Significant Tactical Police Cases

While skill development is important in the world of law enforcement, today there appears to be a disturbing lack and understanding of history, how it impacts the present, and how it ultimately affects the future. Accordingly, the primary purpose of this book is to provide the professional SWAT officer with the appropriate historical references in order to improve the individual and overall performance of this very specialized aspect of law enforcement. The text offers analysis of significant case histories, much in the same manner as the approach to learning used by the Harvard Business School and the United States Army War College. Tactics, equipment, organizational preparedness, and operational execution are examined to identify what was successful and can be maintained or improved for future use or what was ineffective and should be avoided. In reviewing the significant case histories, a variety of methods was used for data collection, including original police and court records, interviews with participants in these events, and even direct observation. By examining these cases, the reader becomes better equipped and more able to understand how the standards were developed in the police tactical world and why they are so important to operational success. In addition to SWAT specialists, this book is also written for police officers of all levels, particularly those who are charged with the responsibilities of supervising personnel, allocating scarce resources, and making policy. Without a proper historical reference, performance of these skills often becomes an exercise in futility and even counterproductive. The text will also be beneficial to college and university students of criminal justice and to those whose vocations take them close to the criminal justice world such as politicians, journalists, social workers, and other caregivers.

Psychological Aspects of Crisis Negotiation, Third Edition, explores the methods and strategies for confronting the nine types of subjects typically encountered in hostage/suicide sieges by correctional staff and law enforcement crisis negotiators. Strentz, an experienced negotiator who designed and directed the FBI’s hostage negotiator program, lays out the critical elements that are required for a successful encounter with a hostage taker or other malfeasant. This book highlights psychological dynamics of negotiations as they apply to the negotiator, the hostage, and the subject. It discusses the predictors of surrender versus the need for a tactical intervention and examines the phases of a hostage crisis and the changing focus as the crisis develops. Referencing historical events such as the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Challenger and Columbia incidents, this text demonstrates how faulty group decision making can spell tragedy. Enhanced with case studies to put the material into context, this third edition also includes new chapters on the SWAT team/crisis negotiator interface and on the genesis of the increased incidence of mentally ill hostage takers. Based on decades of experience in the fi eld and practical advice from a national expert, this volume arms negotiators with the knowledge and tools they need to defuse crises and increase the odds that hostages will survive.

A major responsibility of the leadership of any specialized police unit is the awareness of endlessly changing societal, legal, and managerial developments that affect operations. This third edition of The Management of Police Specialized Tactical Units represents a significant updating and expansion of each of the chapters from previous editions. In addition to explaining the steps for developing and maintaining a realistic and effective response to increasingly violent levels of crime, this edition discusses the social, political, and technological matters that must be continuously identified, defined, and resolved prior to the implementation of any substantive or procedural change in tactical policy and practice. Legal and operational guidelines are provided to help tactical leaders to develop their leadership abilities and tactical success, thereby enhancing the tactical unit’s ability to safeguard the public. The authors make extensive use of the latest court decisions to provide the legal bases for operations as well as recent case histories to illustrate the various aspects of organizational management. These case histories do much more than summarize the sequence of events. They also point out what was learned from the successes and failures alike. Of particular interest is the new material on how the range of activities assigned to tactical units has expanded dramatically since September 11, 2001 and how the law enforcement community has been forced to respond to its newest critics. Emphasis is placed on how decision-makers must not only be organizational managers and administrators but also on how they should possess a firm grasp of confrontation tactics and leadership principles.

The purpose of this book is to provide the first-line leader with practical, time-proven guidance for making decisions that range from the seemingly mundane to the life-critical. The text emphasizes the importance of common sense applied to sound decision-making, and provides the first-line leader with the insight, experience, talents, and skills to meet specific challenges. The following topics are featured: why decision-making is important; assessing your people; employee grievances and fair decisions; setting a good example; making decisions concerning employee performance; disciplinary decision-making; troubled employees and compassionate decision-making; identifying high-risk behavior; keeping your officers alive; tactical decision-making; decision-making in critical incidents; handling media encounters; how to fix communication breakdowns; surviving the difficult boss and what your supervisor expects; surviving an organization's politics; making decisions when unsure of yourself; and making career plans. The embodiment of the text lies in its ability to involve the reader in tasks that must be accomplished following the use of lethal force by an officer, the leader's key duties and responsibilities to citizenry and his organization, responding effectively to high-risk, on the street scenarios, while simultaneously maintaining true professional calm and even-handedness. This book will be useful as a learning tool for those interested in preparing themselves for law enforcement supervisory or management positions, policymakers, and police academies.

