The Phoenix Police Department (PPD) proposed a new limit of force policy focusing on de-escalation, which it intends to adopt after seeking public comment. The public can comment on the proposed changes through January 31.
Read the full storyTag: law enforcement
Bill Lowers Threshold for Felony Theft in Wisconsin
Losses from retail theft have soared over the past several years, a problem exacerbated by soft-on-crime prosecutors and judges. Wisconsin has a Supreme Court justice candidate who, has suggested that shoplifters who steal from “big box” retailers shouldn’t be aggressively prosecuted.
State Sen. Andre Jacque says his bill lowering Wisconsin’s threshold for felony theft is in response to the increasing brazenness of criminals and the kid glove treatment they’ve gotten from some prosecutors and judges like Dane County’s Everett Mitchell.
Read the full storyFraternal Order of Police Reports 323 Officers Shot in the Line of Duty in 2022, Including 12 from Tennessee
The Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) released a report this week that showed 323 officers were shot in the line of duty, with 60 killed. In Tennessee, 12 officers were shot in the line of duty this year.
FOP called 2022 “one of the most dangerous years for law enforcement.”
Read the full storyMinneapolis Police Department Remains Critically Low on Patrol Officers
The Minneapolis Police Department only has 235 officers available to respond to 911 calls throughout the city, according to internal numbers obtained by Alpha News.
“The Minneapolis Police Department continues to face critical staffing shortages and remains far below its authorized strength,” Sherral Schmidt, president of the Minneapolis police union, told Alpha News.
Read the full storyTennessee Leads the Nation in Efforts to Stop Sex Trafficking
Shared Hope International (SHI) ranked the state of Tennessee as the top in the nation for its efforts in curbing sex trafficking within the past year.
Read the full storyFBI Warns of Increase in ‘Sextortion’ of Tennessee College Students
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is warning Tennessee college students about what it calls “sextortion,” which it says is on the rise.
“Tennessee college and university campuses have seen a marked increase in sextortion attempts aimed at students,” said the FBI’s Knoxville branch. “The suspects, often posing as college-aged female students, target unsuspecting students through dating apps and online social media platforms.”
Read the full storyDetroit Drug Raids Decline 95 Percent Due to Cannabis Legalization, Changing Priorities
Drug raids in Detroit have fallen 95% since a peak in 2012, largely as a result of voters’ decision to legalize recreational marijuana and shifting other police priorities.
Detroit police conducted 3,462 drug raids in fiscal year 2012. Nearly every year since then, that number has declined. Last year, police conducted 186 drug raids, according to the city’s annual financial report.
Read the full storyOhio Law Enforcement Relaxing Uniform Protocols in a Move to Help with Recruitment Shortage
In an attempt to bring in more recruits, boost morale, and become more relatable to the community, law enforcement departments around the state have begun to relax their uniform protocols.
For several years now law enforcement departments have struggled to recruit, hire, and retain officers. The combination of increases in retirements and resignations, fewer applicants, and negative portrayals of and attitudes toward law enforcement has only increased the difficulty of bringing in new recruits.
Read the full storyOhio Law Enforcement Utilizing New App for Anonymous Tips
Law enforcement around the state has begun implementing a new app to help residents find information about their department, view alerts, and submit anonymous tips from their smartphones.
The app is known as tip411 through CitizenObserver. It allows law enforcement to engage with the public by creating awareness through community alerts, expanding social media, and allowing the public to share anonymous tips and information with law enforcement. Officers are also able to reply back to these tips in real-time in an anonymous two-way conversation.
Read the full storyDEA Seized More than 4 Million Deadly Doses of Fentanyl in Northern Ohio
A four-month-long operation led by federal prosecutors and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) resulted in the seizure of 4,766,788 deadly doses of fentanyl in northern Ohio.
The agencies announced on Tuesday that the operation was part of the nationwide initiative “One Pill Can Kill.”
Read the full storyGov. Lee Announces $100 Million Violent Crime Intervention Fund
Tennessee’s governor Tuesday announced that the state would give local law enforcement $100 million to fight violent crime.
“As Americans face rising crime nationwide, TN is launching the $100 million Violent Crime Intervention Fund to equip local law enforcement with tools to keep every community safe,” said Gov. Bill Lee (R) on Twitter. “I invite all TN police departments & sheriff’s offices to apply today.”
Read the full storyOhio Law Enforcement Agencies Add Eyes in the Skies with Drones
Several counties in Ohio are looking to use drones to respond to calls for critical injury, surveillance, security, accident reconstruction and measuring, evidence gathering, and fatal crashes.
