readiness, supporting discipline and emphasizing de-escalation. Officers must stay alert, stay united and stay committed to lawful conduct, even in the face of provocation.

As the landscape of civil unrest evolves, so must our approach. Our safety — and the public’s trust — depends on it.

Joseph Pangaro is a 27-year veteran of law enforcement. He retired in 2013 at the rank of Lieutenant and currently serves as the Director of School Safety and Security for a large school district in NJ. He is also the owner of Pangaro Training and Management, a company that provides training to the public and private sector on a host of topics. Email: Joe@PangaroTraining.com, www.PangaroTraining.com. “The Blue Heart Webcast” www.YouTube.Com/@BlueHeartWebcast

My Story of Career Transition

My Story of Career Transition
By: Monica Crawford

Three years ago, I sat on the couch as my husband (then fiance) kissed me goodbye before going into work. It was the day after I resigned from my former police department and the first time in over a year that we wouldn't be getting in the same car to drive into work together.

In fact, we wouldn't be working the same job or same shift with each other ever again. A sobering thought at the time considering law enforcement was how we met and something we enjoyed being able to do together.

After he left for work, I wrote a post titled, Saving the Brotherhood, and shared it to Facebook. My thoughts at the time were so pure, even in my current state of hurt. I had no idea what I would be facing in my own healing journey in the coming months or even inside of my business and my career after that moment.

This caught the eye of Joel E. Gordon, of BLUE Magazine, and thus became my very first published work as an article for BLUE Magazine. With support and enthusiasm, BLUE Magazine has chosen to publish many more pieces of my work over the last three years in The Blue Magazine.

I never imagined I would be a writer let alone a published author. It's easy to see the connection of one leading to the other when writing my book, "Thriving Inside the Thin Blue Line." At the time, I never would have believed it.

Closing the door to an employer who blocked my opportunities, and did not value, support or respect me, gave me the push to leave, which is the very thing I needed to do.

A few months before I resigned from the police department, I saw an ad on Facebook for a business coach. Realizing I had enough education and experience in the nutrition and fitness space from years of being a NCAA Division I gymnast, CrossFit Trainer and Nutrition Coach, I knew I had the ability to help other women in male-driven fields through my same experiences and coach them to achieving things they never dreamed they could.

I created Five-0 Fierce and Fit and never looked back.

Closing that first door opened the first of many doors into entrepreneurship, traveling across the U.S. to network, present keynote speeches and teach, create a podcast, and write a book about my experiences, in hopes of highlighting what needs changed, and validating many others who have experienced the same and who also want positive change inside law enforcement.

Law enforcement has a great way of putting rose colored glasses on us. We feel afraid others can ruin our own careers with one unsubstantiated IA. We fear the chatter and the rumor mill. We fear pissing off the wrong person. We intentionally stay small or quiet to keep the peace.

The beauty is that YOU have the power to take off those rose colored lenses and see clearly again. We live in a world of abundant opportunities. However, we won't ever see it if we're not actively looking for it.

Here's your encouragement to take off the rose-colored glasses, lean into who you are, your authentic self, and the vision you see for your own life, and go get it.

Perhaps that means owning your story, controlling the controllable, and stepping up as a leader in your current position. Maybe that means removing yourself from a table that no longer serves you to FIERCEly pave your way forward into something else.

Five-0 Fierce and Fit is about helping you to break your own barriers. Through one-on-one online nutrition, fitness and leadership coaching programs, I work with you through these three pillars.

Defining what it means to THRIVE inside the ‘thin blue line.’ Speaking your dreams into life while creating a plan to get there and removing barriers along the way.

We rise by lifting others, but first we must lift ourselves. Your attention must be on prioritizing yourself and becoming the best version of you before you can best serve others.

You’re only one decision away from a totally different life. The decision you make today to stop settling for your circumstances now and instead paving your way toward your biggest, scariest and most successful vision of your life will be the best decision you ever make.

Fearless. Impactful. Empowered. Resilient. Confident. Elevating.

FIERCELY,

Coach Monica

Monica Crawford is a former law enforcement officer, the author of, “Thriving Inside the Thin Blue Line,” a public speaker, nutrition and fitness coach, and owner of Five-0 Fierce and Fit. Through Five-0 Fierce and Fit, Monica creates online nutrition, fitness and mindset programs to help female first responders lose fat, gain strength, take back their confidence and get Fit For Duty. Monica aspires to validate the challenges commonly faced in the first responder fields and provide education, motivation and inspiration to chase what truly matters to you in your life and career. You’re one decision away from a totally different life. Follow Monica on Instagram: @five0.fierce.and.fit

The Send Off

The Send Off
By: Dale Gabriel
PSP Flashback, December 1992.

I am still in my 20s. I have about five years on the job and less than a year at my home station, Kiski Valley. I am working a midnight stretch with a long-time veteran trooper, a guy on the job about as long as I have been on Earth. I had actually known Frank since I was 14, when he would come down to a small-town garage where I worked for many years. He was actually one of the guys who talked me into taking the PSP test. (So, it was HIS fault!) I had the "honor" of being Frank's very last partner, as he was working his final shift with PSP, or so it seemed!

Our dispatcher asked us to find a phone or return to station, that he needed to talk to us about something. Long before the days of cellphones, your choices were to stop at a pay phone, stop at a business you knew or return to station, which is what we did, since we were close. We got there, and he asked us if we should respond to a skunk in someone's house.

Frank immediately responded. "ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Now, I was still at the stage of my career where I thought we could actually make a difference and help people ALL the time. I asked him what if it were his wife or my mother? I said we should go and try to help her. Asking about HIS wife may not have been the best idea! He said, "YOU can go and help HER." Bad divorce!

We go to the lady's place, and Frank stayed in the car. I went inside and met the 30-something lady, who pointed and said the skunk was under her couch. For some reason, I just assumed she was older before we got there. After talking to her and NOT smelling a skunk, I told her that she must be mistaken, that it must be something else and not a skunk. So, I got down on my hands and knees in front of the couch. I shined my light but could only see a couple of beady eyes looking at me. I thought it was probably a rat or baby opossum. I put on gloves, got down on my knees again and lifted the couch up, planning to grab it. It was INDEED a skunk, and I dropped the couch. But it did not spray.

I took a step back to assess the situation. As we all know, a good "statie" can handle ANYTHING after assessing the situation! As a country boy who was sprayed before, I knew that skunks are very slow, and kind of "meander" wherever they go. I proceeded to get every pillow in the woman's house and make a pathway from the couch to the door. I figured the skunk would follow the trail all the way out the door. Simple, right

With the pathway made, I lifted the couch, but he would not budge initially. I picked up one of the pillows and threw it at him, which prompted him to proceed exactly as I had planned. This statie thing is easy.... but his path was painstakingly slow. Then, he got to where the pillow was missing, and made his own path, which is what I have always told my kids to do for years since then, but is NOT what I wanted Mr. Peppy Le Pew to do.

He then went back a long hallway until he was trapped at the end. I repositioned the pillows from the hallway to the door. I figured if it worked once, it would work again, right? My little black and white friend, however, had a different idea entirely. He refused to budge. I started throwing stuff at him in an attempt to get him to take the path to the door. At this point, I am shocked that he has not sprayed yet.

I step back for a moment, obviously deep in thought. Time to reassess my reassessment. I told the lady that surely this was NOT a wild skunk and must been somebody's pet! He must have gotten loose from somewhere. He must have been "de-stinked," or whatever they call it, so that he no longer has an odor and cannot spray. I don't really think that made her feel any better.

I put my gloves back on and slowly and stealthily approached him. I planned to grab him and run him to the door. Looking back now, this whole adventure would be ideal for one of today's cable TV shows. I was about two feet away when he lifted his tail, but he DID NOT SPRAY. Surely, I was correct that this was someone's pet and was "fixed."

I quickly jumped into an adjacent room using my best Ninja skills. I cracked the door a bit and was peeking out trying to locate him, but I could not see him. Suddenly, I felt him at my feet. I may or may not have let out a little scream, but if a trooper screams at a skunk in a bathroom in a house in the middle of the woods, with nobody there to hear it, did it REALLY happen? I jumped out of the room and closed him in.

End of story, right? It COULD have been. It SHOULD have been. I told the lady at that point that she was safe and would have to call the game commission or an exterminator or something, and she started crying. CRYINIG???? Geez!

By this time, curiosity had gotten the best of Frank. He had wondered what was going on and had come to the door. I did not realize he was watching. He was standing at the door laughing hysterically. I asked him what I should do. His reply was "Entertain me." So much for "having my back." So much for the veteran trooper doing all he could to educate the kid, the kid he has known for years, the kid trooper who THINKS he knows better. Sadly, this is a theme that played out throughout my career!

At this point though, I was absolutely positively 100% SURE that his sprayer had been removed. I opened the door and was just going to grab him, run to the door and toss him out, but he then did exactly what I had originally wanted. He slowly walked the pathway to the door. Frank jumped out of the way.

Yes! I knew what I was doing ALL along. This was going to work!! Score one for the kid over the savvy veteran! After all of that, I did not get sprayed. My plan worked to perfection. Until the skunk went behind the door jamb, instead of out the door. What a damn stupid skunk!!

At this point, I am pissed at that damn stupid skunk, who obviously could no longer spray. So, I reached down to grab him. You can probably guess what happened next. Am I the ONLY one who did not see that coming?? The foggy mist seemed to go on forever. I also realized they have pretty good aim. I grabbed him and threw him out.

NOW, end of story, right? You would think so, but again NOT! After all of that, I learned that the lady's husband was home and was sleeping. I "went off" on her a bit. Between that, and the fact that she blamed me for the skunk spraying in her house, the lady called in a complaint on me. Fortunately, a good supervisor fielded the call, and it did not go anywhere else. That really seemed to be another theme throughout my career!

How is that for giving a guy an unbelievable send-off into retirement?

Dale Gabriel is a retired patrol and community services officer with the Pennsylvania State Police. After 25+ years of service, in retirement, he has been working on a book of his many PSP memories. He also coaches a baseball team in a Miracle League for those with special needs. He holds a communication degree with English minor from Saint Vincent College in Western Pennsylvania.

