Focus Archive - Public Safety

Please note that Focus section links were valid at the time of their original posting. However, since Web sites and addresses change frequently, we cannot guarantee that all links will remain operative.

In Defense of Jaywalking (November 18)
Banning the practice won't make pedestrians safer. More from Slate.

Swift and Certain (November 12)
A bold criminal-justice experiment has worked in Hawaii. Maybe it's time for other places to try it. More from Governing.

Reaction Housing (November 04)
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, it became obvious that America was frustratingly ill-prepared to house people displaced by a natural disaster. More from Good.

America's Safest Cities (November 04)
These metros have the lowest rates of violent crime, workplace deaths, fatal crashes and natural disasters. More from Forbes.

Counties Look for Money, Alternatives to Bail (October 28)
A new study released by the National Association of Counties’ (NACo) sheds light on an underreported but costly problem facing counties and taxpayers: a significant rise in the jail population. More from NACo's County News.

Stop Means Stop (October 21)
How do we get bikers to obey traffic laws? More from Slate.

Kirkland Tests Pandemic Flu Emergency Plan (October 21)
More than 50 City of Kirkland employees recently participated in an exercise as part of the City’s emergency management planning for pandemic flu. The test provided valuable information should it become necessary for the City to institute social distancing procedures in the event of a pandemic flu outbreak. More from the city of Kirkland.

MRSC Services Survey (October 21)
MRSC is conducting a brief survey to assess whether or not our existing services are meeting your needs and to determine your interest in any additional services. We would appreciate your taking a few minutes to respond to these nine questions. Thank you.

Policing in Local Law Enforcement: A Commitment to Getting Out-of-the-Car (October 14)
Departments need to train officers to use technology as a tool and not to rely on it to the point that they lose focus on getting out of their patrol cars and interacting with the community. More from The Police Chief.

Pipeline Safety Grant Awarded- September 2009 (October 07)
A $50,000 technical assistance grant has been awarded to AWC, WSAC and other partners by the federal Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration to enhance pipeline safety by improving local government land use planning and permitting practices in the vicinity of transmission pipelines. More …

Speed-Measuring Devices (September 30)
Ensuring the courts' and public’s confidence is paramount when it comes to speed-measuring devices—in purchasing decisions, in maintaining the equipment, or in defending the use of technology in court or to the public. More from The Police Chief.

Cameras to Keep Track of Visitors (September 30)
Medina, a community of about 3,100 just across Lake Washington from Seattle, has installed cameras at several intersections to monitor every vehicle coming into the city. More from Governing's Idea Center.

Helping Local Police Departments Solve Cold Cases (September 23)
The National Institue of Justice’s Solving Cold Cases with DNA program is dedicated to getting forensic science to the field and to making communities safer by solving cold cases, taking perpetrators off the streets, and preempting future crimes. More from The Police Chief.

The CompStat Process: Four Principles for Managing Crime Reduction (September 16)
CompStat is not a quick-fix answer to crime but rather a process of organized problem solving that, when coupled with commitment and consistency, inexorably leads to the positive outcome of recurring incremental reductions in crime. More from The Police Chief.

Rescuing 911 (September 02)
To reduce the crush of calls flooding into 911 systems, some local governments are using their non-emergency 311 service to manage administrative and informational needs so 911 centers can devote their resources to life-threatening situations. More from American City & County.

Providing Police Services to the Deaf (September 02)
One of the unique challenges facing emergency officials across the United States is the need to educate and provide public services to a growing deaf population. More from The Police Chief.

Data-Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety (August 26)
The use of timely and accurate localized data to drive law enforcement operations toward more efficient and effective resource deployment is the benchmark for 21st-century policing. More from The Police Chief.

U.S. Secret Service’s Computer Forensic Training for State and Local Agencies (August 12)
The U.S. Secret Service's Electronic Crimes State and Local Program provides state and local enforcement partners with computer forensics training and hands-on experience with electronic-crimes investigations. More from The Police Chief.

Taking Reservations at the Jail (August 12)
An online system is dramatically improving the process for inmate visitations. More from Governing.

Don't Be So Square (August 05)
Why American drivers should learn to love the roundabout. More from Slate.

A Successful Strategy for Recruiting Women into the Law Enforcement Profession (July 15)
In spite heightened recruitment efforts and competitive compensation packages, the number of women entering protective services—and policing in particular—has not increased substantially over the past two decades. More from The Police Chief.

Leadership during Difficult Budget Times (June 24)
With the financial crisis and the resulting global economic downturn, nearly every police agency is affected by budget cuts, and nearly every executive is faced with difficult choices. More from The Police Chief.

Behind Bars ... Sort Of (June 17)
A prison design in Austria that emphasizes inmate comfort and dignity raises questions about the role architecture and design plays in preventing or encouraging more crime. More from The New York Times Magazine.

Squeezing the Cops (June 17)
You thought police were safe from budget cuts? So did they. More from Governing.

Catching the Flu (June 10)
Robert Pestronk, executive director of the National Association of City & County Health Officials, discusses local governments' level of preparation for a possible recurrence of the H1N1 flu. More from American City & County.

June 10th - National Pipeline Safety Day (May 27)
A resolution adopted by the U.S. House of Representatives has declared June 10th, 2009 as National Pipeline Safety Day. June 10th is the tenth anniversary of the Bellingham pipeline rupture and tragedy. The resolution reminds us that local governments need to be aware of pipeline safety issues and take appropriate steps to safeguard the public. Local governments should require all applicants obtaining permits that involve digging or moving earth to use the 8 -1-1 “call before you dig” system. Planning departments should make sure that all major pipelines are clearly marked on maps used when reviewing development applications.