Drone Pilot, Helicopter Pilot, and Supervisor of the Traffic Unit, Sargent Steven Poff with Butler County Sheriff’s Office, told The Ohio Star that there is a time and place to use a drone.
Read the full storyOhio Congressional Candidate Landsman Changes Tune on Police Funding
In a new television advertisement, Ohio Democratic congressional candidate Greg Landsman, who is challenging longtime Cincinnati-area incumbent Steve Chabot (R-OH-1), suggests in contrast to his actual record that he consistently supported robustly funding police.
The spot, which features Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey (D) and Cincinnati City Councilman Scotty Johnson (D), posits that Landsman actually backed substantially increased funding for law enforcement in his tenure as a Cincinnati City Council member. These officials blast Republicans for insisting that Landsman wanted to defund city police.
Read the full storyLieutenant Governor Jon Husted: Ohio Has Seen Decrease in Domestic Opioid Production and Distribution
Thursday, the Republican National Committee hosted a Zoom press call with Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted and congressional nominee Max Miller (OH-07) to discuss border security, the fentanyl crisis, and crime.
In speaking with Tricia McLaughlin Communications Director for Governor Mike DeWine and Husted, “The domestic supply of opioids from over prescribing pharma companies both production and distribution have largely ceased.”
Read the full storyNancy Barto Unveils New ‘Drain the Marsh’ Campaign Against State Senate Opponent
Arizona State Sen. Nancy Barto (R-Phoenix), who is running for reelection in Legislative District (LD) 4, unveiled a new campaign against her opponent Sen. Christine Marsh (D-Phoenix), Tuesday, called ‘Drain the Marsh.’
“Whenever we’ve tried to solve an important problem, Christine Marsh is there to block it with progressive ideology,” said Barto in a press release. “We’re facing rising crime, but Christine Marsh voted against giving our police effective tools to crack down on drug dealers.”
Read the full storyAnother Law Enforcement Group Endorses Kari Lake
Arizona’s Republican gubernatorial nominee Wednesday announced that she has received an endorsement from yet another law enforcement organization.
“I have been endorsed by the Maricopa County Deputies Law Enforcement Officer Association The McDLEA seeks to ‘promote the positive role of the law enforcement profession’ throughout the county. Our law enforcement officers will have my full support & I’m honored to have theirs,” Lake said on Twitter.
Read the full storyDemocratic Attorneys General Association Cuts Almost $500,000 from Candidate’s Campaign After PR Consultant’s Anti-Police Tweets Surface
The Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) slashed $474,280 from their Arizona ad buys after tweets surfaced from a public relations (PR) consultant for Arizona Democratic AG candidate Kris Mayes. The details of the spending cuts were independently confirmed by The Arizona Sun Times by sources familiar with the organization.
In the past, Mayes’s PR consultant Stacey Champion made numerous tweets attacking law enforcement and white people. Champion is white.
Read the full storyArizona AG Candidate Abraham Hamadeh Calls for Opponent to Fire PR Consultant over Profanity-Laden Tweets Blasting Whites and Police
Abe Hamadeh, the Trump-endorsed Republican candidate running for Arizona attorney general against Kris Mayes, called on Mayes to fire Stacey Champion who is a PR consultant for the Democratic candidate.
Champion over the past couple of years tweeted profanity-laden insults regarding white people and law enforcement numerous times.
Read the full storyGeorgia’s Kemp to Spend $100 Million in Federal COVID-19 Relief Funds for Law Enforcement
Another day, another dollar dispersed.
Georgia’s governor is again turning to federal COVID-19 relief money to provide grants to another constituency. This time, he plans to give $100 million to law enforcement agencies statewide.
Gov. Brian Kemp is turning to the American Rescue Plan and the State Fiscal Recovery Fund to dole out grants of up to $1.5 million per award. Awardees can put the money toward a range of initiatives, from law enforcement staffing to investing in technology and equipment to respond to the uptick in gun violence.
Read the full storyGov. Ron DeSantis to Kari Lake: Florida Will Send National Guard Troops to Help Secure Southern Border
PHOENIX, Arizona – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke to a theater full of onlookers in downtown Phoenix Sunday at a Turning Point Action rally to support local Trump-endorsed nominees like Kari Lake and Blake Masters. Mentioning Florida would be willing to help Lake secure the border if she gets elected.
“What I’ve told Kari Lake, I said ‘look, if you’re willing to put people on that border, and keep ’em [illegal immigrants] from coming in to begin with, I’ll send National Guard to help with that,” said DeSantis.
Read the full storySevierville Police Department to Increase Impaired-Driving Enforcement Beginning August 17
The City of Sevierville announced in a press release that the Sevierville Police Department (SPD) is partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) for its “Booze It and Lose It” campaign from August 17th to September 5th, surrounding the Labor Day holiday.