When Everything Changes at Once: Navigating Retirement, Family and the First Responder Mindset

When Everything Changes at Once: Navigating Retirement, Family and the First Responder Mindset
By: Kimberly Stratman

I knew retirement would bring change — but I didn’t realize just how many changes would happen at the same time.

My boys are grown now. They have their own lives, schedules, families and dreams. This is a little painful. My parents are aging, and with that comes a new kind of caretaking — one I didn’t expect to take on so soon or even ever. And then there's me — retired from a career that shaped every part of who I am. Suddenly, I'm no longer the officer, the responder, the one holding the line. And yet, somehow, I’m still trying to hold it all together.

This isn’t just my story. It’s our story — especially for those of us who’ve lived years, maybe decades, with the first responder mindset. Have you considered how and why you make your decisions? Have you considered the cost of your actions?

We were trained to jump in, take charge, fix things and keep people safe. That mindset served us in the field — but it can also trip us up in retirement. When our children are carving out their own lives, we might step in too much, trying to "help" when they just need space. When our parents’ health starts shifting, we can go into control mode, unintentionally making them feel incapable. The conversations get difficult or do not even happen. And when we finally have time for ourselves? We often don’t even know what we want anymore. Maybe we think, “I just wish it was like before.”

We get in our own way.

We get in the way of our children.

We even get in the way of our parents.

But here’s the good news: The same skills that made us excellent first responders can also help us build a strong, grounded future — for ourselves and the people we love.

The Skills That Help Us in This New Chapter:

· Decision-making under pressure: We know how to assess situations quickly. This helps when navigating tough choices about aging parents, finances or where we want to live.

· Resilience and grit: We’ve been through hard things. That strength can carry us through the emotional terrain of family transitions and our own identity shifts.

· Situational awareness: We’re observant. That allows us to see when someone needs support — and when it’s time to step back.

· Dedication to service: Our instinct to care for others can be a gift — when we channel it with love, not control.

The Mindsets That Can Hurt Us If We’re Not Careful:

· "I have to handle everything myself."

This leads to burnout, isolation and resentment. In retirement, collaboration is key — not command.

· "If I’m not helping, I’m not valuable."

Our worth doesn’t come from being needed. It comes from being — authentically and fully ourselves.

· "I know what’s best."

Maybe you do — but people need to make their own choices. Even if it’s hard to watch.

· "I’ll take care of me later."

Sister, now is your time. You’ve earned this next chapter. Don’t put yourself at the bottom of the list anymore.

· Resilience and grit: We’ve been through hard things. That strength can carry us through the emotional terrain of family transitions and our own identity shifts. Oh? On both lists? Absolutely. You might have too much “stuff” to handle anything else.

So, What Do We Do?

We pause. We write it down. What matters to you now? What does a good day look like? What does your body need? What lights you up? What do you want your relationships to feel like?

This isn’t about planning every step — it’s about intention. Living on purpose. Not reacting. Not rescuing. But responding — to your life, to your season, with wisdom and grace. I am definitely benefiting from “not planning” everything. When my youngest son and his wife need an extra set of hands with their creative install business, I jump in. The casual, relaxed conversation that occurs while we are working side by side is priceless. No way I could plan that!

All of the changes are a lot to process, and while you might be used to handling things on your own, retirement is a season that calls for connection. There are resources out there — some on a national level that you can find online, and others closer to home, like small local groups or even one-on-one conversations with women who are just a little farther down the road. But here’s the thing: Many of us don’t have a lot of close female friendships, especially if we spent our careers in a male-dominated field like first response.

That’s why this moment — when everything feels up in the air — can actually be the perfect reason to start building those connections. Use this time to reach out, to talk with other women your age or a bit older and to share your experiences. You might be surprised how comforting it is to realize you’re not the only one feeling this way. And the friendships you build now? They won’t just help you get through this transition — they’ll be there the next time life shifts. Because it will. And you shouldn’t have to face it alone.

You’ve spent your life serving others. And you probably will continue to serve others. Now it’s time to build a life that serves you — while still showing up in healthy, loving ways for those around you. I invite you to acknowledge your struggles. Recognize that life is happening all around us and we are really “in charge” and we have some useful traits and strengths.

You don’t have to figure it out alone.

If this speaks to where you are right now, I see you. Let’s rethink what life looks like after the job — together. Please share your story and experience. Other first responders, need it.

If you're a first responder who is even beginning to think about retirement, I invite you to explore my self-paced coaching course designed just for you. This eight-session, video-based program includes downloadable worksheets to help you reflect, plan and move forward with clarity and confidence. You can also grab my free resource: a curated list of must-read books for first responders preparing for life beyond the job. Visit tothepointcoach.org to get started.

Kimberly Stratman retired as a Lieutenant from the Dallas Police Department after an exciting and fulfilling 30-year career. She and her husband, an active SWAT officer, have two grown sons and two dogs that get lots of attention. Kimberly is the owner of To the Point Coach, a Certified Retirement Life Coach and Certified Life Coach service that focuses on first responders. Her goal is to ensure our law enforcement community thrives. She can be reached @ tothepointcoach.org

Is it Time to Reconsider Our Approach?

Is it Time to Reconsider Our Approach?
By: Deon Joseph

Considering strategies to counter professional violent rioters, a chapter in one of my favorite books, "Mirror your enemies," suggests that to defeat adversaries, one must adopt their tactics, albeit to a limited and lawful extent.

Today's rioters employ guerrilla tactics, whereas we rely on traditional, predictable methods. A historical example that illustrates this concept is a battle during the Revolutionary War, where American forces initially struggled against the British in a conventional field engagement.

However, by abandoning traditional tactics and adopting a more unorthodox approach, they were able to gain the upper hand. This concept is relevant to our current situation, as rioters are using similar tactics against us.

The chapter also notes that adversaries often struggle to respond effectively when their own tactics are turned against them, as they are accustomed to dominating through their preferred methods. Occasionally, I find myself wishing that we could dispense with conventional tactics and employ a more unorthodox approach to apprehend as many rioters as possible.

Our reluctance to do so allows them to escape and continue causing damage. To effectively counter these rioters, it is necessary to take calculated risks and issue appropriate equipment to officers. By surrounding and apprehending these individuals within the bounds of the law, we can effect a significant number of felony arrests, unmask them to facilitate identification and subsequent apprehension if they escape. 

Our greatest weakness in this context is our adherence to order. Conversely, the rioters' greatest vulnerability is their desire to maintain anonymity. If we can muster sufficient numbers, it is time to take decisive action. Recent events have prompted me to reconsider our approach.

Deon Joseph is a 28 year veteran of law enforcement in Southern California - 24 of those years working in the homeless community to create an environment conducive to change for those in recovery, as a Lead Officer. He’s been recognized for his work locally and nationally, and news stories and documentaries surrounding his work in crime fighting and community relations, featured him. www.deonjoseph.org

Six Reasons Why A Police Officer Should Get Help For Their Mental Health

Six Reasons Why A Police Officer Should Get Help For Their Mental Health
By: Stan Popovich

Many police officers underestimate the impact that mental illness can have on their health. It can be difficult to admit that you have a mental health problem in your life. Also, it can be just as difficult in getting the people you know to understand your situation without making any kinds of judgments.

As a result, here are six reasons why you should make your mental health an important priority in your life.

1. Your situation will improve if you get help: Your anxieties and fears can be challenging to manage, and more than likely you will need some help. Just as you talk to your doctor about your regular health, you should not be hesitant in seeking help for your mental health. If left untreated, your anxieties and fears may not go away.

2. Drugs and alcohol are not the answer: Drugs and alcohol can make your problems more complicated. Many people have said that drugs and alcohol will only add more problems to your situation. Be smart and learn how to cope with your mental health issues by talking to a qualified professional. There are many health professionals in your area who can give you some ideas on where you can go for assistance 

3. You will save time and money:  Eventually, you will have to confront your fears and mental health issues. Save yourself the time and heartache and confront your problems now rather than later. You will save months of struggling by getting help right away. The sooner you get assistance, the faster you will start getting some relief.

4. You are not alone: Everyone deals with fear, stress and anxiety in one’s life whether your friends and others care to admit it. In addition, do not be embarrassed that you are getting help. We all learn new things from others on a daily basis, and learning how to manage your anxieties is no different. In addition, your goal is to get your life back on track and not to get everyone’s approval. If people start asking you questions, just say you’re dealing with stress. Most people can relate to dealing with stress and anxiety!

5. Do not make the mistake of doing nothing: There are many people who struggled with anxiety and other mental health related issues and tried to ignore their problems. As a result, some of these people struggled on a daily basis and eventually things became more difficult. It can be scary asking for assistance, but the key is to take things one day at a time.

6. You have a variety of options: There are many mental health support groups, organizations and counselors in your area who can help get your life back on track. Talk to your doctor to get more details on where you can go for some assistance. Help is available but you must be willing to make the choice of getting better.

Remember that every problem has a solution. You just have to make the effort to find the answers.

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

THERE IS HOPE

THERE IS HOPE
By: Chris Amos

I sat on the edge of my bed. My, wife Anne Marie, had just taken our first child up to the store. We had been married at this point for about three years, Seth, our first child, was about one year old. I was living the proverbial dream. At 24, I was happily married, had a couple of cars in the driveway, had just bought our first house, I was active in a church, and to top everything off, I had fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a police officer just three years earlier.  By every reasonable metric, life was good and I had found my personal road to purpose and success.  Which is why, as I stared at my reflection in a bedroom mirror, while placing my city-issued Smith & Wesson revolver first in my mouth and then pressing it against my head, my actions made absolutely no sense.

Just recently I was heartbroken as I learned of the four law enforcement officers from the same department who committed suicide just days apart. I was reminded of just how fragile life can be and how susceptible cops can be to choosing suicide as the proverbial permanent solution to a temporary problem. I was reminded of just how quickly we can become desensitized to life… and death.