Each person confined in jails, prisons, and juvenile detention facilities must be afforded unimpeded access to needed health care. Such persons, without risk of interference or fear of reprisal, should be able to alert health care staff of a medical need, obtain a timely professional evaluation of that need, and receive treatment in the manner prescribed by a competent provider. Simply stated, no correctional officer should ever prevent, impede, or inhibit anyone from alerting a health care provider of a perceived need for health services, even though the officer may believe the request is trivial, fictitious, or undeserved. This book focuses on access to health care services by special populations in correctional institutions (women, youths, elderly, persons with dementia, and the terminally ill), which includes important information on privatization in corrections. The following topics are featured: the context, principles, balance and implications of correctional health care, including the recent detention of immigrants in the United States; the unimpeded access to care, enhancements, stress reductions, health literacy, culture, ethnicity, religion, intake health screening, medical clearance for transfer or release, medications and clinical appointments, emergency care services, special settings, copayments, and budgeting for health care services; privatization, contracts, evaluating bids, monitoring the contract, and minimizing adverse risks; special health concerns of incarcerated women, communicable disease, pregnancy-related concerns, aging, frailty, osteoporosis, mental health, cosmetic concerns, health education and job assignments; youth in corrections, hygiene, exercise, gender-specific needs of young women, informed consent, supervision of vulnerable youth, substance abuse treatment, and the community connection; special health needs and humane care and alternative care of the aging; the prevalence, person-centered care, elements of care, environment, restraints, visits, and the ethics of incarcerating persons with dementia. The book concludes with end-of-life care in prison, hospice, palliative care, and compassionate release. It will serve as an invaluable tool for correctional officers, health care providers, justice and legal professionals, social workers, mental health professionals, and counselors.

Managing a major case is among the most challenging managerial functions that anyone in law enforcement can perform, and there are numerous pitfalls to avoid. It is the goal of this book to provide law enforcement managers with the necessary tools and strategies they can use in managing their next major case. Many of these strategies were learned through trial and error. It begins with a look at the various elements of the investigative process. Organization of the investigative unit, whether it is a general assignment or highly specialized unit, is discussed as well as how to determine proper.

Provides a critical understanding and evaluation of police tactics and the use of force Police violence has historically played an important role in shaping public attitudes toward the government. Community trust and confidence in policing have been undermined by the perception that officers are using force unnecessarily, too frequently, or in problematic ways. The use of force, or harm suffered by a community as a result of such force, can also serve as a flashpoint, a spark that ignites long-simmering community hostility. In Evaluating Police Uses of Force, legal scholar Seth W. Stoughton, former deputy chief of police Jeffrey J. Noble, and distinguished criminologist Geoffrey P. Alpert explore a critical but largely overlooked facet of the difficult and controversial issues of police violence and accountability: how does society evaluate use-of-force incidents? By leading readers through answers to this question from four different perspectives—constitutional law, state law, administrative regulation, and community expectations—and by providing critical information about police tactics and force options that are implicated within those frameworks, Evaluating Police Uses of Force helps situate readers within broader conversations about governmental accountability, the role that police play in modern society, and how officers should go about fulfilling their duties.

Extensive, advanced text of realistic tactical options for defeating violent offenders in life-threatening situations, including vehicle stops, domestic disturbances, armed robberies, building searches, barricaded subjects, and hostage officer crises. Addresses mental conditioning, tactical thinking and a host of special problems, whether you respond to dangerous calls alone, with a partner or as part of a tactical team. Used as a foundation for much training and for promotional exams.