Napolitano to Fire Chiefs: Prepare for Fall Flu Pandemic (May 20)
Fire departments and paramedical services should “lean forward” this summer to prepare for a potentially more serious flu outbreak this fall, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told the nation’s fire services’ top brass recently. More from NACo's County News.

MRSC's In Focus e-Newsletter for Councilmembers and Commissioners (May 20)
MRSC's bi-weekly In Focus e-newsletter is an excellent way for your elected officials to stay informed about the latest news, research, events and trends affecting Washington city and county governments. Sign them up today.

Pandemic Influenza Resource Summary (May 06)
The Public Entity Risk Institute has assembled a list of official resources and links to help local governments gather information about managing a Swine Flu outbreak in their community.

Study Shows Effectivenes of Strategies Adopted by US Cities During the 1918-1919 Influenza Pandemic (April 30)
A recent study found a strong association between early, sustained, and layered application of nonpharmaceutical interventions by US Cities and mitigating the consequences of the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic in the United States. More from the Journal of the American Medical Association.

ATTACKing Auto Theft in Washington State: The Redmond Initiative (April 30)
Redmond's Auto Theft Tactical Analysis Center for King County (ATTACK) program has demonstrated its effectiveness in combating auto theft in a large geographic area that spans multiple law enforcement jurisdictions. More from The Police Chief.

Celebrating 75 Years of Research and Services! (April 23)
MRSC proudly continues the program begun as the Bureau of Governmental Research and Services in 1934 at the University of Washington. In honor of our organization’s 75th anniversary, we hope that you will enjoy a multimedia slideshow containing highlights of our history. Also see “Twenty-Five Years of Governmental Research and Service” prepared in honor of the Bureau’s 25th anniversary in 1959.

MRSC Blog: Selected Local Government Press Releases (April 22)
We have launched our blog containing selected local government press releases to keep you informed on new Washington local government programs and initiatives. Each entry is assigned a category (finance, planning, etc.) and a tag (wetlands, urban forestry, etc.) so you can sort them by topic. If you have not already done so, please add blog@mrsc.org to your agency's press release distribution list.

Citizen Police Academies: A Model for Smaller Agencies (April 15)
Citizen police academies (CPAs) have become one of the most beneficial programs developed under the community-based policing philosophy. More from The Police Chief.

Federal Grants for Pipeline Safety Planning (April 15)
The federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, has announced the availability of $1 million in technical assistance to grants in the form of engineering or other scientific analysis of pipeline safety issues and to help promote public participation in official proceedings. The closing date for applications is May 28, 2009.

Talk to Me (April 08)
What is the point of upgrading communication technology if public officials cannot settle who is in charge and what procedures to follow? More from American City & County.

Run for Your Lives, Please (March 11)
What does it take to make people heed a disaster warning? More from Governing.

Operating Plans to Combat Pandemic Influenza (March 04)
Assessment of States’ Operating Plans to Combat Pandemic Influenza summarizes the status of States’ operating plans with respect to preparedness for, response to, and recovery from an influenza pandemic.

Disaster Recovery: A Local Government Responsibility (March 04)
Regardless of community size or the nature of the disaster, local government leaders are responsible for overseeing all four phases of emergency management—preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation. More from Public Management.

Pretrial Services Reduce Costs, Improve Public Safety (February 26)
With shrinking budgets and growing jail populations, counties across the nation are facing tough decisions on how to cut costs. Improved pretrial services provide one avenue for counties to reduce jail populations, use resources more effectively and improve justice while maintaining community safety. More from NACo's County News.

County Office Building Doubles as ‘Warming Center’ (February 19)
Camden County, N.J., like many urban counties, has a homeless problem. But unlike other localities, the county has taken a novel approach to housing the hardcore homeless on the coldest nights of the year. More from County News.

Boston’s ‘Streetsafe’ — Right Rx For Gang Violence? (February 12)
How can inner-city youth gangs be tamed? Boston thinks it may have found the answer — and not for the first time. More from Nation's Cities Weekly.

Key to Safer Roads is Identified in California Study (February 05)
A review of fatalities in 24 cities shows that safety grows as street networks become denser. More from New Urban News.

Critical Operations Power Systems: Success of the Imagination (January 22)
Article 708 of the National Electric Code: Critical Operations Power Systems, presents an opportunity to apply national business continuity practices to the design, construction, and maintenance of needed emergency power facilities at the local level. More from Public Management.

Controlling Fuel Costs (January 22)
A large part of the fuel costs incurred by local government comes from police departments. Adopting different policing procedures will assist in controlling these costs during times of economic crisis. More from The Police Chief.

Creative and Cost-Effective Winterization Programs (January 15)
Cities are re-examining their winter weather plans and are implementing new innovative and cost efficient programs. More from Nation's Cities Weekly.

A Whole New Mind-set on Fighting Crime (January 15)
When it comes to fighting crime, it seems that society as a whole has been working in the wrong jungle—the reactive, adversarial jungle, where it is the job of the law enforcement community to handle safety issues. Communities need to embrace a proactive, problem-solving approach that focuses on prevention, where it is everyone’s job to promote safety. More from The Police Chief.

