The Beat: A COPS Office Podcast

Each week, the Milwaukee Police Department holds a shoot review meeting where they break down information about the reasons and specifics of each incident in a way that informs their ability to prevent further gun violence. This is common practice throughout the field. However, effectively engaging community partners in the process differentiates Milwaukee from most departments, and it is paying dividends. Assistant Chief Paul Formolo discusses Milwaukee’s unique approach in this episode of The Beat.

Art Acevedo often finds himself on the national police leadership stage. Not because he is intent on being there, but because he calls balls and strikes in a strident manner that endears him to the communities he has served. His views on policing and his leadership of the Austin (TX), Houston (TX), and Miami (FL) police departments can be hard to categorize in traditional terms. He has been as likely to adopt uncompromising approaches toward fighting crime as to drive reforms that reflect contemporary public sentiments about needed advancements. Acevedo currently serves as Chief of the Aurora Police Department in Colorado and joins The Beat to share his thoughts on leadership and the direction of American law enforcement.

The unyielding and ‘around-the-clock’ demands placed on law enforcement departments and officers create an unavoidable draw to become engrossed with focusing on responses to crime and disorder – rather than solutions. Ed Flynn is among a cadre of prominent voices in law enforcement who serve as a constant reminder that impactful solutions require that we look upstream and develop sound strategies instead of simply chasing the tail of crime. Over the span of his 47-year career, he has worked in small towns, big cities, and even served as the Director of Public Safety for the State of Massachusetts. In this episode, Flynn joins The Beat to share his insights during a discussion guaranteed to leave listeners inspired and informed.

Affectionately known as the ‘City of Sacrament’ and the ‘River City,’ Sacramento, California is not immune to the complexities that affect many metropolitan areas. It is only fitting that the recently retired Chief of the Sacramento Police Department, Daniel Hahn, has a first-hand understanding of those complexities based on unique insights he has gained during an unconventional childhood in a hard-edged Sacramento neighborhood. During this episode of The Beat, Retired Chief Hahn discusses lessons of community service taught to him by his adoptive mother, his journey through a 34-year career in policing, and the need for collective understanding of how law enforcement and low-income communities can move forward together.

Never-ending changes to the demands facing law enforcement, municipal funding levels, and public expectations have increased local efforts to establish alternative response models for certain nonviolent calls for service. Barbie Robinson, Executive Director of the Harris County (TX) Department of Public Health, joins The Beat to discuss their Holistic Assistance Response Team and how it works in conjunction with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office to enhance public safety.

Online scams targeting elders and others are the unfortunate byproduct of our increasing reliance on the internet for shopping and efficiently moving funds with the click of a few buttons. Internet-based platforms are also an efficient means for criminals to identify and prey upon victims. Felix Salazar is an investigator with the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office and his efforts to build cases against online scam artists are quickly becoming the cheat-sheet for law enforcement and prosecutors to successfully convict these elusive criminals.

Throughout the law enforcement community, recruiting the next generation of professionals has presented new challenges and departments are seeking updated approaches to address their needs. Jenn Rineer and Rick Jacobs from the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology join The Beat to share their experiences and expertise employing industrial and organizational psychology practices in support of departments seeking to attract the best and brightest candidates.

Making trauma notifications to a victim’s next of kin is one of the many sobering and personally challenging duties experienced during a career in law enforcement. It is also a responsibility for which there is often a lack of adequate training. The FBI’s Dr. Staci Beers joins The Beat to discuss best practices for making notifications and provides information on the Bureau’s no-cost, online training.

National Faith & Blue Weekend (NFBW) encourages law enforcement agencies, houses of worship, civic organizations, and community members to come together for the purpose of conducting service projects, improving trust, and collaborative problem-solving. During last year’s NFBW, state and local law enforcement agencies from all 50 states hosted 2,000 events under the NFBW umbrella. Reverend Markel Hutchins joins The Beat to discuss Faith & Blue and shares information on how to host an event in 2022.

A core component of community policing is identifying individuals and situations that pose threats to a community. It follows that apprehending violent criminals is an unavoidable part of that process. Thor Eells, Executive Director of the National Tactical Officers Association, joins The Beat to discuss the resources that his organization provides, responding to active threats and issues of tactical proficiency.