Cops are a tough nut to crack. The job, now more than ever, has a way of totally warping one’s view of life, trauma, tragedy and death. We see this often in our morbid sense of humor. Cops are infamous for offending the sensibilities of those not in our line of work. Case in point: I remember responding to a call involving a drunk guy and a train. Having seen one John Wayne western too many “Joe” decided it was a good idea to try to jump on a moving train. Had Joe been sober, his idea would have been horrible. Being obnoxiously drunk made his idea infinitely worse. The train seemed to be slow enough as Joe made his move. Immediately stumbling, Joe fell face-first toward the moving train while reaching out for one of the boxcars. Joe quickly regretted his knuckle-headed plan as he saw his hand instantly ripped off at the forearm.  A shock-stricken Joe was rushed to the hospital. I was dispatched to the scene with a handful, pun intended, of other officers and a K-9 unit in search of Joe’s hand. The hope was, if found in time, it could be reattached. Well, we eventually found it,or what was left of it, and radioed to the E.R. that we would bring it in but in our collective opinion it was mangled beyond recognition.

As the three of us walked back to our cars one asked, “Hey can you give me a hand?” and the hand was given to him. “Do you need a hand?” a second officer said while passing the hand to me. The K-9 Officer took it back while demonstrating the proper “golf clap,” and the morbid humor continued.

Now this sounds terrible to someone who has never had such an experience, but I assure you, while seemingly morbid, crass, even unprofessional, it in a strange way is kind of a healthy way to process the traumatic event at the time. You know as well as I do the Police Academy doesn’t teach us how to carry a hand that had been ripped off, or how to cut down a man who had hung himself with an industrial strength orange extension cord, or how to gently remove the body of a 3-year-old toddler who had drowned in a local pond as his mother, oblivious to her son’s whereabouts, got high and partied.

Long before GPS and Google maps, law enforcement officers were learning the streets and locations in their respective areas of patrol, not by street names or block numbers, but by an auto fatality they responded to or a SIDS death they handled, by a triple homicide or police-involved shooting. To this day I can’t drive through an intersection or neighborhood in my town without thinking of something traumatic that happened in that area.

Unlike service members in the military who see and experience some horrific things, they can at least physically, if not mentally, leave the desert, the village, the mountain top, or dirt road on which their traumatic incident occurred. Cops have no such luxury, and if they LIVE in the same city where they work, the hits just keep on coming.

Admittedly, I know nothing about the four deputy sheriffs who took their lives, and so I dare not make any assumptions or draw any conclusions as to the reasons for these tragic deaths. Having said that, I do know a little bit about police suicides through my own experiences.

My grandfather Cyril, a retired police chief, left a suicide note, “Can never get well, can’t stand pain …”

Steve, a robbery detective, was going through relationship issues, outside of work. He turned to alcohol to help cope. Alcohol and guns are a really, really bad combination.

Dave, an Internal Affairs supervisor, was the happiest guy you would ever meet. His smile and positive attitude, masked the depression he was dealing with.

And perhaps the most tragic was Lt. Bill. Like Dave, Bill was quick with a smile, he was the nicest guy you would ever meet. His troops loved to work for him. Bill was an easy-going, laid-back supervisor that hadn’t forgotten what it was like to be a patrol officer. One night, Bill shot and killed his wife before killing himself. We would later learn he was being treated for insomnia. Doctors were trying to find a “safe” cocktail of medications to help him sleep. To a man, we believe he was awakened by a night tremor, shot his wife, and then realizing what he had done shot himself. I officiated a dual funeral service for Bill and his wife, standing by two open gravesites trying to comprehend the loss. PLEASE KEEP YOUR GUN FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM YOU AT NIGHT, THAT IF CALLED UPON TO NEED IT, YOU WILL HAVE TO FULLY WAKE UP TO RETRIEVE IT.

And though not a law enforcement officer, my father took his life in 2024, just days before his 83rd birthday. Dad’s hearing was shot, but otherwise his mind was sharp and he was in great health, shooting well under his age as an avid golfer two or three times a week. We would learn from the note he left, he was afraid he was going to outlive his life insurance policy.

Friends, the reasons law enforcement officers commit suicide are as varied as the officer. Sure, there can be clues, subtle hints, and warning signs. Unfortunately, especially with cops, such signs can be easily concealed. A cop who has been on the job for any amount of time has probably responded to dozens of suicides, making him or her a kind of subject matter expert. If an officer wants to drop a hint he will. If the officer does not, she will not.

As I began to squeeze the trigger, watching my reflection in the mirror and seeing the empty hollow eyes of one who had lost all hope, I heard a voice. A voice, as audible to me as that of my own wife, spoke three words that pierced the darkness that had consumed my life. “THERE IS HOPE.” There is hope. Three simple words that hit me like a ton of bricks. I immediately pulled the gun away from my head and literally began to look under the bed and in the bathroom for the source of those three words. About 4 months later I discovered the source, the author and in fact the very essence of that hope, Jesus Christ.

Friend my “why?” was a 14-year addiction to pornography; an addiction that, like cancer, had decimated my will to live and self-worth as a husband, a father, a police officer. Like an unrelenting boa constrictor, it squeezed the life, the purpose, the hope out of me. You see I knew all ABOUT Jesus but I did not truly KNOW Jesus. But then, on November 30, 1989, about four months after hearing those most powerful, life transforming words “There is Hope”, I surrendered my life to Jesus inviting Him, by grace through faith, to do as He saw fit to the living hell my life had become, in spite of the plastic smile.I felt as if Jesus, with key in hand, unlocked and began to unwrap 14 years of this unrelenting, suffocating, life destroying demonic stronghold. I was set free, and he or she who The Lord sets free is free indeed!

Friends, life can be challenging, even overwhelming. As law enforcement officers we are paid, we are trained, we are expected to fix things; to bring order to chaos and a sense of security to a dangerous situation. Of all people, we cannot let on that we are the ones in danger, we are the ones living a secret life of chaos, despair and depression. We are the ones in need of fixing from suicidal ideations. Jesus knows all of this and so much more about each one of us. Friend, can I shout from the very depths of my heart, soul, and spirit, “THERE IS HOPE!”

How do I know? Because I looked into eyes filled with hope just this morning.

Chris Amos is a retired officer and former spokesperson for the Norfolk Virginia Police Department. He is currently the pastor at Chr1st Fellowship Church in Norfolk. He is married for over 30 years and is the proud father of three children, two of whom are police officers. He serves as the volunteer Chaplain for Norfolk Police Dept. and Norfolk Sheriff’s Office.

“OLD SCHOOL COPS” Honoring Leadership and Mentorship

“OLD SCHOOL COPS” Honoring Leadership and Mentorship
By: The BLUE Magazine Editorial Staff

To many it’s like deja vu all over again (a famous quote attributed to New York Yankees Hall of Famer Yogi Berra). With the attempted cultural shift occurring in the restoration of law, order and a respect for best practice policing methods along with appreciation to those who do the work, here is a small sampling of some of our modern-day mentors and leaders in law enforcement with proven past track records of success that are making a positive impact today.

·Bernard Kerik first joined the New York City Police Department in 1986. A former NYPD Police Commissioner, he remains a strong voice and advocate for modern-day policing. Based upon successful tenures as both Commissioner of New York City Department of Corrections and NYPD Commissioner, his experiences and expertise in crime reduction, enforcement, and disaster management remain of great value to our profession and the BLUE Magazine.

·David A. Clarke, Jr. is the retired Sheriff of Milwaukee County Wisconsin and advocates for law enforcement nationwide. He is a frequent guest on cable news channels such as NewsMax and speaks as a law enforcement expert in great demand on numerous in-person speaking engagements throughout the United States. His written columns and articles appear on a regular basis in the BLUE Magazine and on our website thebluemagazine.com.

·Tom Homan, the current Trump administration Border Czar, has relied on his decades of experience as a police officer, manager, and administrator in spearheading the Trump administration’s programs to remove unlawfully entered violent criminals and gang members currently here in the United States. A good friend to law enforcement and the BLUE Magazine, we honor his service both past and present.

·Kash Patel, our current FBI Director, has a long record of government service. Having served as a public defender and later as a prosecutor, he has also served in many other critical federal government roles. His proclamation that we must allow good cops to be cops is exactly the message needed during these transitional times.

·Joel E. Gordon, the BLUE Magazine Editor-in-Chief, began his law enforcement career with the Baltimore City Police Department in 1980. Going on to work for the Crofton Maryland Police Department, and later as Chief of Police for the Kingwood, West Virginia, Police Department, he has been awarded by BLUE Magazine for Excellence in National Law Enforcement Leadership and recognized by Marquis Who’s Who in America 2025 for his continued contributions to the profession.

These and many other “old school cops,” many of whom can be found writing for the BLUE Magazine, remain of great value to law enforcement as it continues to evolve, grow, and ultimately once again flourish

Editor's Message

"Let good cops be cops" – Kash Patel

FBI Director Kash Patel was perfectly on point when he said during Senate confirmation hearing testimony that we must allow cops to be cops. In the sixteen years of our publication’s existence, we have always promoted best practices through shared knowledge and experience as our law enforcement profession continually evolves. One principle we have never wavered on has been our core mission of safety through promotion of the need to let cops be cops in keeping the peace through enforcement of law.

We at Blue Magazine are excited to deliver our 16th Year commemorative issue to our loyal readers and supporters. It’s an honor to look back on the road it took to get here, the initiatives we pursued, and the numerous accomplishments and successes individually and collectively we’ve made along the way.  The Blue Magazine began in 2009 as a very small local publication that circulated the magazine in the greater New York/New Jersey areas, mostly through the trunk of our founder Daniel Del Valle’s car. As each issue was built and hand-delivered, it became more and more evident that our independent voice was not only needed but that it was vital. We knew that if we were brave enough to speak truth to power—to challenge the status quo—and to fiercely defend and advocate for the men and women of law enforcement, the advancements we could promote for our profession were endless.

We are here now. The Blue Magazine is the leading national law enforcement publication, and our reach continues to grow.   However, our success didn’t happen overnight. Hard work and a commitment to excellence are what opened the many doors and brought the magazine to tremendous success. Year after year, the Blue Magazine has stayed true to our core principles. As you turn the pages in this commemorative issue, you will see the benefits of consistently doing the right thing, even when it’s often much easier to acquiesce and take the “easy road.”