Partners in Emergency Preparedness Conference (January 08)
Early registration is now open for the annual Partners in Emergency Preparedness conference, April 14, 2009-April 15, 2009, Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center, Tacoma, WA.

January Flooding - Helpful Emergency Management Links (January 08)

Sample Local Government Emergencey Proclamations:

• Bothell Proclamation of Local Emergency (pdf, 57KB)
• Chehalis Resolution No. 18-90, Declaring an Emergency
• Des Moines Executive Order Proclaiming an Emergency
• King County Local Proclamation of an Emergency

Contracting for Equipment, Materials and Public Works in an Emergency:

• For counties - Emergencies (pdf, 494KB), County Bidding Book for Washington, MRSC, Report No. 56, March 2007
• For cities - Emergencies (pdf, 1261KB), The Bidding Book for Washington Cities and Towns, MRSC Report No. 52, September 2006
• Local Agency Guidelines (LAG) Manual, Chapter 33 – Emergency Relief Program (pdf 134kb), Highways and Local Programs Service Center - WSDOT

State and Federal Agency Assistance:

• Disaster Help - US Government site that combines the disaster resources of several federal agencies in one central location.
• Emergency Relief - WSDOT Highways and Local Programs Service Center
• Emergency Services Division - Washington State Military Department

Flakes of Danger (January 08)
The one thing a big-city mayor can’t afford to do is mishandle snow removal. More from Governing.

The Role of Transit in Emergency Evacuation (December 18)
A new publication from the Transportation Research Board, The Role of Transit in Emergency Evacuation (pdf 3.35MB), explores the roles that transit systems can play in accommodating the evacuation, egress, and ingress of people from and to critical locations in times of emergency.

Law Enforcement Looks to Video Surveillance Networks (December 18)
2008 may have been The Year of the Large-Scale Wireless Video Surveillance System, as several cities and their police departments joined the growing market, while others expanded existing systems. More from Government Technology.

The Disaster Tripwire (December 11)
The tough choices on emergency response are gradually migrating to Washington. More from Governing.

Can the Can (December 04)
The idea that graffiti-spraying and other forms of low-level delinquency promote further bad behavior has now been tested experimentally. More from The Economist.

Guidelines for Maximizing Training Efforts (November 25)
In any law enforcement agency, training can be the key contributor to the nurturing and development of a professional mind-set, self-awareness, and ethical values for both individual officers and the organization as a whole. More from The Police Chief.

Rethinking Police Training (November 20)
Ever since the U.S. Congress passed the Safe Streets Act of 1968, which provided substantial federal assistance to local law enforcement agencies for training, basic recruit peace officer training has been a significant and ongoing issue across the country. More from The Police Chief.

Regional Fire Authority Implementation Guide (November 20)
In a joint venture, the Washington Fire Chiefs and the Washington State Council of Fire Fighters have developed a Regional Fire Authority (RFA) Implementation Guide (545 KB) to assist agencies in determining if an RFA is right for them and, if so, how to initiate the RFA process.

Law Enforcement Leadership Development Program (November 13)
A well-designed leadership development program helps ensure that qualified staff members are available to replace those exiting the organization. More from The Police Chief.

Preparing for Disasters (November 07)
A new report from the IBM Center for the Business of Government, Preparing for Disasters, includes two essays reflecting different perspectives on preparing for and working in large-scale emergencies.

A Collaborative Approach to Prevent Youth Violence (November 07)
Although the number of arrests for youth-related violent crimes has been on the decline since 1995,1 youth violence continues to be a major concern for the public. More from Public Management.

NACo Pub Details Jail Reentry Best Practices (October 30)
A new publication from the National Association of Counties (NACo), Reentry for Safer Communities, focuses on effective county practices in jail-to-community transition planning for offenders with both mental health and substance abuse disorders.

New Law Brings 911 Services into Internet Age (October 30)
The Federal Communications Commission issued regulations this week for voice-over-IP service providers to offer Enhanced 911 emergency call services to all customers. More from Government Computer News.

Lessons Learned: Advice for New Chiefs (October 30)
The hiring of a new police chief is a significant event in the organizational life of a city. It offers a unique opportunity to evaluate the operations of a police department from a new perspective. More from The Police Chief.

AG Opinion: State Law Preempts City Authority to Ban Guns on City Property (October 23)
Washington cities do not have the authority to adopt local laws to ban guns on city property according to an opinion (AGO 2008, No. 8) just issued by the State Attorney General's office.

When They Can't Talk, Lives are Lost (October 23)
A new publication from the National Association of Counties, When They Can't Talk, Lives are Lost, describes current challenges with first responder interoperable communications and ways to support better interoperability.

Mobile Eyes Keep Watch Over Cities (October 23)
Disasters strike, criminals move from area to area and gangs vandalize blank walls with spray paint. Now, cities have a way to keep tabs on all of it: IP-ready wireless cameras that can be set up quickly and send surveillance video to central monitoring stations via the Internet. More from American City & County.

New GAO Report on Disaster Recovery (October 16)
A new report from the U.S Government Accountability Office (GAO) entitled Disaster Recovery: Past Experiences Offer Insights for Recovering from Hurricanes Ike and Gustav and other Recent Natural Disasters is now available.

Connecting Crime Analysis with City Officials (October 16)
Over the last 20 years, crime analysis, intelligence analysis, problem-oriented policing, and fusion centers have become core practices that have captured the attention of police chiefs, sheriffs, and other police managers across the United States. More from The Police Chief.