Read the full storyOhio Police to Get $5 Million for Body Cameras
Ohio police agencies will soon be eligible to receive $5 million in new funding for body cameras and related equipment, according to Gov. Mike DeWine (R).
Many law-enforcement organizations in the Buckeye State have wanted to equip their officers with video recorders but costs have reportedly proved prohibitive for many localities. This led DeWine to launch the Ohio Body-Worn Camera Grant Program which awarded its first $4.7 million in January.
Read the full storyKnoxville Police Department Announces It Will No Longer Respond to Certain 911 Calls
On Monday, Knoxville Chief of Police Paul Noel announced that the Knoxville Police Department (KPD) will no longer respond to certain non-injury crashes beginning September 1st.
Read the full storyTennessee Bureau of Investigation Looking to Fill 39 Open Positions
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) recently announced that it is searching for interested and qualified candidates to fill 39 open positions in the department. TBI is currently looking to fill 3 TBI Police Officer positions in Davidson County as well as 36 TBI Special Agent/Criminal Investigator positions in multiple counties.
Read the full storyChief of Police Announces Enhanced Security Plans for Metro Nashville Schools
Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake announced Tuesday that police coverage at Metro Schools for the upcoming school year will be the highest ever, and will include elementary, middle and high school campuses.
Read the full storyTennessee Representative David Kustoff Introduces Resolution Calling on Congress to Address Rising Crime in the U.S.
Tennessee Republican Representative David Kustoff (R-TN-08) recently introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives that calls on Congress to create a strategy to address the rising violent crime in the United States. A similar resolution was also introduced in the U.S. Senate by Republican Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA).
Read the full storyGovernor Kemp Picks Up Additional Law Enforcement Endorsement
Governor Brian Kemp picked up an additional endorsement from the Police Benevolent Association of Georgia, which is a division of a larger law enforcement group.
The incumbent, who is running for a second term, often touts his public safety record, including bonuses for law enforcement officers.
Read the full storyOhio Republicans Release New Ad Blasting Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Nan Whaley’s Record on Public Safety
The Ohio Republican Party released a new ad, which targets Democrat gubernatorial candidate Nan Whaley’s record on crime as mayor of Dayton.
According to the organization, residents of the city became less safe during her first six years as mayor: violent crime increased 23 percent, homicides jumped 70 percent, and aggravated assaults spiked by 97 percent.
Read the full storyMinneapolis Residents Resort to Crowdfunding to Pay for Neighborhood Policing
Residents in Minneapolis are crowdfunding to get off-duty police officers to patrol the streets as the city continues to experience staffing shortages and an uptick in violent crime.
The Minneapolis Safety Initiative (MSI), a nonprofit seeking to increase law and order, is raising money to “buyback officer patrols.” Funds that are raised through the volunteer-led initiative will be sent to the Minneapolis Police Department to get officers deployed for shifts that the officers would otherwise not be working, MSI says.
“Officers working a buyback shift patrol in MPD vehicles, respond to 911 calls, and deter criminals—just as they do in a normal shift,” according to MSI. “All people working on this initiative are volunteers. There are fees for payment processing but otherwise, all contributions will go directly to paying for MPD buyback officer patrols.”
Read the full storyPennsylvania Democrat Wants to Curtail Police’s Rights to Use Deadly Force
Pennsylvania state Rep. Christopher Rabb (D-Philadelphia) this week proposed legislation to curtail police officers’ ability to use deadly force.
In a memorandum on his upcoming bill, he suggests that current state law empowers police to act as “judge, jury and executioner” of fleeing suspects.
Read the full storyOver 50 Kentucky Law Enforcement Officials Endorse Attorney General Daniel Cameron for Governor
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s campaign for governor released their first round of endorsements, which included over 50 law enforcement officials from all across the Commonwealth.
The list of law enforcement officials included sheriffs, chiefs of police, commonwealth’s attorneys, county attorneys, and jailers, who all support Cameron’s “strong law enforcement agenda.”
Read the full storyLinking Ohio Courts, Law Enforcement Will Protect Public: Gov. DeWine
Law enforcement agencies and courts throughout Ohio can now be part of a new statewide criminal justice database that Gov. Mike DeWine believes will lead to better public protection and help stop the illegal purchase of firearms.
DeWine said Ohio’s new eWarrants system, which he officially announced the launch of late Wednesday, should improve the accuracy of state and federal background checks and streamline the process to fire warrants and protection orders.