Enjoy this commemorative issue as we celebrate our 16th year with you. We have many future initiatives planned ahead, and although these years have passed, we’ve really just begun. So stay tuned as Blue Magazine continues to raise the bar. We exist to fiercely advocate for and defend law enforcement.  To all of you who have been with us since day one, to those who hopped aboard along the way, and to many who are new, you are all important to us. We appreciate you. Our writers, editors, supporters, and the entire BLUE Magazine family are the best, and together there is nothing we can’t accomplish for the greater good! United we are strongest. God bless us all and remember to always watch each other’s six.

Joel E. Gordon
Editor-in-Chief 

TRIBUTE - JOSEPH WAMBAUGH

TRIBUTE - JOSEPH WAMBAUGH

"Here's an excerpt of the last known exclusive and comprehensive interview given by Joseph Wambaugh to Lori Cooper originally published by BLUE Magazine in late June 2022.

His writing and insights will always be remembered. May he rest in eternal peace.”

JOSEPH WAMBAUGH: A COP, CREATIVE WRITING GENIUS, AND AWARD-WINNING BOOK, TELEVISION, AND MOVIE SCREENPLAY WRITER AND CONSULTANT, ON HIS CAREER AND POLICING IN AMERICA TODAY
By Lori Cooper

A few years ago, I had the audacity to write to Joseph Wambaugh, who now casually signs his name in every response as just "Joe," or "Joe W.," a representation of how many times we've corresponded. The need for formality in his full name had now been reduced to what friends do: to simply call each other by the shortened version of their first names.

A complicated man whose tough interior shifts with topics about his days from earning a MA degree in Literature, to his 21 works of bestselling nonfiction and fictional tales about the lives of the American police officer, to his titles that were adapted into major motion pictures and made-for-TV movies, Joe Wambaugh has almost come to peace with a life where he feels his work, and his name, have all but been forgotten.

After graduating from high school in Ontario, California, he entered the United States Marine Corp, serving a three-year tour-of-duty. At the age of 18, he married his high school sweetheart, Dee Allsup. When he entered the Los Angeles Police Department in May of 1960, he'd already earned his Bachelor's degree in English, taking advantage of the G.I. Bill subsidy offered to members of the service, along with classes he could take on his off-duty hours. Wambaugh added, about his longstanding marriage to his high school sweetheart, "We were married when I was a Marine and she was a telephone operator.  We are both hard workers who don’t back off when things are difficult.

During his first eight years on the LAPD, he worked various assignments and returned to his alma mater, California State, Los Angeles, where, again, on his off-duty hours as a cop, he majored in English and earned a MA in Literature by 1968. He also worked his way up the ranks to becoming a detective sergeant for the Los Angeles Police Department. He was likely the only cop to have ever earned a master's degree in literature in 1968, with his first three books he'd also write while serving for the LAPD. Joe Wambaugh's undeniable career successes read like an A-to-Z collection of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

            My late dad had been a police officer in Columbus, Ohio during a time when Wambaugh, himself, was serving for the Los Angeles Police Department.

            I explained to Joseph Wambaugh that my late father had been a member of the Book-of-the-Month Club in the late 1960s and early 1970s, receiving all of his books that were always best sellers. Wambaugh went for the gusto when he wrote "The New Centurions" in 1970, his novel he described as the "first really true story about modern day policing in an urban environment." He knew that it would never be approved by the department or its then-chief, Ed Davis, so he sent it out without the department's approval.

As the story goes, Joseph Wambaugh's first novel became a Book-of-the-Month Club selection, and so my dad had received a copy of it, along with so many more. During a time when I was eight-years-old and supposed to be reading the novels that were a part of the classics in "The Nancy Drew Mystery Stories," I was instead reading my dad's cop books written by Wambaugh about the reality of how 'the job' affected a cop's life. Many of his subjects dealt with the escape into alcohol use, marriages that failed, and all of the fortitude that went along with those who were Wambaugh's main characters in his first novel,"The New Centurions," about three academy graduates from the same academy class, and how their personal and professional lives as cops evolved and changed over a five-year period.

I learned about the character of William "Bumper" Morgan in Wambaugh's second book, "The Blue Knight," and the hardest 'beat' of his life in a gritty and witty beat cop who was on the verge of retirement after 20 years as a patrolofficer. Cynical and idealistic at the same time, there's a little bit of "Bumper" Morgan in Joe Wambaugh, in my opinion.

But the third book of Joe Wambaugh's career, "The Onion Field," revered as the best true-crime story ever written alongside Truman Capote's,"In Cold Blood,"earned him a jacket review by Capote, something Wambaugh believed to be a real honor. When asked how he had met Truman Capote, Wambaugh explained, "I met Truman on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. He and my wife became acquainted in the Green Room, and he invited us to his Palm Springs home for lunch."

All of Wambaugh's first three books were adapted into films, with "The Onion Field" the first work of nonfiction he had written by 1973. Despite his belief that even young cops aren't aware of his name or his award-winning books and films, I have challenged him about his notion of that thought, having spoken with so many cops, retired and active-duty, who believe this title to be the one that changed the trajectory of policing forever. In my own cynical ways, I feel anyone who is or has been a cop, a reader of true crime books, or an avid viewer of true crime movies, would have to have lived under a rock to not have read, have viewed, or at least have heard about "The Onion Field." When I asked Joe about this topic, he capitulated in a response that still gives me cold shivers: "if policing became more sensitive to the psychological wounds suffered by cops, and not just the physical wounds, then yes, I am proud of that," he replied.

Just in case there's one person or cop who hasn't heard of this book or film, it's based on the lives of LAPD Officers Ian Campbell and Karl Hettinger, who made a traffic stop in 1963. Officer Campbell's gun was stripped from him from one of two sociopaths in the vehicle, and both officers were kidnapped and driven to an onion field, where Officer Ian Campbell was executed, and Officer Karl Hettinger ran, escaping his own death by the two cop killers. Officer Karl Hettinger would suffer from incredible amounts of 'survivor's guilt' and what we now know to be post-traumatic stress syndrome, otherwise called PTSD. He was forced to resign in 1966 and died at the age of 59. When I asked Joe Wambaugh out of all of his books who his favorite character was, he proclaimed, "possibly Karl Hettinger because of how much he suffered and endured."

Along the same subject matter, I asked Joe Wambaugh, in his opinion, which film adapted from all of his books he would suggest was the best, and, while I was not surprised, he responded with "The Onion Field.”When I asked why he felt it was the best, his answer was, "because it was faithful to the book. That is because I wrote the screenplay and self-financed [the film] and raised more money to maintain control [of the film].

Joseph Wambaugh retired from the LAPD in 1974, after serving 14 years. With his first three books making the best seller's lists, the first two were adapted into films rather quickly. "The New Centurions" was on The New York Times best seller's list for 32 straight weeks and opened to worldwide film audiences in August of 1972, while "The Blue Knight" aired to television audiences in 1973. Joe Wambaugh had become famous, and with that fame and notoriety came a myriad of problems he deemed too disruptive to the business of police work, forcing him to leave his beloved job for the LAPD and become a full-time writer.

Though he would go on to write 18 more books and create the popular television anthology, "Police Story" in 1974, Joe Wambaugh has decidedly elected to allow his pen and paper to simply marvel all of the work of his past, leaving future stories to those who may continue to attempt to succeed his award-winning work in true crime books and cop dramas.

Finally, when asked what recommendations he would make to anyone who wants to become a law enforcement officer, Joe Wambaugh responded with the good humor and great candor that nobody like him possesses. He said, "In my book, HOLLYWOOD STATION, “the Oracle”, a senior sergeant tells young cops that doing good police work is the most fun that they will ever have in their lives. I do not know if that is still true." He also noted, “If you want love, join the fire department. People needy of approval should not become cops."

Lori Cooper is the daughter of a late Columbus, Ohio Police Officer shot in the line of duty and whose perpetrator eluded authorities for 44 years until her own search resulted in his apprehension. Her story, featured by hundreds of news organizations, catapulted her to success as an expert law enforcement advocate, where she now writes for law enforcement media groups and is a highly-acclaimed guest on national radio and television.

Blue Magazine's Iconic Covers

The Blue Magazine had the honor and privilege of interviewing 
President Donald J. Trump. Remarkably, on the day of the interview, President Trump proceeded with it just hours before being arraigned in New York City, without canceling or postponing.

The Blue Magazine had the privilege and exclusive access to the New Jersey State Police. We met with troopers from across the state and gained insight into the many specialized divisions that play a vital role in keeping New Jersey residents safe. We also explored the rich history of the agency and learned about the journey that has shaped it into the respected institution it is today.

This K-9 issue was inspired by the DePaço family and their unwavering support for law enforcement—especially their generous, selfless donations of K-9s to agencies across the country. In this issue, we highlight K-9 Lanzer, who is featured on the cover, as well as numerous K-9 teams and their dedicated handlers from around the nation, showcasing their incredible work and commitment to public safety.

In this Blue Magazine issue we examine the growing challenges facing law enforcement, including a lack of support from leadership and the increasing impact of social media on public perception. Officers risk their lives daily, yet many feel abandoned by those in command. As social media amplifies incidents without context, the need for strong, principled leadership has never been greater.

The Blue Magazine takes to the streets of Chicago to speak directly with residents about the city’s high crime rates and the countless victims affected by everyday 
violence.

NY Blue Now honors the life and legacy of Detective Steven McDonald, who was shot in the line of duty on July 12, 1986. Despite the severity of his injuries, Det. McDonald survived the horrific incident and lived for another 30 years. During that time, his faith and hope became central to his life. In an extraordinary act of grace, he forgave his assailant and chose a path of forgiveness and love. Det. McDonald passed away on January 10, 2017, leaving behind a powerful legacy of resilience, compassion, and peace.

Back in 2015, the former NJ Blue Now had the opportunity to interview Sheriff David Clarke for the first time. Known for never holding back when it comes to defending law enforcement, Sheriff Clarke has remained a steadfast ally and friend to The Blue Magazine family ever since.

In 2020, The Blue Magazine endorsed President Donald J. Trump for re-election, citing his strong commitment to law and order and his steadfast support for both 
law enforcement and the community.