Crime Mapping and Analysis (October 09)
Crime analysis, crime mapping, and the ability to operate in an information-sharing environment are becoming critical functions for 21st-century law enforcement. More from The Police Chief.

Good Question! (October 02)
Regular users of this site know that we feature an "inquiry of the week" on the MRSC home page (see right-hand column). We have now incorporated a compilation of these questions and responses into the MRSC Index. The MRSC Index is a one-stop listing of all web pages, documents and inquiries that we have on any given topic. Browse the index by topic or search it by keyword.

Local Government Budget Library (October 02)
MRSC maintains an extensive collection of local government budgets organized by city, county and special purpose districts. We also link to online budgets (along with other documents and services) within the profiles that we maintain for each city and county.

Elderly at the Wheel (September 11)
In the next 20 years the number of elderly drivers — persons 70 and over — is predicted to triple in the United States, and statistics show that older drivers are more likely than younger ones to be involved in multi-vehicle crashes, particularly at intersections. More from Governing.

New Report Helps Communities with Holistic Disaster Approach (September 04)
A new report from U.S. Chamber's Business Civic Leadership Center, On the Brink: Re-engineering the Nation's Disaster Response Processes, provides a catalogue of how the business community and respected partners apply lessons learned and develop new systems to make the disaster response process more holistic and strategic.

New Feature - National News Clippings (September 04)
We've added a new feature to our "Local Governments in the News" section below. Now, in addition to our regular local news source clippings, we will also be featuring news clippings from various national news sources highlighting current events, trends and other news affecting Washington city and county governments and special districts.

New Report on Crisis Readiness (August 28)
A new report from the Public Entity Risk Institute (PERI) and New York University’s (NYU) Center for Catastrophe Preparedness and Response (CCPR), "Predicting Organizational Crisis Readiness: Perspectives and Practices toward a Pathway to Preparedness" finds that that a large number of organizations lack effective preparedness programs to respond to and recovery from a crisis.

Achieving Green Building Status (August 13)
Guided by a city directive that all new taxpayer-funded buildings be LEED certified, the newly constructed Fort Collins Police Services (FCPS) building has earned the federal program’s Silver rating and is pursuing Gold. More from The Police Chief.

Warnings that Work (August 13)
As governments' ability to detect and forecast hazards has grown, so has the expectation that public officials will provide swift and effective warnings to their residents. More from American City & County.

Safe Road Maps (August 13)
To help drivers and public officials make smarter, safer choices about transportation, especially in rural areas, the Center for Excellence in Rural Safety at the University of Minnesota created a new interactive map that plots out every traffic fatality in the nation in 2006. More from Safe Road Maps.

Hybrid Police Patrol Vehicles Praised (July 24)
You’ve seen the headlines. Hybrids work! Hybrids save money! Hybrids save fuel, and hybrids reduce pollution! But you wonder, do they really? More from Public Management.

New Rules for Gas Distribution Pipelines (July 24)
The federal Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is in the final stages of a rulemaking process for integrity management rules for natural gas distribution systems. Cities that operate their own natural gas distribution systems need to pay attention to this issue. Cities served by small gas distribution companies might consider contacting them to make sure they are aware of the coming regulations.

The Role of Transit in Emergency Evacuation (July 24)
A new report from the Transportation Research Board (TRB) explores the roles that transit systems can play in accommodating the evacuation, egress, and ingress of people from and to critical locations in times of emergency. More from the TRB.

GIS - More than Mapping (July 17)
From the basic to the complex, GIS is helping communities in a variety of ways. It is even saving lives. More from Planning Magazine.

Quick Links to City/County Information (July 17)
MRSC recently expanded the types of key documents (e.g., budgets and comp plans) and services (e.g., council broadcasts and online service request forms) that we track in our "city profiles" page. Use these profiles for quick access to city and town documents and services. For county information, see our "county profiles" page.

Fit for Duty? (July 03)
The U.S. population in general is not as fit as it should be—and police officers are no exception. More from The Police Chief.

The Future Is Here: Technology in Police Departments (June 26)
Technology is changing the way police departments operate, how grants requests are formatted, and what is requested in the local operating budget. Technologies funded today were not even common knowledge just a few years ago. More from The Police Chief.

Details Emerge on Nationwide Cell Phone Alert System (June 12)
A nationwide alert system that will send text messages to cell phones and other mobile devices when an emergency occurs is beginning to take shape. More from Nation's Cities Weekly.

Report on Reducing Youth Gang Crime (June 12)
A new report from the Urban Institute, Community Collaboratives Addressing Youth Gangs: Interim Findings from the Gang Reduction Program, presents interim findings of the Urban Institute's evaluation of the Gang Reduction Program, a $10 million, multi-year, federal initiative to reduce gang crime. More from the Urban Institute.

Smart City - Neighborhood Change (June 12)
The High Point, NC, Police Department's ground-breaking technique for getting drug-dealers off the streets has reduced violent crime and won them a 2007 Harvard Innovations award. Marty Sumner, Chief of Staff of the High Point Police Department is this week's guest on Smart City.

Gundemic (June 05)
After a decade of declining crime, urban gun violence is surging again. Police are being told to get tough. More from Governing.

Public Safety - Out of Tune (June 05)
When the FCC tried to fix a twisted public safety communications network, they found the lines were hard to unravel. More from American City & County.

