Policing Matters

Mental health crises are among the most challenging incidents law enforcement agencies face. Whether it's a barricaded subject, a hostage situation or a person in severe emotional distress, negotiators and commanders often have to make critical decisions with limited information and high stakes. To help agencies navigate those situations, the National Tactical Officers Association recently released guidance on integrating behaviora...

A decade ago, public safety agencies interested in drones were largely figuring things out on their own. The technology was limited, policies were still being developed and few departments had experience to draw from. Today, thousands of public safety agencies operate drone programs and Drone as First Responder deployments are growing at an unprecedented pace. As agencies move beyond tactical drone operations toward proactive, 911-...

Many officers have encountered child-to-parent violence. Few have received formal training on how to recognize it.

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with retired Oak Park Sergeant Rasul Freelain about the years of escalating abuse that preceded the infamous Bali suitcase murder. Drawing on his experience investigating the case and the research behind his forthcoming book, “When Lambs Beco...

Police agencies are under pressure to be transparent, but too often their public storytelling swings between stiff press releases and staged social media moments. Zach Hamilton believes there is a better way.

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Hamilton, founder of Red Watch Productions and a Michigan public information officer, about "The Shift," a documentary series that follows officers t...

Police memoirs often focus on the cases: the shootings, the homicides, the organized crime investigations, the moments that test an officer’s instincts and nerve. Terrence Dwyer’s “The Badge Between Us: Duty, Marriage and Family” includes all of that, but the heart of the story is what those moments did to the life waiting for him at home.

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley talk...

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will bring enormous public safety demands to cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico — including places that are not hosting matches. For Dallas, the challenge is especially complex: While games will be played in nearby Arlington, the city will serve as home to FIFA’s International Broadcast Centre and host major fan events expected to draw international crowds.

In this episode of the ...

Police leaders have long embraced the idea that preventing crime is more effective than simply responding to it. Yet despite decades of emphasis on proactive policing, many officers find themselves spending most of their shifts answering calls, writing reports and moving from one incident to the next. Results from Police1's “What Cops Want in 2026” survey highlight the challenge, revealing widespread frustration with li...

Artificial intelligence is no longer a future concept in policing. Agencies are already using AI-assisted tools to analyze digital evidence, identify crime patterns, process body-worn camera footage and accelerate investigations that once took days or weeks to solve. But as adoption spreads, law enforcement leaders are also confronting major questions about transparency, policy, cybersecurity and the risks of overreliance on automa...

As agencies prepare for protests, demonstrations and civil unrest, police leaders face mounting pressure to balance public safety, constitutional rights and officer protection under constant public scrutiny.

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Robert Sorensen, director of strategic partnerships and agency liaison for SoRite and a longtime less lethal instructor, about the evolving challenges...

Leadership in law enforcement isn’t automatic — it’s learned, often the hard way. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley sits down with Lt. Sean M. Carroll (ret.), author of “A.I.O. Leadership for Law Enforcement: The Proven System That Forges Legendary Leaders Who Adapt, Improvise, and Overcome,” to talk about what really happens when officers step into leadership roles &mdas...

Drones have rapidly become one of the most transformative tools in public safety, giving agencies faster situational awareness, better documentation capabilities and new ways to respond to incidents. But as adoption grows, so does the complexity of managing the airspace above our communities. The same tools that support law enforcement can also be used for surveillance, disruption or worse. That shift is forcing agencies to rethink...

Law enforcement has never had more information at its fingertips. From BOLOs and fusion center updates to emails, radio traffic and crime bulletins, today’s officers operate in a constant stream of inputs. But volume doesn’t equal value. The central challenge is no longer access — it’s relevance. As agencies grapple with staffing shortages and rising demands, the question becomes urgent: How do you ensure cr...

Policing Matters podcast host and deputy chief Jim Dudley (ret.) paid a visit to Axon Week 2026 to get an exclusive look at some of the revolutionary advancements in public safety technology and the thought leaders and technology experts making them happen.

In this special episode, sponsored by Axon, Dudley sits down with Jeff Kunins, chief product officer and chief technology officer of Axon. Their discussion examines how Axon is ...

Patrol work starts long before the call. From the moment an officer begins their shift, every decision — what to prioritize, how to respond and when to slow down — can impact outcomes for officers and the public alike. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley sits down with Sergeant John Banner of the White Settlement (Texas) Police Department to break down the critical thinking that happens behi...

Police training is designed to push limits — physically, mentally and emotionally. But when the culture of grit outpaces medical awareness and safeguards, the consequences can be irreversible. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley and fitness expert Traci Tauferner examine the risks embedded in high-intensity academy training, the gaps in concussion recognition and the responsibility leaders carry t...

Real time crime centers are no longer a novelty — they are quickly becoming a core part of modern policing. But as agencies invest in cameras, drones, license plate readers and data platforms, a critical question remains: Are these centers actually delivering results, or just generating more data?

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks to Amarillo ...

As agencies face an unprecedented surge in digital evidence — from body-worn cameras and surveillance systems to cell phones and social media — the question is no longer whether to adopt AI, but how to use it responsibly. In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley explores how AI can help investigators manage evidence at scale, streamline time-consuming processes and improve case outcomes while keeping decisio...

Every agency talks about tactics — training harder, shooting better, moving faster. But when critical incidents unfold, the difference between success and failure often comes down to something less visible. On this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Jon Becker, founder of Aardvark Tactical and host of The Debrief podcast, about why culture — not tactics — is the true driver of eli...

Editor’s Note: Join Lexipol, Police1 and our partners for First Responder Wellness Week from March 23-27, 2026. Each day, we’ll provide webinars, articles, videos and more, all within the overarching theme of being “Total Wellness. True Readiness.” Register for five wellness webinars now.

We say it all the time — our people are our greatest asset. But if that’s true, why do we...