This issue of The Blue Magazine serves as a powerful reminder that God is with us at all times. Even when it feels like all hell is breaking loose, God remains in control.

The Blue Magazine had the exclusive honor of interviewing former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former NYPD Commissioner Bernard Kerik, two decades after the tragic events of 9/11. In this powerful conversation, they reflect on the chaos and courage of that day, the aftermath that reshaped a nation, and where life has taken them 20 years later.

The Blue Magazine had the exclusive opportunity to interview former NYC
Mayor Rudy Giuliani. We admire his leadership and view him as a strong example of a political leader who took accountability for the city he served.

The Blue Magazine had the honor of interviewing former ICE Director Tom Homan. He shared his perspective on the growing violence against ICE facilities and the public disdain faced by Border Patrol agents, despite the risks they take every day to apprehend criminals and keep our communities safe.

In this issue, The Blue Magazine shines a spotlight on mental health within the law enforcement community. Blue Suicide is a harsh and growing reality that cannot be ignored. It's time to have open, honest conversations and remind our brothers and sisters in blue that help is available-there is a way forward, and they are never alone.

At the time, NJ Blue Now had the honor of interviewing the Secret Soldiers of Benghazi—Mark “Oz” Geist, Kris “Tanto” Paronto, and John “Tig” Tiegen—to set the record straight, honor the sacrifice of the fallen, and ensure the world knew the truth. On September 11, 2012 on the volatile ground of Benghazi, Libya, Islamic militants attacked the American Diplomatic compound killing U.S Ambassador Christopher Stevens & U.S Foreign Service Information Management Officer Sean Smith. Six Americans had the courage to stand up and do what was right. Two of these heroes were killed in the firefight at the CIA Annex.

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, while many government employees and elected officials transitioned to working from home, police officers remained on the front lines. Without the option to socially distance, they continued to serve their communities amid uncertainty and health risks. Now, with vaccine mandates implemented in various jurisdictions, many officers are faced with a difficult choice: comply with vaccination requirements or risk losing their careers and livelihoods.

Vet News

Vet News
By: Dennis Duddie

The American legion is a veteran’s organization that was founded in 1919 after World War I. It was charted by Congress and has since grown to become one of the largest veteran’s service organizations in the United States that advocates for Veterans, veterans families and veteran communities.  The American legion has played a significant role in advocating for veterans rights and benefits, including the G.I. bill and the establishment of the VA healthcare system and most recently the packed act.  The American legions missions are built on four pillars. They are veteran affairs and rehab rehabilitation, national security, Americanism, and children in youth. The Legion also has a long history of supporting you through programs like American legion baseball, the Boy Scouts of America, the national oratorical contest and Boise state 

My name is Dennis M. Duddie, I am the current Commander for the Rochelle Park American Legion in Rochelle Park New Jersey for the past five years. I am also the Bergen County Commander for the American Legion where I get to help 34 other American legion‘s within that county I became Legionnaire 13 years ago and when I first heard about the American Legion, I thought it was just a bunch of old people sitting at a bar telling war stories we didn’t like anyone, to my surprise I was very wrong.  I am proud to say that I am a part of a special group of veterans who assist at risk and homeless veterans and help them get off the streets and into new housing. We host fundraisers and stand down’s to give veterans new clothing and outreach services to help them with their benefits  I never would have known how much not only veterans need our help but how much that I can help them, had I not joined the American Legion.   

As a veteran, we all know it’s hard to talk to other people who aren’t veterans. There’s a certain sense of family and brotherhood when you sit down and you’re having a bad day and you can talk to another Veteran and just let it out without a fear of being disregarded or judged. You’re not going find that anywhere else most civilians don’t understand how a veteran acts or reacts to things but when you’re around the same people it’s calming you’re at home.  I don’t ever want to lose a feeling like that.  The American legion has given me purpose again.  I feel I can do anything when it comes to helping another veteran or a veteran’s family member that are in need of help. The Legion is my family and I can only hope future members who join will get out of it what I have gotten.  The chance to help my fellow Veteran family members and a sense of fulfillment from my obligation to the community state and nation. 

Memorial Day: A Time for Reflection and Action

Memorial Day: A Time for Reflection and Action
By: Michael Boll

Every Memorial Day, millions of Americans attend parades, fire up their grills, and host large backyard BBQs for friends and family. As a veteran, I look forward to marching in a parade and attending a BBQ. However, before the festivities begin, I make it a point to check in on fellow veterans and ensure they are in a good place. For some veterans, Memorial Day is a difficult day, and they could use some reassurance from a friend or comrade.

For too long, our military members and veterans have been facing a heartbreaking crisis. A new study suggests that 44 veterans and servicemembers take their lives every day. This has become a nationwide epidemic, and countless families are struggling with this issue alone. Fortunately, there are many organizations working tirelessly to help our uniformed heroes get through these difficult times.

In 2017, the New Jersey Veterans Network (501(c)3) was created with a focus on the well-being of military members, veterans, and their families. The NJVN is a volunteer-driven mobile outreach team that actively seeks out veterans in need, providing them with free, life-saving resources and services. As a grassroots organization, we have a unique perspective on the needs of our uniformed heroes.

Our approach, combined with the ability to collaborate with other organizations that share our mission, has allowed us to save lives and help veterans live a better quality of life. Recently, the NJVN has ramped up our mentorship and peer support programs. However, our recreational therapy events and functions have produced the most impactful results.

The NJVN has had great success hosting social events such as: movie nights, group hiking, paintball, professional sporting games, fishing trips, hunting, and other outdoor activities. Additionally, every year, the NJVN sends veterans to Camp Patriot (a PTSD Retreat) for a week of healing.

Each week, the NJVN provides veterans with food, clothing, housing assistance, VA benefits information, and mental health support. By partnering with numerous other groups and organizations, we can offer our uniformed heroes a better way of life.

If you would like to join the team, please don’t hesitate to contact us at NJVN1775@gmail.com or call 973-332-1556.

What is the mission of today’s Veterans of Foreign Wars?

What is the mission of today’s Veterans of Foreign Wars?
By: Kenneth Hagemann

It is the same as our 1899 founders envisioned: to serve, represent and advocate for troops, veterans and families. Those Spanish-American War veterans knew that veterans needed a union that would fight to force the politicians to honor President Lincoln’s pledge, “To care for him who shall have borne the battle”.

Since then, the VFW has played an instrumental role in virtually every significant piece of veterans’ legislation passed in the 20th and 21st centuries in Washington D.C. and statehouses across this country. Most recently, we successfully advocated for passage of the Honoring our PACT Act, the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, and UCMJ reform on sexual assault and harassment. Here in New Jersey, we recently advocated for a veteran’s consumer protection law that protects veterans from being charged exorbitant fees for VA benefits assistance along with holding the Governor’s Office and the State Dept of Military & Veterans Affairs accountable for veteran services and National Guard members’ quality of life issues.

Our 2025 legislative goals are to ensure the politicians “Honor the Contract,” making sure veterans care and benefits remain fully funded and appropriately staffed to carry out this critical mission. Veterans fulfilled our part of the contract we signed at enlistment, and we expect our elected and appointed leaders to do the same.  We are also advocating for several pieces of property-tax relief legislation reserved for New Jersey’s military veterans.

For 125 years, the VFW has been on the frontlines caring for troops and veterans both on the frontlines and abroad, and we are committed to continuing the fight for future generations of warriors.

CRYPTOCURRENCY INVESTIGATIONS

CRYPTOCURRENCY INVESTIGATIONS
By: Keven Hendricks

It is undeniable that cryptocurrency is a polarizing topic, especially for us in law enforcement. Since the first transaction was posted on the Bitcoin blockchain in 2009, cryptocurrency has risen from a cumbersome fiefdom of the internet to a Crypto ATM being installed at your local convenience store. While many in law enforcement have become familiar with cryptocurrencies by partaking in the investment furor, attracted by the extreme market volatility, I have ascertained that knowledge of how cryptocurrencies work remains overwhelmingly scarce among the law enforcement fanfare. To be succinct: There are many who want to make money off cryptocurrencies, but few who understand the coins they are so quick to throw money at actually function. Terms like “lettuce hands,” “diamond hands” and “hodl” have become entrenched as internet colloquialisms surrounding the crypto zeitgeist, but for as many rags to riches stories we all have read, the harrowing truth is that law enforcement across the country is being inundated with complaints of cryptocurrency-facilitated crimes. From sextortion to fraud/“pig butchering,” I challenge you to find me a department that hasn’t handled a case that had a nexus to cryptocurrencies in some way. And that question I ask: What is being done to help adequately address this epidemic? Are departments nationwide prioritizing training and dedicating personnel to handle cybercrime cases? Sadly, the answer is no. There needs to be a paradigm shift in the way cryptocurrency cases are handled, and this is no easy task for a profession that has been historically resistant to change. State and local police departments CAN investigate cryptocurrency cases, and these CAN lead to significant financial seizures as well as prosecutions. If you find yourself asking “How?” my hope is that this article will give you the knowledge and confidence you need to finally address the mountain of cryptocurrency fraud cases your department was previously writing off as “unsolvable”.

The first thing that I want you to understand that investing in cryptocurrency is divorced from investigating cryptocurrency. You do not need to understand why Bitcoin’s value ebbs and flows daily in order to successfully investigate any crypto case. The definition of cryptocurrency says it’s a digital currency with a public ledger maintained by decentralized authority.Whether or not you like cryptocurrencies, you yourself use a digitized form of currency each day when you transact with your debit/credit card or virtual wallet service (i.e. CashApp, Venmo). The difference? Your digital currency is regulated by your financial institution or credit card provider that approves or declines the usage. Cryptocurrency, however, needs the blockchain/public ledger to authenticate and confirm every transaction, which is maintained by a decentralized collective that maintain the blockchain. The term “untraceable” or “anonymous” usually accompanies talks of crimes facilitated by cryptocurrency, and that certainly needs to be purged from our minds. Because Bitcoin is unequivocally the most popular, valuable, and desired of the 2.4 million traded cryptos, a majority of cases police departments are seeing connect to Bitcoin. This is certainly something I equate as being good news, since Bitcoin’s blockchain is very transparent and auditable. Every single transaction since 2009, no matter how small, has been and continues to be posted to the blockchain.