Formulating Best Practicies for Nightlife Establishments (May 29)
After a series of events that culminated in the separate murders of two young women who had visited popular nightclubs prior to their deaths, the New York City Police Department was determined to address issues of crime and disorder associated with bars and clubs in New York City. More from The Police Chief.

Improving Reentry from Jail to the Community (May 23)
Two new reports from the Urban Institute demonstrate how increased collaboration between jails and communities can improve the return of inmates to society. More from the Urban Institute.

Receive RSS Feeds of In Focus (May 23)
We’ve added another option for you to receive information from MRSC: RSS Feeds. Simply click on the RSS button to create an “MRSC In Focus” folder in your email program or RSS reader. You will automatically begin receiving updates to our main Focus page, “Local Governments in the News,” the four Advisor columns, and our “What’s New” section. You can unsubscribe at any time by simply deleting the folder from your RSS reader or email program.

Managing Risk in Jails (May 15)
A new publication from the National Institute of Corrections, Managing Risk in Jails, will help jails both to understand risk and its implication for jails and to develop a formal, effective risk management program that uses all of the jail's basic resources.

Lessons from the Private Sector and the Coast Guard During Katrina (May 09)
According to a study from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, Making Hurricane Response More Effective, the lessons learned from the poor preformance of the federal government and the comparatively effective response from private retailers and the Coast Guard after Hurricane Katrina offer guidance for all disaster relief efforts.

A Guide for Reducing Collisions Involving Bicycles (May 01)
A new report from the Transportation Research Board (TRB) provides strategies that can be employed to reduce collisions involving bicycles. More from the TRB.

Police Study: A Look at the 12-Hour Shift (April 09)
The pros and cons of 12-hour shifts for police departments are often a matter of speculation for law enforcement executives looking for different ways to deploy scarce resources. More from The Police Chief.

Community Safety Measures at the University of Washington (March 27)
The University of Washington (UW) has established a wide range of programs and technologies for a safer community for faculty, staff, students, and visitors. More from The Police Chief.

Assessing Mobile Technologies in Child Protective Services (March 20)
The Center for Technology in Government (CTG) recently published a report on the impact of mobile technology use in child protective services based on case studies of 23 New York State local social services departments. More from CTG.

Locate Sample Ordinances, Contracts, RFPs (March 13)
You can use MRSC's search system to locate a wide variety of local government documents. Note the new options to the right of your search results that allow you to limit your results by agency type, population range, region, form and class of government. Watch a brief tutorial to learn more about using our advanced search features.

Leadership in Law Enforcement (March 13)
Transformational leadership theory is based on the principles of shared leadership, shared vision, and the continuing improvement of the individual. More from The Police Chief.

Bringing a Higher Level of Productivity to the Fire Service (March 06)
Fire departments demonstrate that looking beyond the traditional roles of the fire service and seeking cooperative ventures with law enforcement and other agencies can lead to significant opportunities to greatly enhance fire service productivity. More from Public Management.

New Tax Break for Volunteer Firefighters and EMTs (February 27)
The Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007 passed by Congress late last year also contained a number of other smaller tax relief packages, one of which contains a tax break for volunteer firefighters and emergency medical technicians. More from Nation's Cities Weekly.

Public Health Preparedness (February 22)
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Public Health Preparedness: Mobilizing State by State, finds state and local governments are better equipped to detect and investigate disease outbreaks than they were in 2001, but challenges remain. More from the CDC.

Year of Preventing Identity Crime: It Can Happen to Anyone—Even Chiefs (February 22)
Seldom do we in the law enforcement profession carry the mantel of crime victim. However, that is exactly what happened to this author. More from The Police Chief.

Institutionalizing Mentoring in Police Departments (February 14)
There are three primary goals of a mentoring relationship: to promote professional growth, to inspire personal motivation, and to enhance effectiveness of police service. More from The Police Chief.

Training Video on Pandemic Flu Preparation (February 07)
A new video on pandemic flu preparation has been launched by Public Health Seattle & King County to help businesses, government agencies and community-based organizations prepare for the ongoing threat of what could be a catastrophic, world-wide event. More from Government Technology.

Guidance for New Police Chiefs (January 31)
New chiefs often step into their new role inadequately prepared for the challenges ahead. A major part of achieving success involves sidestepping the more common pitfalls into which many new chiefs stumble. More from The Police Chief.

DHS Releases New Disaster Response Plan (January 31)
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unveiled a significantly streamlined disaster response plan that reinstates FEMA’s authority to coordinate federal disaster operations. More from NACo's County News.

Statewide Crisis Management System Already Saving Lives (January 24)
The Washington State Critical Incident Planning and Mapping System (CIPMS), encourages local first responders to work together with facility managers to develop preplans for a wide variety of emergency incidents. More from The Police Chief.

Cities' Programs Aim to Un-Paint the Town (January 24)
Buildings and other areas defaced by graffiti vandalism can be early signs of urban blight, dwindling property values and poor quality of life for residents. More from American City & County.

Ballistic Body Armor: A Chief’s Refresher Course (January 17)
A primary objective of law enforcement executives is to provide their officers with the proper equipment necessary to protect and defend themselves while performing their duties. More from The Police Chief.

Giving Notice (January 09)
From severe weather warnings to terror attack alerts, newer and more sophisticated technologies are helping local officials quickly and accurately notify residents about events in their communities. More from American City & County.

