Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the Future of Policing Institute fellows are theirs and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.
“Exhausted Cops:” A Policing in a Minute Series
Police fatigue is more than just feeling tired — it's a critical issue that affects officer safety, decision-making, and public trust. In this concise yet insightful Policing in a Minute podcast series, produced by the Future Policing Institute, we explore the hidden risks and profound consequences of police fatigue across four episodes.
Latest Episode of “Policing in a Minute” is Out
Discover one of the secrets of effective policing with the Policing in a Minute podcast about the Koper Curve! Take a quick dive into the groundbreaking principle developed by criminologist Chris Koper, which reveals how short, strategic patrols in high-crime areas can drastically reduce criminal activity. Learn how officers can maximize their impact, enhance community trust, and create safer neighborhoods with just 10-15 minute visits to high crime areas.
No cost webinar on using AI (Copilot) in Police Report Generation
Register now for the upcoming webinar on using AI (copilot) to more effectively and efficiently create a wide variety of policing reports. It will be at 8:30am PT on Wednesday, February 12, 2025. Registration is now open. Just click on the “read more” below to register.
Attendees will learn the multiple ways in which Copilot can be used to generate a variety of reports. Use cases will include crime reports, staff reports, city council reports, etc. Practical, easy-to-understand information you can put to work immediately!
"Policing in a Minute:" A Podcast of the Future Policing Institute
Policing in a Minute is a podcast of the Future Policing Institute. It is intended to provide brief summaries of topics important to policing today and in the future. All in about a minute. Episodes are designed for you to listen to when your time is limited. No fluff. Just the bottom line. We'll try and give you the three most important things you need to know about the subject at hand.
A Common-sense Five-Point Plan for addressing the New Jersey Drones Issue
The “New Jersey Drones” continue to cause stress and consternation in communities up and down our eastern seaboard. To address this, New Jersey Representative Mikie Sherrill’s has developed a rational, comprehensive "Drone Plan of Action" that outlines a five-point strategy to address the recurring sightings of unidentified drones.
Trust, Confidence and the New Jersey Drones
The ongoing drone sightings over New Jersey and other parts of the eastern seaboard have caused significant community concern, increased anxiety, societal uncertainty, and increasing mistrust in the federal government. These issues highlight the importance of transparency and proactive communication in maintaining public confidence in both government and policing.
The Importance of Facial Recognition in Policing
Facial recognition technology offers police departments numerous advantages, including enhanced security, streamlined operations and enhanced public safety. However, its deployment must take into account potential risks, including privacy violations, data security threats and algorithmic biases.
The battle against misinformation and disinformation campaigns: Is your police department prepared?
Artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced social media platforms have significantly amplified the spread of misinformation and disinformation, posing critical challenges for police agencies. Misinformation and disinformation are increasingly weaponized, often by state-sponsored actors, leading to public unrest that demands police intervention. The police must act proactively to counter this.
Practical Uses of AI in Policing
There are many promises and speculations about what artificial intelligence (AI) can do for policing. Here, we’ll cut through the hype and focus on three actionable use cases where AI can make a real difference. Some uses of AI in policing include: 1. Enhancing Training Programs through AI-Powered Training Materials; 2. Automating Content Creation; 3. Improving Internal Transparency and Searching Capabilities; and, 4. Enhancing Problem-Solving Capabilities.
Local government can empower citizen preparedness and self-reliance through the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS)
Local government can help its community members prepare to help themselves during natural disasters by creating the infrastructure for a community-wide GMRS radio system.
AI’s Role in Law Enforcement: Enhancing Dispatcher Training with Voice-Enabled Technology
The future of police communications, and the integration of artificial intelligence in dispatcher training, is becoming more apparent.
Why Police Academy Directors should focus on Five Simple Questions?
Today, we need cops whose core competencies are consistent with organizational values and contemporary views of the true purpose of policing. The formal training of these officers begins in police academies. There are five basic questions each academy director should be asking themselves as they reflect on the nature of the training they are providing.
Teaching Police Departments
What if we could displace the concept of a teaching hospital to policing? Police agencies as learning organizations is largely a function of leadership vision. Using the “displacement of concept” advances policing in ways we can only imagine now.
Is Community-led Policing in our Future?
In the future-leaning concept of community-led policing, there is no need for civilian oversight of the police, as the community and the police share responsibility for the regular decision-making process regarding crime control on the strategic level, as well as the joint examination of those things for which civilian oversight is regularly sought - citizen complaints and questionable uses of force.
Developing Future Capacity for Police Research and Development
With the changing and evolving reality within policing, it is obvious that there is a need for robust research and development capacity with police agencies
Navigating our Policing Careers: Mentorship and the Path to Wisdom
Being a police officer is about more than just making arrests – it's about making a positive impact, one informed decision at a time. And that comes through experience, which perhaps is the greatest lesson of all as we navigate the ever-changing landscape of policing, preparing ourselves for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
Training Your Nervous System: A Game-Changer for Life
We put so much effort into prepping our bodies for endurance feats, but our nervous system? Not so much. This is especially true for first responders. Well, it’s high time we treat our inner wiring like the star of the show if we want to shape our lives into the spectacular experiences we crave. If we hope to realize our preferred futures, whether that be personal or professional, the first thing we must do is attend to our own wellness. Our physical health begins with ensuring our mental health is where we want it to be – now, and in the future.
The Role of Martial Arts Training for Police Officers
In the future, cops will probably have access to tools that incapacitate resisting arrestees without hurting them. But those tools don’t exist today, and we are forced, as a first level use-of-force, to resort to putting our hands on them to try and restrain them. The extent to which officers are proficient in the use of “hands-on” techniques directly relates to the reduction of injuries to arrested persons. This is where martial arts-centered defensive tactics comes into play.
So, how may cops do you need and where do you need them?
Efficient and effective police officer staffing and scheduling should avoid speculation and assumptions about critical issues like personnel deployment. This will be critical in the future as police agencies are increasingly asked to justify budgetary requests and there is community pressure to not over or under police the people the police are sworn to protect.
Are you a police chief or a firefighter?
If you spend most of your day putting out spot fires, you are not setting the course for your agency – here’s how to balance crisis management with long-term planning.