It is unfortunately all too common that police departments across the US would rather refer victims to utilize IC3.gov instead of fielding the reports themselves. I vehemently disagree with this mindset, as this often makes victims of cryptocurrency-facilitated crimes feel helpless and that law enforcement cannot do anything for them. On the contrary, police departments fielding the initial report from the victim and entering the information into IC3.gov on the behest of the victim would be a much better practice. There is A LOT that you can do from an investigative approach just by getting a transactional hash or a wallet address. While this article specifically highlights Bitcoin, the fundamentals transcend to other cryptocurrencies as well, included the Smart Contract blockchains like Ethereum and Tron. Victims sometimes are not aware how auditable and viewable these blockchains are, nor would they know that providing wallet information or transaction hashes could help further their case, whether receiving reimbursement for their losses or future identification/prosecution of suspects. While some exchanges can be domiciled outside the United States, many comply with requests from United States law enforcement with varying caveats. Such major exchanges as Coinbase, Binance, OKX, and Kraken are complaint to requests from law enforcement. IC3.gov reporting data accounts for over $12.5 billion in losses for 2023, the highest year to date with 2024 prospected to be even higher. I challenge you to find a comparable area of criminality that affects the global economy as much. Furthermore, the most common medium in which the reported stolen funds are often being moved is cryptocurrency.

The adage “Necessity is the mother of Invention” is true today more than ever. Similar to the formation of the National Center For Missing And Exploited Children in 1984 after the highly publicized abduction and murder of Adam Walsh in 1981 as well as the subsequent advocacy by John & Reve Walsh; we in law enforcement often don’t see plausible solutions to persistent problems until they are necessary. Being a prosecutor with one of the most proactive local cyber task forces within the Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office, Erin West stood on the front lines of a war against cyber fraudsters and realized that law enforcement is on the losing side. Her formation of the Operation Shamrock https://operationshamrock.org/ nonprofit is intended to create a unilateral front of both law enforcement/public sector, and private sector to raise awareness, adequately educate and empower those who seek to help stomp out the fastest-growing area of criminality in the world. These types of cases are not “unsolvable” as we in law enforcement are so quick to categorize them. The current lackadaisical approach only emboldens the criminals. The amount of resources offered to law enforcement to assist with cryptocurrency, whether via a service like RISS.net, or educational webinars I have personally conducted with NW3C, are more available now than they ever have been. The belief that there must be some sort of astronomical budget to subsidize software procurement is just as big of a myth as cryptocurrency being “untraceable” and “anonymous”. We all collectively need to prioritize cybercrime cases, and by proxy cryptocurrency cases, with the urgency and due diligence they deserve.

In closing, I would like to part with a question that I feel we already know the answer to: Are we doing enough to help those who have been victimized by cryptocurrency facilitated crimes?

For more specific information and possible assistance with blockchain investigations contact the author @ keven@ubivisproject.org

Keven Hendricks is a 18-year law enforcement veteran previously serving on FBI and DEA task forces combating cybercrime. His expertise has been quoted in The Washington Post, NPR, Wired, & The Economist. He is a published author with the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin and is currently working as an instructor for various training companies, teaching classes for law enforcement on the dark web and cybercrimes. He is recognized as a subject-matter expert in the field of dark web investigations by the Department of Defense and the founder of the Ubivis Project (ubivisproject.org).

Managing Editor's Message

It’s here! 2025 is a year full of promise. As the Independent Voice of Law Enforcement BLUE Magazine is having quite an impact!

Many congratulations are in order. Our 47th President and supporter of BLUE, Donald J. Trump, his Vice President J.D. Vance and their stellar cabinet along with other appointees such as Border Czar Tom Homan lead in our salute to achievement. Congratulations also go out to Blue Magazine Writer, Police Chief Dr. Ron Camacho, who credits, in part, the exposure from his impressive articles on leadership that we published in BLUE Magazine for helping to make his dream come true being appointed as Police Chief for the 300+ officers of the North Charleston (SC) PD. Also, special mention goes out to BLUE magazine Executive Editor/Editor-in-Chief Emeritus George Beck for his promotion to second in command as Captain in the Palisades Park (NJ) PD.

I am most grateful to have been named as BLUE Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief moving forward. This honor would not have been possible without our stellar team of writers, editors, and supporters.

In this issue… Keven Hendricks gives us useful information via his cover story on Cryptocurrency Investigations. John Giduck gives us an in-depth view of the necessity of a warrior mentality both in military operations and in domestic law enforcement invia his insightful essay:  The Horror of Real Hand-to-Hand Combat: A Case Study from the Ukraine War. Self-care is addressed in this issue as our personal health and resilience must remain front and center. As Monica Crawford of Five-O Fierce and Fit frequently tells us "you can't pour from an empty cup." Welcome to Dr. Natanya Wachtel Blue Magazine’s new columnist on mental health in law enforcement. She will feature real stories from officers who have faced mental health issues. Her goal is to provide insights, practical advice, and accessible wellness tips for those who may be navigating similar struggles.

Looking ahead, we remain encouraged and are focused on promoting and protecting the protectors in and of law enforcement. Stay connected as we soar to new heights. We are always nearby so feel free to reach out to us and our sister organization Moment of Silence. We are here for you now and always.

Joel E. Gordon

Editor-in-Chief

Chief Joel Gordon (Ret.) Promoted to Editor-in-Chief of Blue Magazine

Chief Joel Gordon (Ret.) Promoted to Editor-in-Chief of Blue Magazine

Blue Magazine is honored to announce the promotion of Chief Joel E. Gordon (Ret.) to editor-in-chief. Chief Gordon has distinguished himself over the past nine years at Blue Magazine. Starting as a contributing writer, Chief Gordon was quickly promoted to associate editor as his passion, intellect, skill in journalism and editing abilities were impressive and unmatched. In 2021, Chief Gordon was selected as managing editor, where he continually worked to lead Blue Magazine to higher levels of success.

Chief Gordon is a former field training officer with the Baltimore City Police Department and is a past Chief of Police for the city of Kingwood, West Virginia. He has also served as vice-chair of a multi-jurisdictional regional narcotics task force. He is the author of the book “Still Seeking Justice: One Officer’s Story” and founded the popular Facebook group Police Authors Seeking Justice. Chief Gordon is the past recipient of our most prestigious award for Senior Journalist of the Year and has earned several additional journalism awards.

Congratulations, and thank you, Chief Gordon, for all you do for our publication and law enforcement on the national stage. We are honored to have you now serve as the editor-in-chief of Blue Magazine. We wish you much success in your new position.

George M. Beck, Jr. Ph.D.
Executive Editor/Editor-in-Chief Emeritus

40 Million Yearly Crime Victimizations-Millions Experience Emotional Distress

40 Million Yearly Crime Victimizations-Millions Experience Emotional Distress
By: Leonard Adam Sipes, Jr.

As a police officer, I responded to a call for an active burglary. When I arrived, I was greeted outside by a frantic mother and children who claimed that someone was in the basement. Upon investigation, no one was there and there were no signs of a breaking and entering.

However, the woman and children were distraught (understatement). They begged me to stay. The problem was that my calls were backing up; I had the woman call my supervisor to get permission to remain. After about 30 minutes, they were calm enough for me to leave.

One of the impressions of police work is how powerful all types of victimizations are to those affected. People move because of crime. I knew of a new television executive moving out of Baltimore City because his garage was broken into three times to steal bikes. He wanted to experience life in the city but moved his family close to the Pennsylvania line in northern Baltimore County.

The findings below from the National Crime Victimization Survey of the USDOJ underplay the impact of crime by focusing on crimes of violence when the reality is that many are devastated by property crimes; victims often believe the offender will return. They spend thousands of dollars on security devices. They purchase firearms. The stories of identity theft victims losing their life savings are heartbreaking.

Readers should understand that all criminal activity (or perceptions of criminal activity) have the potential to significantly alter (destroy?) communities.

What puzzles me and others is that the plight of crime victims is routinely ignored by policymakers and the media. It’s as if victimization is something they need to get over and move on with their lives.

We wouldn’t do that to people experiencing severe medical or mental health issues or members of marginalized groups experiencing attacks; we’re ready to march in the streets for everyone except victims of crime.

Why is that?

National Crime Victimization Survey

Violent victimization is known to have consequences on victims’ lives, including negatively impacting their social and emotional well-being, see Socio-Emotional Impact of Violent Crime. In the National Crime Victimization Survey, socio-emotional consequences of crime include moderate to severe emotional distress, significant problems with friends or family, and significant problems with one’s job or schoolwork. Victimizations reflect the total number of times that persons were victims of crime.

Key Findings:

·         Overall, 68% of victims of serious violence experienced socio-emotional problems as a result of their victimization

·         Nearly half of all violent victimizations (47%) resulted in moderate to severe distress to the victim. About 22% of violent victimizations resulted in the victim experiencing significant problems with family or friends, and 18% caused significant problems with their job or schoolwork. 

·         More than half of rape or sexual assault (63%), robbery (59%), and aggravated assault (52%) victimizations resulted in moderate to severe distress to the victim, compared to less than half of simple assault (40%) victimizations. 

·         The victim reported significant problems with family or friends following 18% of simple assault victimizations, which was lower than the percentages for rape or sexual assault (34%), robbery (30%), and aggravated assault victimizations (26%).

·         The victim reported significant problems with their job or schoolwork after 13% of robbery victimizations and 15% of simple assault victimizations, both lower than the percentages reported after rape or sexual assault (29%) and aggravated assault (22%) victimizations.

·         A greater percentage of female than male victims experienced socio-emotional problems, regardless of the type of violence or victim–offender relationship.

·         The majority (91%) of violent crime victims with socioemotional problems experienced one or more emotional symptoms for a month or more. Most (61%) experienced one or more physical symptoms for a month or more.

·         About 9 in 10 IPV victims who lived in households headed by single females experienced socioemotional problems

Few understand or are willing to acknowledge the massive psychological and financial impact of criminal victimization. Sympathy and assistance seem to come from the law enforcement community and victim advocates. Beyond them, few seem to care. The criminological community or media or advocates rarely (if ever) mention the societal impact of crime victimization.