Identity Theft Victim Recovery Starts with Local Law Enforcement Agencies (January 09)
The Federal Trade Commission offers local law enforcement agencies free tools, resources, a referral hotline, and other support that they can use to help the victims of identity theft. More from The Police Chief.

Capital Planning for Resiliency (January 09)
Capital planning is central to enhancing a locality’s resiliency to extreme events — be they natural or an-made. More from Government Finance Review.

Adapting to Change in Law Enforcement Public Information (January 02)
The future presents unparalleled opportunities for law enforcement leaders to deliver better public information services and to develop stronger ties with their communities. More from The Police Chief.

Justice Information Grant Opportunity - Call for Proposals (December 20)
Washington local government agencies are invited to submit proposals for grants available through the National Criminal History Improvement Program. Proposals must be submitted to Justice Information Network Program Manager, Mo West no later than 5pm Wednesday, January 9, 2008.

Methamphetamine Epidemic Rages On (December 13)
According to a new survey released by the Washington-based National Association of Counties (NACo), meth abuse remains a national epidemic that is straining local law enforcement budgets. More from American City & County.

Focused Nuisance Abatement Program Works (November 28)
Little Rock, Arkansas' successful Criminal Abatement Program (CAP), a focused nuisance abatement program, brings multiple city departments together to concentrate their manpower and resources in targeted areas. More from ICMA.

Informal AG Opinion on Street Gang Ordinances (November 20)
The attorney general's office has issued an informal opinion on the constitutionality of criminal street gang ordinances that have been enacted or are being considered by a number of eastern Washington cities.

Public Safety - Partnering with a Purpose (November 20)
Police agency administrators and university faculty should encourage partnerships to help research and craft viable solutions to community problems and to expand problem-solving efforts. More from The Police Chief.

Public Safety - New Communications Tools (November 20)
New frequencies in the radio spectrum and new technologies offer the law enforcement community additional tools that supplement voice operations with data, imaging, and video. More from The Police Chief.

Watershed Protection Protection Grants (October 23)
The Catalog of Federal Funding Sources for Watershed Protection Web site is a searchable database of financial assistance sources (grants, loans, cost-sharing) available to fund a variety of watershed protection projects.

Overcoming the Police Shortage (October 17)
It's time to think about a new way to compensate police officers by sweetening the pot with higher salaries and more realistic retirement benefits. More from Governing.

King County Recognized for Government Innovation (October 17)
King County is among the winners of this year’s Innovations in American Government Awards at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. More from NACo's County News.

A Nationwide Public Safety Wireless Broadband Network (October 17)
The ability of public safety agencies to have seamless nationwide roaming capability on a wireless broadband network is not only achievable but essential for public safety agencies to meet their increasing responsibilities. More from The Police Chief.

When Disaster Strikes: Dealing with FEMA (October 10)
When disasters happen, there’s little time to bring yourself up to speed on how FEMA works or how it can help you. That’s why we’ve prepared this quick overview of FEMA to keep handy before disaster strikes. More from NACo's County News.

Washington Cities Combine 911 Dispatch Services (October 10)
The Tacoma Fire Department and Central Pierce Fire and Rescue will be combining 911 dispatch services on Oct. 1, 2008. More from Government Technology.

Is There an iCrime Wave? (October 03)
A new report from the Urban Institute argues that the recent rise in violent crime and the explosion in the sales of iPods and other portable media devices is more than coincidental. More from the Urban Institute.

Are Volunteers a Part of Your Disaster Preparednes Plan? (October 03)
Incidents such as the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, showed police agencies that they can expect an outpouring of citizen volunteer support to assist with disasters or terrorist events. More from The Police Chief.

Cities Worried About Federal Disaster Response Plan (September 19)
State and local officials greeted a Department of Homeland Security draft update of the plan for coordinating disaster preparedness and response with skepticism and dismay in a recent congressional hearing. More from Nation's Cities Weekly.

Crisis Response Tools for Law Enforcement (September 19)
"Critical Incident Stress Management" is an effective and valuable crisis intervention system designed to mitigate the impact of traumatic incidents on police officers and other emergency responders. More from The Police Chief.

Citizens Reporting Crimes Online: The San Francisco Experience (September 11)
Whether an agency is small or large, citizens will consult the agency Web site for information and will look for the easiest way to resolve their specific issues. Online reporting is one such service. More from The Police Chief.

Homeland Security Releases National Response Framework for Public Comment (September 11)
The Department of Homeland Security recently released the draft National Response Framework, successor to the National Response Plan, for a 30-day public comment period. More from Government Technology.

Considerations for Pandemic Flu Planning and Response (September 05)
Guidance for the development of contingency plans, organization of resources, and establishment of departmental protocols that can be used to respond to and help mitigate the effects of a pandemic influenza or similar health emergency. More from The Police Chief.

Cities Design for Pedestrian Safety (August 28)
Many urban centers are revitalizing their downtown corridors, revamping commercial and entertainment areas and constructing new developments. To handle the increase of vehicle and pedestrian traffic in core areas, cities are introducing street designs that are safer for pedestrians. More from American City & County.

Virginia's Dangerous Dog Registry (July 23)
Virginia's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Dangerous Dog Registry is a new online service that lists dogs that have been declared dangerous by the courts. The registry site includes legislation and Virginia's regulations governing dangerous dogs, forms for use by animal control officers and owners of dangerous dogs, and the database containing the location of dangerous dogs in the Commonwealth. See also a New York Times article, States Weigh Safety With Dog Owners’ Rights.