Read the full storyTexas Offers $30 Million More to Local Law Enforcement for Border Security Efforts
An additional $30 million in Operation Lone Star (OLS) grant money is available to Texas cities and counties to enhance border security operations, the governor’s Public Safety Office (PSO) announced.
The announcement came two days after six county judges and sheriffs asked the governor to declare an invasion at the southern border, and to do more to help them thwart illegal activity in their counties after experiencing a surge of drug and human smuggling and other criminal activity resulting from the Biden administration’s border policies.
Read the full storyAkron Council Resists Prejudgement in Walker Shooting; Ohio House Democrats Still Blame Police
Akron, OH’s Democrat-controlled City Council issued a statement this week lamenting the death of 25-year-old Jayland Walker while resisting prejudgement of the police officers’ who shot him.
Some Ohio Democrats, like their party’s state House caucus, continue to react differently, deciding the shooting lacked justification even before an external investigation concludes.
Read the full storyMore Sworn Law Enforcement Officers in Atlanta, but Arrests Fall 65 Percent from Peak
Despite having the most sworn police officers over the past 10 years, the number of arrests by the Atlanta Police Department plummeted in 2021. The arrest total was down 65% from 2014, according to data provided by the city.
Read the full story102 Georgia Sheriffs Sign Letter Condemning Stacey Abrams as ‘Soft on Crime’
More than 100 Sheriffs in Georgia signed a letter blasting Democrat gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams as “soft on crime.”
“Over the last four years, Governor Kemp and his family stood shoulder to shoulder with the men and women serving in Georgia’s law enforcement community,” the letter, touted on incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp’s website, says. “Working alongside our departments, Governor Kemp has championed legislation to recruit and retain more officers into the profession, strengthen penalties for criminals and help keep Georgia’s streets safe, and prevent rogue local governments from stripping critical funding and resources from police.”
Read the full storyCommentary: Biden’s Relentless War on the Border Targets Law Enforcement, Not Illegals
President Joe Biden’s attack on America’s southern perimeter continues without mercy. Indeed, the U.S.–Mexico “border” is dissolving at a quickening pace.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection encountered 239,416 illegal aliens in May alone. This is yet another monthly record, as Biden becomes the Babe Ruth of border destruction.
Read the full storySenator Marco Rubio Scores Another Law Enforcement Endorsement
This past Friday, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio announced he had received the endorsement of the Florida Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) in his U.S. Senate contest against probable opponent, Democratic Rep. Val Demings, a former law enforcement official.
The endorsement comes amid a statewide TV commercial campaign by Demings that seeks to highlight her law enforcement background – which includes 27 years as an Orlando police officer, including four years as the Orlando Chief of Police – and to defuse attempts to tie her to the 2020 “defund the police” messages pushed by some liberal Democrats.
“In the Senate, I’ll protect Florida from bad ideas,” Demings says in the new 30-second TV spot. “Defunding the police: That’s just crazy.”
However, Rubio has been critical of Demings’ vote on legislation that includes provisions that would strip police of qualified immunity. Qualified immunity protects law enforcement officers against lawsuits over what they do on the job.
A Rubio campaign video shows law enforcement officers expressing outrage over Demings’ vote.
Read the full storyRyan Now Blasts Ohio Senate Rival Vance on Law Enforcement, But Once Called Criminal Justice System ‘Racist’
Advertising from Democratic Ohio Senate candidate Tim Ryan, which alleges that his Republican opponent J.D. Vance has disparaged law-enforcement officers, prompted Vance this week to recall Ryan’s own severe criticisms of law enforcers.
A video ad that appears on the Ryan campaign’s YouTube channel features a monologue by Stark County Sheriff George T. Maier.
Read the full storyAttorney General Alliance Annual Meetings Taking Place in Idaho
The Attorney General Alliance annual meetings are taking place in Sun Valley, Idaho, starting Monday and ending Thursday.
According to its website, “The Attorney General Alliance (AGA) began as the Conference of Western Attorneys General (CWAG), a 501c3 nonprofit organization and bipartisan group of 15 western states and three territories. Built on a foundation of fostering collaboration between western AG offices, CWAG has long maintained a focus on issues in the fields of Native American, natural resources, public lands, minerals, and energy law.”
Read the full storyBills Aimed at Helping Law Enforcement Advance in Ohio House Committees
Penalties for fleeing police officers and making false 911 calls would increase if a pair of bills aimed at first-responder safety introduced in the Ohio House become law.
House Bill 580, which has had one hearing in the House Criminal Justice Committee, increases penalities for fleeing from a law enforcement officer in a motor vehicle from a first-degree misdemeanor to a fourth-degree felony at a minimum in all cases.
Read the full storyCommentary: No Duty to Protect
The May 24 massacre in Uvalde, Texas outrages the conscience, though not for the facile and stupid reasons spewed by every prominent Democratic Party politician, half-witted newspaper columnist, and vapid television talking-head.
Liberals and other simpering dunderheads make fetishes of objects, focusing on the tool rather than the tool’s misuser. “Nobody needs an AR-15,” goes the refrain, when need has nothing and right has everything to do with it. “But the tool is so easy to misuse and abuse!” comes the ovine rebuttal, when we know as a matter of fact the tool is used in a small fraction of violent crimes.
Read the full storyIn Key Wisconsin Battleground, Law and Order Becomes Achilles Heel for Democrat Incumbents
Nearly two dozen shot outside an NBA playoff game. A notorious murderer almost released on parole. A Christmas massacre carried out by a repeat felon released on low bail. Record car thefts and drug overdoses.
While most of the country braces for a pocketbook election driven by runaway inflation, record gas prices and baby formula shortages, the key battleground state of Wisconsin is seething over a crime wave driven by policies that are shaping up to be an Achilles heel for Democrats running the state, like incumbent Gov. Tony Evers and Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm.
Read the full storyTrump-Endorsed GA-6 Candidate Jake Evans Supports Police
Jake Evans, the Trump-endorsed candidate in the Republican primary in the race for Georgia’s 6th Congressional District Seat spoke with The Georgia Star News about his support for law enforcement.
The Star News asked Evans if he had family connections with law enforcement and how they fared during the 2020 riots in the Atlanta area.
Read the full storyCambria County Prosecutor: Difficulty Recruiting Police Is Fueling Pennsylvania Crime
FBI data currently indicate that Pennsylvania’s violent crime rate exceeds any other northeastern state’s, and a county prosecutor told state senators this week he attributes much of that reality to difficulty recruiting and retaining police officers.
Cambria County District Attorney Gregory Neugebauer testified before the Senate Republican Policy Committee alongside other law-enforcement professionals to illuminate what is driving up crime in the Keystone State and what can be done about it. The hearing, held at the Cambria County Courthouse in Ebensberg, was the first of several the panel is hosting this week to address crime prevention in conjunction with National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
Read the full storyMinnesota Senate Republicans Tout Public Safety Bills
Republicans in the Minnesota Senate are touting public safety bills that are working their way through the legislation process.
The group recently passed S.F. 2673 out of committee. The complex, lengthy legislation would target sentence requirements for criminals, support for law enforcement, and additional transparency in the judicial process.
Read the full storyTennessee Highway Patrol Welcomes New Out-of-State Troopers
On Thursday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced efforts to recruit out of state law enforcement to the Tennessee Highway Patrol have “netted early results as the administration focuses on proven crime prevention methods and addressing law enforcement staff shortages.”
Read the full storyDeSantis Signs Law Enforcement Bill into Law, Includes Signing Bonuses for Officers Who Move to Florida
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed into law a measure that incentivizes law enforcement officers to move to or stay in the state through monetary awards.
“While other parts of the country are mistreating, marginalizing and defunding law enforcement, in Florida we continue to prioritize and appreciate our law enforcement officers,” DeSantis said during a Friday news conference while accompanied by Attorney General Ashley Moody and House Speaker Chris Sprowls. “This legislation encourages Floridians to pursue careers in law enforcement and attracts high quality law enforcement officers from other states who are sick and tired of the mistreatment they experience to bring their skills to Florida. From $1,000 scholarships to $5,000 bonuses to $25,000 adoption incentives, we are putting our money where our mouth is, and we are backing the blue.”
HB 3 includes a wide range of law enforcement initiatives, including incentives to encourage both out-of-state residents and Floridians to join state and local law enforcement agencies. It includes signing bonuses for every new recruit, costs covered for training programs and relocation expenses, pay raises and $1,000 bonuses. The bill also created a Law Enforcement Academy Scholarship Program for children of law enforcement officers, and adoption benefits for officers.
Read the full storyAthens Police Department Seize Multiple Firearms, Drugs During Domestic Violence Call
On Friday, officers with the Athens Police Department responded to a residence on Sweetfield Valley Road “in reference to a subject with a firearm threatening to harm people at the residence,” according to a press release by the department.
Read the full storyThree Men Charged in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy to Distribute over 1,100 Pounds of Cocaine in the Cleveland Area
Federal law enforcement officials announced the arrest of three men charged in a 30-count indictment for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy that is alleged to have brought over 500 kilograms, or approximately 1,100 pounds, of cocaine from Mexico to be redistributed in the Cleveland area, according to a press release by the Northern District of Ohio U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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