No demonstrations or events are defending or advocating for crime victims.

In the last report from the National Crime Victimization Survey, there were 6,624,950 victims of violent crime and 13.4 million property victimizations of U.S. households. Per the USDOJ, 23 million persons reported being victims of identity theft during the prior 12 months, costing $15.1 billion.

We are addressing well over 40 million criminal victimizations yearly. Victimization may exceed half the population when you combine violent and property crime with identity theft and cybercrime.

According to Gallup, fear of crime is at record highs. According to polls, crime is at the top of voter concerns. Crime is the second most important topic (beyond weather) for local news. Crime is a top reason for people moving.

Yet few care about victims. People expressing concerns about crime, per Gallup, are subject to a slew of national articles suggesting that their feelings are unjustified. They imply that Americans concerned about crime are either silly or irrational.

When was the last time a major media outlet addressed the needs of crime victims? When was the last demonstration calling for the rights of crime victims? The damage done to crime victims is the same as attacks on any group of people, yet the issue is mostly ignored. A greater percentage of female than male victims experienced socio-emotional problems yet #metoo seems missing in action.

Why?

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

Terror Attacks on American Streets and the Police Response

Terror Attacks on American Streets and the Police Response
By Lt. Joseph Pangaro (Ret) CPM, CSO, MOI

The United States continues to face a dynamic and multifaceted terrorism threat landscape, necessitating vigilant preparedness and response strategies from law enforcement agencies nationwide. Recent incidents, such as the January 2025 terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, where an assailant drove into a crowd, resulting in multiple casualties, underscore the persistent danger posed by both domestic and international actors.

Current Terrorism Threats in the USA

The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) 2025 Homeland Threat Assessment indicates that the terrorism threat environment within the homeland remains high. The assessment highlights concerns over individuals with terrorism ties attempting to exploit migration flows to enter the United States, as well as the potential for violent extremist responses to the 2024 election cycle and escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Additionally, the National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) Bulletin issued in May 2023 emphasizes that lone offenders and small groups, motivated by a range of ideological beliefs and personal grievances continue to pose a persistent and lethal threat to the homeland. Both domestic violent extremists and those associated with foreign terrorist organizations increase the threat.

In a CNN story, Christopher Wray, former director of the FBI, recently said he has never seen a time during his decades-long career when so many threats against the US were all as elevated as they are now, warning senators he sees “blinking lights everywhere.”

The attack on New Orleans is potentially just the beginning.  As a police trainer for many years, I see trends in training that develop after a high profile incident takes place. Some of this training has great value, other responses and the training that is created is simply a knee jerk reaction to public pressure.

To help our local, county and state police officers prepare to identify and respond to a potential terror incident means we have to develop a curriculum for this topic and then provide the training for every officer. That may require federal or state funding, but not doing it is asking for problems. 

Here are some ideas on programs and skill sets that are needed.

Preparing for and Responding to Terrorism Threats

To effectively address these evolving threats, police agencies must adopt a comprehensive approach that includes training and intelligence sharing. Realistic drills, constant review of threats and a way to receive information from citizens are also important.

 Recommended Training Programs for Law Enforcement

Several specialized training programs are available to equip law enforcement personnel with the necessary skills to counter terrorism effectively:

·         State and Local Anti-Terrorism Training (SLATT) Program: Sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, SLATT provides online training modules covering a wide range of counterterrorism topics tailored for state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement officers.

·         Counterterrorism Division at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC): FLETC offers high-quality training courses related to terrorism methodology, threat response, threat mitigation, and infrastructure protection. Their programs are designed to enhance the capabilities of law enforcement officers in counterterrorism efforts.

·         FBI Training Programs: The FBI provides various training opportunities, including the FBI National Academy, which offers coursework in intelligence theory,

Based on the research, several specific skills and training areas can significantly enhance the preparedness of local and state police officers to respond to terrorist threats:

1. Critical Incident Management

·         Training Focus: Leadership and coordination during emergencies, especially in scenarios involving multiple agencies.

·         Key Skills:

o    Incident command system (ICS) training.

o    Decision-making under pressure.

o    Communication and interoperability between agencies.

·         Suggested Programs: FEMA’s National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS) training courses.

2. Active Shooter Response

·         Training Focus: Tactics for neutralizing active shooters and protecting civilians in high-risk situations.

·         Key Skills:

o    Room-clearing techniques.

o    Engaging threats in crowded or confined spaces.

o    Civilian evacuation and medical triage support.

·         Suggested Programs: Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) at Texas State University.

3. Behavioral Analysis and Threat Recognition

·         Training Focus: Identifying pre-attack indicators and suspicious behavior.

·         Key Skills:

o    Recognizing signs of radicalization or "leakage" (statements or actions suggesting violent intent).

o    Proficiency in behavioral analysis techniques.

o    Conducting effective threat assessments.

·         Suggested Programs: FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit training and the Terrorism Liaison Officer (TLO) program.

4. Community Engagement and Intelligence Gathering

·         Training Focus: Building trust within communities to encourage the reporting of suspicious activities.

·         Key Skills:

o    Effective communication and cultural sensitivity.

o    Encouraging citizen involvement in security efforts.

o    Analyzing tips and leads from community members.

·         Suggested Programs: DHS’s "If You See Something, Say Something®" campaign integration training and Fusion Center liaison programs.

5. Counter-Surveillance Techniques

·         Training Focus: Detecting and disrupting surveillance conducted by potential terrorists.

·         Key Skills:

o    Identifying unusual patterns in surveillance activity.

o    Using surveillance equipment to monitor public spaces.

o    Collaboration with private security entities to expand observation capabilities.

·         Suggested Programs: DHS’s Counter-Surveillance Detection Training and local FBI field office workshops.

6. Explosives and Hazardous Materials Awareness

·         Training Focus: Recognizing and responding to explosive devices and hazardous materials.

·         Key Skills:

o    Bomb threat response and evacuation protocols.

o    Identifying chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats.

o    Working with bomb squads and hazardous materials (HAZMAT) units.

·         Suggested Programs: National Bomb Squad Commanders Advisory Board (NABSCAB) training and DHS’s Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Awareness Workshop.

7. Cybersecurity and Technology Proficiency

·         Training Focus: Identifying and mitigating cyber threats related to terrorism.

·         Key Skills:

o    Analyzing social media and online communications for terrorist planning.

o    Monitoring and addressing cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

o    Using data analytics tools to track suspicious digital activity.

·         Suggested Programs: FBI’s Cyber Shield Alliance training and DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) programs.

8. Medical and Tactical Emergency Care

·         Training Focus: Providing immediate medical aid during or after a terrorist attack.

·         Key Skills:

o    Applying tourniquets, chest seals, and other life-saving measures.

o    Operating under combat-like conditions.

o    Supporting emergency medical services (EMS) in mass casualty situations.

·         Suggested Programs: Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) and Stop the Bleed® programs.

9. Cultural and Religious Awareness

·         Training Focus: Understanding diverse communities to prevent cultural missteps and build trust.

·         Key Skills:

o    Knowledge of different religions and customs.

o    Sensitivity to cultural dynamics that may be exploited by terrorist groups.

o    Collaborating with community leaders to counteract radicalization.

·         Suggested Programs: Local law enforcement cultural competency workshops and specialized FBI training.

10. Scenario-Based Training

·         Training Focus: Simulated exercises to replicate real-world terrorism scenarios.

·         Key Skills:

o    Practicing coordinated responses to complex threats.

o    Testing communication channels and rapid decision-making.

o    Learning from post-exercise debriefings to refine strategies.

·         Suggested Programs: DHS’s Full-Scale Exercise (FSE) toolkit and multi-agency regional drills.

Investing in these targeted training programs and skills will empower local and state police officers to effectively address the evolving terrorism threats within their jurisdictions.

Pangaro cited Sources:

New York Post

Department of Homeland Security

Slatt

https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/05/politics/fbi-director-senate-hearing/index.html

Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers

Joseph Pangaro is a 27-year veteran of law enforcement. He retired in 2013 at the rank of Lieutenant and currently serves as the Director of School Safety and Security for a large school district in NJ. He is also the owner of Pangaro Training and Management, a company that provides training to the public and private sector on a host of topics. Email: JPangaro@Yahoo.com

The Horror of Real Hand-to-Hand Combat: A Case Study from the Ukraine War

The Horror of Real Hand-to-Hand Combat: A Case Study from the Ukraine War
By: Dr. John Giduck, JD, Ph.D.

All the tactical professions need to enter a new era of reality-based close-quarters battle preparedness. Nowhere is that truer than with American police. Every day, police must put their hands on often-resistant suspects, far more than the military does. This translates to the necessity that current defensive tactics (DT) training abandon systems that are more fashion than effectiveness. To not do this, risks the safety and lives of our officers. This reality is a focus of my just-released book 1500 Years of Fighting: The Complete Book of Russian, Ukrainian and Soviet Martial Arts From Cossacks to Spetsnaz and Beyond. It includes a critical analysis of the fighting training of US military, Special Forces and law enforcement (LE) relative to the peerless ability of the Russians, who employ systems that began to be developed 15 centuries ago and have been evolved for modern policing and military operations.

On 2 Jan 2025, SOFX posted video footage from a GoPro camera mounted on a Ukrainian soldier’s helmet that documents a hand-to-hand engagement between he and a Russian soldier that concludes with the Ukrainian’s death (https://www.sofx.com/graphic-helmet-footage-captures-intense-hand-to-hand-combat-between-ukraine-and-russian-soldiers/). The Ukrainian soldier involved in the incident, whose identity has not been released, was participating in a clearing operation in the area. There are two video versions on the site. One is 15 minutes long and the other 8:04 in length.