Cities Taking Wrong Steps to Stop Gangs, Report Says (July 19)
A report of the Justice Policy Institute concludes that the billions of dollars spent on traditional gang suppression activities have failed to promote public safety and are often counterproductive. Read the Report and also see Seattle PI article Role of Seattle Police Special Unit Defended.

States Seek Alternatives to More Prisons (June 19)
Swelling inmate populations are cutting into state budgets, and lawmakers are exploring new ways to ease overcrowding and save money including grants for local community programs.  More from Stateline.org

Crime in the U.S.: The Preliminary Stats for 2006 (June 05)
The FBI released its preliminary crime statistics for 2006. The big picture? Nationwide, violent crime in the U.S. increased 1.3 percent and property crime decreased 2.9 percent over 2005. The stats, collected from more than 11,700 law enforcement agencies, show a rise in violent crime for the second straight year. View the preliminary report and press release.

Identity Theft and Fraud Prevention Program (May 30)
In 2003, with the assistance of $250,000 in federal grant funding, the Beaverton, Oregon Police Department created an award winning Identity Theft and Fraud Prevention program. More from The Police Chief.

Pandemic Influenza Planning Best Practices Report (May 23)
The Department of Homeland Security's report,"Pandemic Influenza: Best Practices and Model Protocols (401KB)," focuses on the need for a community to plan and prepare for a pandemic outbreak and includes best practices to support planning and preparedness.

Law Enforcement - Interagency Information Sharing (May 15)
The public rightly expects that criminal justice agencies and especially law enforcement agencies at all levels of government will cooperate and share information seamlessly. More from The Police Chief.

Traffic Tickets Going Digital (May 15)
Even the most maddening of life's minor irritants -- getting a traffic ticket -- is going digital as more and more states adapt computer technology to enforce the rules of the road. More from Government Technology.

National "Call Before You Dig" Telephone Number Launched (May 09)
Created to eliminate the confusion of multiple "Call Before You Dig" numbers across the country and to be an easy-to-remember resource, 811 will make it easier for Americans to call before attempting any digging project. More from Government Technology.

Diversity Training Helps Local Inclusiveness (May 09)
Many municipalities are taking a proactive approach to promoting inclusion and preventing discrimination by using diversity trainings for city staff. Diversity trainings address tensions, enhance understanding among personnel and improve service to community residents. More from Nation's Cities Weekly.

U.S. Supreme Court Sides with Local Governments (May 09)
On April 30th, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down two rulings favorable to local governments. The National League of Cities (NLC) joined amicus briefs in support of the prevailing parties in both cases. More from Nation's Cities Weekly.

Court Approves Agreements among Cities for Court Services (May 03)
In a May 3 decision (City of Medina v. Primm), the state supreme court upheld interlocal agreements by a number of cities to share municipal court facilities. The supreme court determined that each municipal court had the authority to hear cases outside the geographical boundaries of their respective city.

The Disability Dilemma (May 01)
Police officers and firefighters injured in the line of duty receive generous benefits. Can localities afford to keep paying for them? More from Governing.

A Guide to Multi-Lingual Law Enforcement (May 01)
A recent publication from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing (COPS), Overcoming Language Barriers: Solutions for Law Enforcement, is designed to provide law enforcement agencies with strategies to best ensure language access to the limited English proficient populations in their jurisdiction. More from COPS.

Firefighting: Among Top Three Jobs for Satisfaction (May 01)
A new report from the University of Chicago found firefighters to be some of the most satisfied and happiest of American workers, directly behind clergy. More from the International Fire Chiefs Association.

Automated Alert Network (April 18)
The Portland, Oregon Connect & Protect™ program makes it possible to send targeted emergency alerts and share critical information in real time among emergency management operations, first responders, critical infrastructure providers, and other public safety stakeholders. More from ICMA.

Reconnecting Out-of-School Youth (April 18)
A new publication from the American Youth Policy Forum, Whatever it Takes: How Twelve Communities Are Reconnecting Out-of-School Youth ( 9.1MB), documents what committed educators, policymakers, and community leaders across the country are doing to reconnect out-of-school youth to the social and economic mainstream.

Case Studies of Incident Command Systems (April 18)
A recently published report from the IBM Center for the Business of Government,"From Forest Fires to Hurricane Katrina: Case Studies of Incident Command Systems (ICS),” examines the Katrina case, as well as others, and identifies the conditions under which the ICS approach can be successful.

Local Government Pros Team Up on Disaster Recovery (April 10)
Florida’s response in Mississippi marked the beginning of what is fast evolving into a concerted effort to formalize the concept of coordinated disaster recovery assistance by local governments, a concept that Florida managers call recovery strike teams. More from Public Management.

DHS Program Awards Free Equipment to Police Departments (March 27)
Imagine a government assistance program that bypasses the bureaucracy and awards state-of-the-art equipment to local law enforcement agencies at no cost and with a minimum of paperwork. More from The Police Chief.

Predator Protection Laws come under Fire (March 27)
Supporters of the zoning ordinances that restrict where convicted sex offenders may reside after being released from prison say they protect children, while opponents say such restrictions may be going too far and are suing to overturn them. More from American City & County.

Homeland Security Guide (March 27)
The National Governors Association recently updated the Governor's Guide to Homeland Security (1698KB), which offers best practices and step-by-step advice on managing emergencies, including sections on interoperability, information sharing, governance and critical infrastructure protection.