The longer footage begins with Ukrainian drones striking targets in the area that was later cleared by ground forces. The Ukrainian soldier engaged in a firefight, then encountered the Russian combatant. The ability to discern everything that occurs is difficult. I viewed this tape at least a dozen times, slowing it down to quarter-second increments and freezing the frame continuously to determine what exactly occurred in each moment. I compiled a step-by-step analysis of this close-quarter fight in the Ukraine War from the eight-minute tape. The full time-elapsed narrative can be found on my book’s website under the Articles section @ www.giduck-books.com. This is the very combat reality that I address in-depth in 1500 Years of Fighting. In the book I critically examine the most popular martial arts today, and assess the US Army’s adoption of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) techniques vis-à-vis their efficacy in real world hand-to-hand combat scenarios. However, the same is needed for many police departments’ and SWAT teams’ defensive tactics training programs.

Points that are emphasized in the book include never going to your back with an opponent pulled on top of you, unless absolutely necessary. This technique has come to be known as the Gracie Guard and is a favored move in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ). With it, you lie on your back with your legs wrapped around a person on top of you. It has proven to be an adequate sport technique seen in the UFC and other MMA events, but it has little application in a true fight with no rules. In that position, as you hug your opponent to you, he is perfectly situated to bite your nose and ears off, amputate your fingers with his teeth, take out pieces of your face and even bite your throat out. The Russian Special Forces (Spetsnaz) call this “tactical biting”. They are the only people I ever trained with who teach biting as a combat discipline. It is also a position you never want to be in if your opponent might be armed, which is something police must always assume. You also lose the ability to observe or control his access to a knife or gun. He has the advantage of using his bodyweight and gravity against you. Again, this is a fine technique on a flat mat with no obstacles impeding your movements and when rules are being followed. But in battles in war and on the street, there may be debris, rubble, obstructions, other people in your way, cars and the real possibility of your opponent’s friends coming up and joining in, even shooting or stabbing you. All of this happened in this battle. In real life, there are no rules; if you are training for art, but your enemy is training for war, you are going to lose.

Some of these important lessons can be gleaned from studying the YouTube videos of such events as Officer Karli Travis being attacked by a hammer-wielding man on 12 Aug 2023 and the 27 Jan 2024 Times Square attack on two NYPD officers by a gang of illegal immigrants. The “Russian” hand-to-hand systems have reality-based principles and techniques for dealing with all such violent assaults. Most LE DT systems do not. Although this battle between the two soldiers goes on for a long time relative to most hand-to-hand encounters, or even real-world street fights, it presents a valuable case study for preparing police and soldiers for the worst type of combat.

In the verbal exchange between the two combatants after the fight, the Ukrainian told the Russian, “Don’t try to help me, let me die quietly, please leave. Thank you.” Russian response, “You fought great,” Ukrainian: “Thank you. Goodbye. You were the best fighter.” 

The fight went from 1:37 to 6:48, fully five minutes fourteen seconds.

In sum, the hand-to-hand battle begins with both on their feet, just as all fights typically start. One person goes to – or ends up on – his back. But he is close to a wall, with debris all around making maneuvering difficult to impossible. Both opponents draw knives and stab the other, though the Russian has the advantage of bodyweight, gravity and leverage. The Ukrainian uses the Gracie Guard, but it is not sufficient to overcome the top man’s advantages. Contrary to BJJ principles, Russian hand-to-hand experts do not believe the bottom person utilizing the guard is in the superior position. They say that it is still an inferior or defensive position or, at best, a neutral one. The attempt at an arm bar from the bottom is unsuccessful. The top person utilizes an improvised weapon with which to stab his opponent when he loses his knife, demonstrating another main tactic of Russian training. The top person also uses Russian tactical biting and at one point a second threat appears (although does not take a role). In the end, far too many stabs from the Russian results in the death of the Ukrainian.

The reality of this and other situations prove the vulnerability of the popular BJJ technique of fighting from one’s back. Mike Scales, a former US Army NCO and black belt, who is also Jiu Jitsu-trained, says, “When you have gear on and in a situation like that, there are a whole lot of things that are going to trip you up and get you caught on. From the top position, you have greater ability to move and can use your bodyweight and gravity against your opponent.”

Retired Virginia Tech SWAT leader Curtis Cook, who led his team into the massacre in Norris Hall in 2007, concludes by saying this film clearly demonstrates “the will to fight to survive.” When he was SWAT commander, he “saw the need for more advanced training beyond basic defensive tactics that were being taught in the academy. This included weapons retention and delivering strikes and kicks while moving through a target. I also stressed if you are knocked to the ground, you fight to get back up. I’m not a fan of wrestling in full gear with weapons to try and get an arm bar on a suspect, but I do see a need for some practical ground fighting techniques.”

Matt Adams is a career SWAT leader and trainer, but also holds multiple black belts and is a former international bare-knuckle karate competitor. He observed:

Once the Ukrainian winds up or goes to his back, he cannot get out of the position. It's great to know how to counter an attack on the ground but it isn't as simple as BJJ people want to believe. It's not as easy as securing the weapon, slide out and reverse. The guy is actually trying to kill you while you're doing this. The Russian does the unthinkable as far as sport combatives: he bites. The Ukrainian stayed in the fight. He never gave up, but exhaustion and blood loss were taking their toll as it wore on. Neither could get a grip on anything because the blood was making everything slick.

Retired Marine and former Penn State wrestler Lt. Col. Joe Bierly adds: “Just note the ‘terrain’.  Not a flat gym floor … piles of rubble everywhere. Your stance becomes even more critical.” Russian Systema master, Jiu Jitsu black belt and trainer of two European Special Forces groups, Kevin Secours agrees with others in saying:

I don’t know that he so much went to his back as fell on his back. Ground fighting is a reality. The Ukrainian had a lot of gear and the ground was terribly cluttered. That is why the old combat-oriented Japanese Jiu Jitsu material had less hip escapes and movement than BJJ depends on. This fight could have gone either way. It definitely reinforces why we don’t want to volunteer for the ground, but also shows the necessity of training it because it happens. Most importantly it shows how long these encounters can last.

Police Chief Dr. Ron Camacho, a former SWAT leader and Russian hand-to-hand combat practitioner, agrees, adding: Often, “There are still rules to street fights here in the US. The exception is when someone goes overboard. There are often people around trying to break up fights or running to call the police. So, while seeing BJJ successfully used in a war zone would be incredibly rare and possibly foolish, there is a place for it where ‘rules’ still hold true. It is easy to learn and especially valuable with this new crop of officers, many of whom have never been in a fight. It is an expedient method to give our new officers some tools for their toolbox. The best practice is to combine BJJ with other techniques, such as disarms, strikes, and other defensive moves.” 

But there are times when, for many reasons, it is not going to work even in a civilian environment. That dictates not having an over-reliance on grappling, and definitely not fighting from one’s back. As emphasized in 1500 Years of Fighting, in my Russian martial arts gym we used to train this very situation a lot, including having someone in your guard or in the mount on you, with one or two others coming to kick you in the head or stab you, even as the person in your guard stabbed you. Australian security professional Simon Luciow, another Russian hand-to-hand expert who trained extensively with the Spetsnaz in Russia, agrees with the vulnerabilities of being on your back. “Going to your back in a real conflict, just guarding up someone for a long time, isn’t going to work when everything bad happens in the first minute, and the other person has something to cut you with.”

A currently serving Green Beret who reviewed this video said to me that BJJ might be the best sport fighting style, but has little application in real-world hand-to-hand. Part of that is due to their lack of focus in dealing with knives and handguns. He explained:

Many of those who carry knives don't understand that people don’t die after one stab and are seldom even incapacitated. Knife fights can go on for a surprising amount of time. Here, they stabbed the absolute shit out of each other and still had the strength and will to continue on. When we teach the ‘kill class’ and explain the anatomy of how to kill someone we explain ‘switches’ and ‘timers’. Switches turn things off immediately (whether it is life, paralysis of parts of the body, or sight) and then timers are strikes that bleed the enemy out (whether slow or fast bleed out).

Medical research shows that even if a heart is completely cut out, the person can continue to function for some time. The brain continues to think and act. This can go on for up to a few minutes, until the brain and other organs finally lose all oxygen due to the lack of blood circulation. However, this elite soldier echoes the others in saying: “While I do agree that going to your back should be avoided during hand-to-hand combat, it is a reality that you may end up on your back and need to figure that problem out, so it should be trained but not be considered the standard.”

Former Spetsnaz, Igor Livits, says that the problem with applying modern Jiu Jitsu to combat is that they do not affect offensive takedowns followed by controlling the opponent on the ground and only then look to eliminate him through submissions, chokes or the use of a knife or handgun. This is the tactic of Russian SAMBO, but he points out that even sport wrestlers are more capable at this than Jiu Jitsu practitioners. This is also exactly what the Russian did in this fight with the Ukrainian. All of this is as true for police as soldiers in combat.

This gets us to two sets of principles for combat the Russian Special Forces reinforce relentlessly, and that American police can benefit from keeping always in mind. The first are the psychological commitments needed to survive a fight to the death:

1.      Comfort with pain;

2.      Comfort with proximity;

3.      Commitment to total violence; and,

4.      Commitment to total victory.

In this instance, the Russian appeared to have all four. The second set articulates the assumptions you must always make when engaging in a reality fight:

1.      Assume your enemy is stronger, faster and better-trained;

2.      Assume your enemy has multiple weapons hidden on his body;

3.      Assume you must deal with more than one attacker; and,

4.      Assume that there are witnesses and at least one person has a camera (today everyone does).

These are all important rules for American police to keep in mind and apply at all times to ensure they get to go home at the end of the day. Beyond that, videos of this fight and other events are crucial to study to focus police officers’ training for realistic battle and survival.

Dr. John Giduck has a law degree, a master’s degree in Russian Studies and a Ph.D. in Middle East Studies. His dissertation was on the evolution of jihadist terrorist mass-hostage siege tactics throughout the world. He has trained police departments and SWAT throughout the US. His latest book, 1500 Years of Fighting, can be found on Amazon. He is also the author of Terror at Beslan: A Russian Tragedy with Lessons for America’s Schools (listed by Police1 as one of the top 15 all-time must-read books for police); Shooter Down! The Dramatic, Untold Story of the Police Response to the Virginia Tech Massacre, along with co-author Police Commissioner Joseph M. Bail; and When Terror Returns: The History and Future of Terrorist Mass-Hostage Sieges. He can be contacted at john@circon.org.