Pedestrian Safety Initiative: The Other Side (March 22)
Many police departments, schools, and parents have become complacent about educating children about pedestrian safety. More from The Police Chief.

DHS Offers Free Security Training on the Web (March 22)
New Web-based training is available from the Department of Homeland Security for anybody involved in protecting critical infrastructure, such as power plants and water supplies.

More COPS (March 13)
A recent Brookings Institution Policy Brief argues that it is time to reconsider the massive de-funding of one of the most successful federal anti-crime measures of the 1990s: the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Community Policing Services (COPS) program.

Storm Tests Seattle's Emergency Response Resources (March 07)
Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels recently released a detailed review of the city's response to the historic December 2006 windstorm and pledged to implement all of the report's key recommendations to help prepare even more effectively for future emergencies. More from Government Technology.

The Role of IT in Disaster Management (February 22)
A recently released report by the National Academies, Improving Disaster Management: The Role of IT in Mitigation, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery, suggests that information technology has unrealized potential to improve how communities and the nation handle natural disasters and terrorism. More from the Transportation Research Board.

The Next Generation of Homeland Security (February 22)
A free web cast sponsored by the Leadership for a Networked World Program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, will focus on the key strategies and tactics underpinning the next generation of homeland security: networked people and processes. The web cast is scheduled for March 1, 2007. More from the Government Innovators Network.

Delivery of Benefits in an Emergency (February 22)
A new report from the IBM Center for the Business of Government, Delivery of Benefits in an Emergency: Lessons from Hurricane Katrina, focuses on the delivery of emergency financial benefits, such as pensions and Social Security, as well as disaster-related payments such as emergency food stamps, unemployment insurance, and emergency cash assistance. More from the IBM Center for the Business of Government.

Best Practices - Vermont's Reparative Probation Program (February 22)
The Vermont Department of Correction's pioneering reparative probation program, steers criminals convicted of minor and nonviolent offenses away from jail to community boards that craft creative sentences. A new U.S. Department of Justice study confirms that the program works.

Cities Consider Amending Digital Billboard Regulations (February 14)
Although there are currently only around 400 digital billboards in the United States, their numbers are expected to grow tenfold within the next decade. More from Nation's Cities Weekly.

Free Resources for Smaller Police Agencies (February 06)
Where should a chief look for free and reduced-cost resources? Here are a few suggestions. More from The Police Chief.

Homeland Security - All Together Now (February 06)
The National Incident Management System was introduced by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in March 2004 to help responders from different jurisdictions and disciplines collaborate when responding to disasters. More from American City & County.

Grants Announced for Infrastructure Protection (January 23)
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently released their fiscal year 2007 grant guidance and application kits for five grant programs that will total roughly $445 million in funding for state, local and private industry infrastructure protection initiatives. More from DHS.

FY 07 Homeland Security Grant Program (January 18)
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently released their fiscal year 2007 grant guidance and application kits for five grant programs that will total roughly $1.7 billion in funding for state and local counterterrorism efforts. More from DHS.

Talk to Me (January 10)
While governments continue to work with vendors on developing appropriate tools, technology is no longer the sole impediment to true interoperability — people are. More from American City & County.

Crime-Free Rental Housing (January 03)
The Everett Police Department initiated their crime-free rental housing program in response to repeated calls from the same few rental properties for noise or disturbance complaints, drug activities, and other crimes that were directly affecting the quality of life in the community. More from The Police Chief.

Public Safety - Balancing Act (December 20)
More than 80 police departments nationwide are using the Segway because it gives them more mobility than a bike, saves gas, it's community-friendly and beats walking. More from Government Technology.

Nationwide Interoperability for First Responders within Reach (December 20)
According to a new report from the Homeland Security Department’s Safecom Program, more than two-thirds of emergency response agencies in the United States use some degree of interoperable communications, allowing them to speak directly with other agencies. More from Government Computer News.

Evacuation Report Card 2006 (December 12)
The American Highway Users Alliance has released a first-of-its-kind study evaluating the emergency evacuation capacity of the 37 largest US urban areas - with at least 1,000,000 population. More from the American Highway Users Alliance.

Emergency Management - Critical Connectors (December 12)
During emergencies, citizens and even some disaster workers depend on libraries for Internet connections to the world. More from Governing.

Washington State Patrol Biannual Driver Qualification Program (December 06)
Beginning in 2007 the Washington State Patrol will require all officers to qualify for driving every two years, using the same course and standards as the driving practical examination in trooper basic training. More from The Police Chief.

Coast Guard Offers Free Hazardous Materials Resource CD (November 22)
The United States Coast Guard has published a free resource CD-ROM that brings comprehensive chemical information to the fingertips of fire and safety service personnel responding to a hazardous materials incident. More from the U.S. Coast Guard.

A Search for Fairness in the Disciplinary Process (November 14)
There are few issues among law enforcement personnel that can raise more concern, debate, rancor, and sometimes outright dissension than that of employee discipline--both the manner in which agencies investigate specific allegations of employee misconduct, and the way in which disciplinary penalties are determined. More from The Police Chief.

Emergency Management - Now Hear This (November 14)
Because the public has changed how it communicates and accesses information, local officials are devising a variety of ways to notify people of impending crises whether those relate to homeland security or natural disasters. More from Federal Computer Week.

Web Sightings - Public Safety Links (November 08)
This month we’ve selected a few examples among the many information-rich Web sites addressing public safety topics, including police, fire, and law and justice issues: