Rank and F

REFLECTIONS ON EMERGING

ile
 

ISSUES IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
 

Mary-Jo Robinson and Christopher Smith 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This project was supported, in whole or in part, by cooperative agreement number 2016-CK-WX-K028 awarded by the U.S. Department of
 

Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. The opinions contained herein are those of the author(s) or contributor(s) and do not
 

necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. References to specific individuals, agencies, companies,
 

products, or services should not be considered an endorsement by the author(s) or the U.S. Department of Justice. Instead, the references are 

illustrations to supplement the discussion of the issues.
 

The internet references cited in this publication were valid as of the date of issuance and given that URLs and websites are in constant flux,
 

neither the author(s) nor the COPS Office can vouch for their current validity.
 

The U.S. Department of Justice reserves a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable license to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use and to 

authorize others to use this resource for Federal Government purposes. This resource is open for free distribution as well as used for
 

noncommercial and educational purposes only.
 

Recommended citation:
 

Robinson, Mary-Jo, and Christopher Smith. 2018. Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement. Washington, DC: Office of
 

Community Oriented Policing Services.
 

Published 2018
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contents
 

Letter from the Director of the COPS Office................................................................................................ 

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iii
 

Acknowledgments iv
 

Introduction 1
 

Officer Morale, Safety, and Wellness 3
 

Training ............................................................................................................................................ 

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5
 

Funding 5
 

Addressing mental and emotional health 6
 

Police-community relations 7
 

Building collaboration between leadership and field officers 8
 

Strategies and Tactics to Reduce Violent Crime 10
 

Poverty...........................................................................................................................................

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10
 

Generational shifts 11
 

Education about law enforcement 11
 

Emerging issues..............................................................................................................................

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12
 

Effective strategies 13
 

Emerging Issues in Policing and Strategies to Support Law Enforcement Officers 16
 

Determining emerging issues 16
 

Social media and community expectations of the department 17
 

The police, NARCAN, and the opioid epidemic..............................................................................

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18
 

Human trafficking as an emerging issue 21
 

Improving support for law enforcement 22
 

Conclusion 24
 

References 25
 
 

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Appendix. Participant Roster 27
 

About SAI 30
 

About the COPS Office 31
 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement ii 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Letter from the Director of the COPS 

Office 

Colleagues: 

As challenges to public safety evolve, so too must our responses. And who better to provide insights on 

the growing opioid crisis and other emerging issues facing law enforcement than the men and women 

who face them personally on a daily basis. 

It was for this reason that the COPS Office convened a forum of rank-and-file police officers in August 

2017. Designed to discuss strategies and debate ideas for reducing crime—in particular illegal 

immigration, drug trafficking, and violent crime—the forum covered a wide range of issues facing the 

modern law enforcement officer. 

It was a spirited meeting, energized by a question-and-answer period with then Attorney General 

Jefferson B. Sessions. Throughout the day the officers were encouraged to question their peers and 

speak their minds, so numerous ideas, techniques, and recommendations were shared by the group. 

The result was an eye-opening meeting that discussed everything from tactics to reduce violent crime to 

suggestions for services to support officer wellness. 

The 40 officers who participated in this meeting were very forthcoming in presenting their opinions and 

recommendations. Though they don’t speak for all of today’s American law enforcement officers, they 

do provide a perspective that is essential to effectively address problems and create durable, workable 

solutions. I thank Attorney General Sessions for addressing the group and participating in the discussion 

and the SAI team for organizing the meeting. On behalf of the COPS Office, I also want to express our 

gratitude to the participants who were so generous with their time and thoughtful in providing honest 

assessments of the state of policing and the possibilities for meeting new challenges as they arise. 

It is our belief that meetings such as this inspire us all and bring us closer to developing the policies, 

tools, and resources we need to meet new and future challenges to the safety and well-being of us all. 

Sincerely, 

Phil Keith 

Director 

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acknowledgments
 

It is with great appreciation that we recognize the work of the Office of the Community Oriented 

Policing Services (COPS Office) staff members Deborah Spence, Helene Bushwick, and Brenda Auterman, 

who oversaw the development of the Rank & File Forum. 

We also extend our thanks to James Copple, Principal and Founder of Strategic Applications 

International (SAI), for his expert facilitation design and leadership throughout the event. Additional 

members of the SAI team included Colleen Copple and Jessica Drake, as well as facilitators Jason Drake, 

Stephen Manik, Dr. Bernard Murphy, and Darnell Blackburn. 

Furthermore, we would like to spotlight the participants and the depth of experience they brought to 

the table. Each of them was selected to represent their department at the table and be a voice on behalf 

of their fellow rank-and-file officers. For that, we commend and salute them. 

Throughout this document are numerous quotations. Where and when the sources gave permission, we 

cited the name of the officer and the agency that sent him or her to the forum. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction
 

On August 16, 2017, the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), a component of 

the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), invited 40 rank-and-file officers to engage in meaningful dialogue 

on numerous contemporary policing issues, share their insight and firsthand experiences as front-line 

officers, and discuss challenges they face in protecting their communities and reducing crime. The 

participants in the Rank & File Forum were officers, deputies, and troopers from a wide range of law 

enforcement agencies, nominated by the heads of their department as some of our nation’s front-line 

leaders (see appendix for a full participant roster). 

While the phrase “rank and file” is a historical artifact of military or paramilitary organizations, it has 

come to identify non-command staff in law enforcement. Initially used as a military expression to 

describe the rows and columns of soldiers assembled in a field, “rank and file” in the context of law 

enforcement calls to mind officers’ place in a department and the precision and order they bring to their 

everyday duties. 

This second meeting of rank-and-file officers was a listening session to inform the DOJ on the current 

issues facing line officers. Throughout the day, many of those present reported feeling marginalized and 

criticized by those they were sworn to protect. Officer Kenneth Allen, President of the Atlanta, Georgia 

Police Union stated, “There is a lot going on with law enforcement in this country right now. We are no 

longer the heroes.” Responding to that concern, then Attorney General Jefferson B. Sessions, who 

participated in a robust question-and-answer session before the day’s proceedings, stressed that the 

U.S. Department of Justice “has your back.” Sessions emphasized, “We want to focus on your safety and 

wellness and to be sure you have the resources to respond to violent crime and other emerging threats 

to local communities.” 

To that end, the Rank & File Forum focused on the following areas: 

• A positive image of policing 

• Recruitment and retention 

• Identifying strategies to support line officers 

• Crime trends and their influence on policing and police strategies 

• Officer safety, wellness, and morale 

• Community and police relations 

The officers in attendance at the forum brought energy, insight, and years of experience to the 

discussion. The foundation of community policing is a field of dedicated and upstanding rank-and-file 

officers who can speak into the local community and create partnerships that encourage trust and 

establish legitimacy. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Principal Deputy Director Russ Washington, then Acting Director of the COPS Office, challenged the 

participants to engage in open and honest conversation to change “how officers, management, and 

communities work together to improve officer morale, safety, and wellness; reduce violent crime; and 

deal with emerging issues such as the growing opioid epidemic.” He went on to express his hopes that 

“the discussion [would] assess the state of policing from the viewpoint of those who work on the 

ground.” 

A diverse roster of forum participants was invited and represented a variety of departments, programs, 

and areas of interest. SAI staff conducted pre-forum phone interviews with the majority of the 

participants before they came to Washington. The interviews were informative and helped develop the 

agenda, guide the dialogue, and inform this report. 

The forum structure was designed to maximize officer participation by introducing each topic through a 

“springboard presentation” before transitioning to facilitated table talks. Participants were asked to 

provide specific examples or suggestions related to the topic of discussion, a number of which are 

highlighted throughout this report. Facilitators found that this format allowed officers to speak openly 

and generated peer-based collaboration. The officers’ discussions were then reported out to the whole 

group and many concepts, techniques, and recommendations for improving their profession. This report 

intends to capture the experiences, opinions, and ideas of the participating officers; and, it should be 

noted, the officers’ quotes that follow do not presume to speak for the more than 800,000 agents of law 

enforcement working nationwide. By including and emphasizing the views and impressions of the rankand-file, this publication offers a glimpse into the daily routine of a unique and demanding profession. 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 2 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Officer Morale, Safety, and Wellness
 

To sustain an agency that is prepared to respond to the changing threats to public safety, officer safety 

and wellness must be a priority for local communities. Advanced training and participation in strategies 

that promote physical and mental wellness can support officer safety and wellness, along with programs 

that detract from the stigma and dispel the barriers surrounding mental health care. Comprehensive 

officer safety and wellness programs can include treatment for an array of challenges that can stem 

from or lead to mental health issues, e.g., substance abuse, divorce, financial stress, or family disorders. 

To encourage officer wellness means to help officers to engage in a self-aware, self-directed process of 

achieving full physical, mental, and spiritual potential. Wellness—the state of being in good health, 

especially as an actively pursued goal—is a holistic, multidimensional state (National Wellness Institute 

2018). A focus on officer safety and wellness through targeted programming and agency culture will 

improve individual well-being as well as agency morale as a whole. Furthermore, officer safety and 

wellness has an impact on how officers police the communities that they serve and protect. At all levels 

of law enforcement, from rank and file to leadership, officers who are equipped to handle the physical 

and mental demands of policing will build more positive interactions with the community and be more 

productive in the execution of their duties. 

James Copple, the facilitator for the day, opened a discussion around officer morale by asking the group, 

“If somebody today were entering law enforcement and came to you and asked what is positive about 

the profession, what could you say?” Participants overwhelmingly emphasized their unique roles as 

protectors and the high personal reward they find in serving the community. Furthermore, they 

conveyed that positive community interactions helped develop a sense of self-satisfaction. Sergeant 

Timothy Guaerke of the Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Police Department said, “Despite media portrayal and 

national level perceptions, community members really appreciate and feel the need for law 

enforcement.” Numerous officers also cited that a perk of the profession is the support offered to 

officers after retirement, noting that this support seems stronger than in other fields. Officer Kenneth 

Allen of Atlanta, Georgia, looked to the future in highlighting the new era in which policing finds itself: 

“This [time] is about change. This is a profession that needs to be redeveloped, and new law 

enforcement professionals get to be a part of that shift.” 

Copple then asked: “What issues are contributing to low morale throughout the profession?” While 

there were exceptions, participants shared a common view that a lack of resources has led to the 

expectation that rank-and-file officers can and should do more with less. However, the issue that 

dominated the discussion was the undercurrent of negativity law enforcement officers feel is coming 

from their communities. Agency leaders have become hyperaware of how the actions of individual 

officers can be viewed, especially in the age of social media and instant communication; but participants 

felt that in many cases these images are misrepresentations of the truth. This awareness has become a 

driving force behind behavioral and organizational changes across the country. According to Detective 

Shaun Willoughby, President of the Albuquerque, New Mexico, Police Union, “Police departments are 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

managing themselves based on the perceptions that they feel are being projected onto them. 

Departments are so worried about image and perception that it has become a factor in decisionmaking.” Also, several participants communicated that a lack of data analysis is an underlying cause of 

the persistence of negative perceptions. Sergeant David Orr of the Norwalk (Connecticut) Police 

Department explained that there is a “lack of accurate information being disseminated to the public and 

a lack of data to provide evidence about what is going on in the streets, especially toward minority 

groups. There is a major need for statistical, empirical information to support the claims being made.” 

The insufficiencies of both internal and external communications, as expressed by participants, as well 

as poor transparency of data analysis, may have led to the misperception that there is a true lack of data 

available. While there was a consensus among the group regarding the need for improved data 

collection and analysis, the realities of the power of negative perceptions led some officers to conclude 

that community concerns regarding law enforcement are not baseless. Officer Timothy Crawford of the 

Chicago Police Department mentioned his personal experience with traffic stops before his time as an 

officer, stressing, “There needs to be a change to old policing ways. I was never a criminal, but I was 

treated like a criminal. That’s part of the reason I became a police officer, to be a part of that change.” 

Broken into small groups, the participants went on to discuss officer safety and wellness in more depth, 

addressing the following five questions: 

1.	 What can the Federal Government do to improve the safety and wellness of local law
 

enforcement?
 

2.	 What are the major barriers challenging officer safety and wellness? 

3.	 What would you like your local department to do to enhance officer safety and wellness? 

4.	 What specific services does your department provide to support wellness? 

5.	 What are innovative strategies being used by your department to improve officer safety and 

wellness? 

Discussion around these questions revealed several interconnected and interdependent topics on 

officer wellness and yielded many recommendations for addressing officer safety and wellness on a 

national scale. Transcripts of the forum revealed five reoccurring subjects that the forum participants 

identified as significant challenges to and potential solutions for improving officer safety and wellness: 

(1) insufficient and inappropriate training, (2) lack of funding, (3) unaddressed mental and emotional 

health issues, (4) poor community relations and negative perceptions, and (5) disconnect between 

leadership and ground-level law enforcement. 

The following sections break down the details of these identified areas and the recommendations 

participants provided to address them. 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 4 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Training 

Participants agreed that proper training is the backbone of practical and comprehensive community 

policing. However, conversation indicated that training sessions are often rushed and made to seem less 

of a priority than they should be because of time and funding constraints. Insufficient and inconsistent 

training not only risks the safety and wellness of officers but can also expose the public to harm. 

Lieutenant Paul Williams of the Bloomington (Illinois) Police Department expressed frustration with 

frequently changing training policies: “Departments are constantly shifting from one training program to 

the next, sending mixed signals to officers about what is expected of them on the job and which training 

aspects are most important.” The officers also felt that the shift to more computerized training, at the 

expense of scenario-based training, has resulted in procedural deficiencies that may prove damaging to 

officers’ safety and wellness. 

Officers suggested that the lack of national training guidelines and standards has emerged as an 

additional challenge to officer safety and wellness at the local level as it can become unclear which 

training programs and components are most important. In addition, without national standards to 

establish a more open dialogue within training programs, officers often do not feel provided with a 

venue that is free of correction or reprisal within which to ask questions, discuss procedures, and 

develop techniques. Particularly true for in-service training, officers related instances of being 

discouraged from asking questions for fear of being called out or reprimanded for not knowing the 

correct answer or action. Participants said this might lead to limitations on officer safety and wellness in 

the field. 

Some of the ideas participants advanced for improving training included the following: 

•	 Departments should provide regularly recurring training on leadership, use of force, deescalation, crisis intervention, and mental health safety for all officers and command staff. 

•	 It would be helpful if there were a national-level training guide for all law enforcement agencies 

that includes regularly updated training recommendations. 

Funding 

After observing and noting its effects in their departments, forum participants shared that a lack of 

funding can lead to a breakdown in officer safety and wellness. Funding deficits can be used to justify 

the gutting of training budgets, which leads to poorly designed and ineffective training courses that 

create gaps in knowledge and stifles the professional growth of field level officers. Inadequate funding 

also limits officers’ access to potentially critical mental, emotional, and physical health services, which 

have become either grossly underfunded or absent for many departments across the United States. 

Officers also reported that a lack of funding for research around wellness issues such as post-traumatic 

stress disorder (PTSD) is detrimental to improving the health and wellness of officers nationally. 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 5 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lack of funding for facilities, community programs, and equipment—particularly body cameras—was 

cited as a barrier to officer safety and wellness. Body cameras can play an essential role in 

understanding the varying perceptions that may surround interactions with community members. 

Participants talked about how inadequate equipment can lead to procedural incorrectness and, in the 

case of not having body cameras, a hesitation to act. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) carried out in 

conjunction with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) indicated that the use of 

body-worn cameras (BWC) shortened response times to resolve complaints and “reduced complaints 

and use of force reports” by “de-escalat[ing] aggression or hav[ing] a ‘civilizing’ effect on the nature of 

police-citizen encounters” (Braga et al. 2017). Regarding interaction with community members, officers 

said community engagement opportunities are critical to building community relationships. However, 

they also have seen that a lack of funding limits the amount of community engagement programs and 

events that their local departments can host. 

Funding directly affects staffing levels by impacting both recruitment and retention. Increasingly, 

officers are asked to work extended hours, which amplifies fatigue and stress and often leads to 

burnout. These working conditions contribute to low morale, and safety risks can become consequences 

of budgetary decisions. In addition, while many participants agreed that being under the direct 

jurisdiction of state and local governments may be more benefit to officer safety and wellness than 

relying on Federal Government funding, it was proposed that increased spending at all levels of 

government will prove essential to the positive progress of officer safety and wellness. 

Recommendation. The DOJ, tribal, state, and local governments should introduce budget lines to 

support training programs that address the need for more scenario-based training, emphasize the 

importance of procedure to officer safety and wellness, and include classroom-based courses that 

establish a greater sense of community and cultural awareness. 

Participant suggestions regarding funding for law enforcement included the following: 

•	 All levels of government should introduce budget lines to support training programs that 

address the need for more scenario-based training, emphasize the importance of procedure to 

officer safety and wellness, and include classroom-based courses that establish a greater sense 

of community and cultural awareness. 

•	 All levels of government should ensure sufficient resources for department-level support 

programs, e.g., officer wellness programs such as peer-to-peer or cop-to-cop support programs, 

health and nutrition programs, and employee assistance programs (EAP). 

•	 The DOJ should continue to fund—and potentially increase funding for—community-policing 

efforts, local law enforcement equipment, and hiring. 

Addressing mental and emotional health 

There was consensus that unaddressed mental and emotional health issues remain a recurrent 

challenge to officer safety and wellness. Sergeant Ken Schollenberger of the York (Pennsylvania) Police 

Department spoke to this issue: “As a group, law enforcement officers have severe mental and 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 6 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

emotional challenges that go unaddressed. Officers tend to only talk to one another, which normalizes 

experiences and emotional trauma. This is dangerous because it results in a bubble in which officers are 

afraid to speak up when they need assistance. Providing officers access to resources is critical.” While 

some resources are available to support emotional and mental health, participants stressed that the 

stigma around mental health is so strong that most officers fail to use those resources. Attendees also 

said that, in some cases, an officer who speaks up about mental health challenges might face 

retribution, which dissuades others from being transparent and from pursuing resources to help remedy 

their own issues. Participants persistently highlighted the stigma surrounding post-traumatic stress as 

being particularly pervasive and dangerous and noted that this stigma largely contributes to the 

inadequacy of resources available to combat the often resulting disorder, PTSD. According to Officer 

Kelly Kasser of the Columbus (Ohio) Police Department, “People suffering with PTSD become secretive 

because they are afraid of losing their jobs if they speak up and ask for help. We must normalize PTSD 

and other mental health issues.” 

Participant ideas for improving the mental and emotional health of officers included the following: 

•	 Whether in law enforcement, health agencies, insurance companies or government, the
 

definition of wellness should include both a sense of physical and mental well-being.
 

•	 Mental and emotional wellness education, with a focus on holistic coping mechanisms and peerto-peer communication, should be built into training and curricula across all law enforcement 

agencies in the United States. 

•	 Departments should incentivize officer wellness as well as providing guidance and appropriate 

resources by employing life and wellness coaches, creating wellness units within departments, 

and encouraging engagement with local mental health organizations to increase support for 

officers and their families. 

•	 The DOJ should support an awareness-raising campaign to inform and educate law enforcement 

agencies as well as the general public about post-traumatic stress and its effect on officers. 

•	 Law enforcement agencies at all levels of government should support policies that destigmatize 

psychological therapy and provide officers with an avenue to combat law enforcement’s longstanding bias against those who may seek mental assistance. Similar to existing chaplaincy 

programs, the establishment of in-house mental health divisions could address officers’ mental 

and emotional needs on a daily basis while normalizing therapy as an accepted practice to 

ensure that officers do not face stigma and are not punished for seeking mental health support 

or treatment. 

Police-community relations 

Repeatedly noted by the participants as a variable in officer safety and wellness was the idea that in 

some communities, poor police-community relations have led to a negative perception of law 

enforcement. The officers in attendance at the forum identified two separate behaviors that have likely 

led to this disconnect and further jeopardized officer safety: (1) Community members operate from a 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 7 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

place of fear and discontent when interacting with police officers, and (2) members of departmental 

leadership are often influenced by and make decisions based on external perceptions. This position was 

echoed throughout the discussion and included a belief that some departments react to the publicity 

problem before investigating the facts of a complaint. Participants frequently said they felt more should 

be done to improve the media’s understanding of policing and the public’s expectations of law 

enforcement. It was a consistently raised point; the officers believe that a lack of knowledge and 

understanding of their job by the public has led to mistaken impressions, negative perceptions, and 

unfounded complaints. 

Ideas from the participants for improving police-community relations included the following: 

•	 Public relations campaigns should be sponsored to improve community perceptions of officer 

actions and behavior through an expanded understanding of the responsibilities and procedures 

that guide those in the rank and file. 

•	 Law enforcement agencies at the tribal, state, and local levels should implement strategies to 

increase opportunities for effective community-police interaction, such as Citizens Police 

Academy, Clergy Academy, Cadet Police Academy, and Youth Neighborhood Watch. 

•	 Departments should conduct annual communications audits to assess the effectiveness of 

internal and external communication to ensure strong relationships with the local community 

and media. 

•	 Law enforcement agencies should explore restorative justice techniques at the departmental 

level and include evidence-based practices that improve police-community relationships and 

provide victims with a voice in the process. 

•	 All levels of government should continue to explore and research the effectiveness of officers 

wearing body cameras as standard uniform protocol. 

Building collaboration between leadership and field officers 

At times, rank-and-file officers see officials as detached from the wellness of their staff and 

disconnected from policy development. The impression is that politics and leadership’s obligations 

distance them from the daily experience of the boots-on-the-ground officer. Several officers indicated a 

feeling that the demands of their jobs, especially in understaffed agencies, are not fully recognized and 

create problems for officer mental and physical health. For example, officers discussed the sheer 

number of hours that they are working as a potential danger to officer safety and wellness as well as to 

public safety. A 2002 study funded by the National Institute of Justice found that more than 50 percent 

of officers were impaired as a result of fatigue when involved in on-the-job accidents. Possible solutions 

for long work hours and reciprocal fatigue were brought up in the small groups, yielding suggestions 

involving mandated times for rest during a shift or scheduling regulations to ensure that officers are not 

overworked. Participants reported a desire for departmental leadership to engage more with their 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 8 
 

 

 

 

 

 

subordinates to build an open and supportive environment in which all officers feel heard, understood, 

and appreciated. Establishing a culture in agencies in which a continuous feedback loop is open and 

encouraged can close the perceived gap between leadership and the rank and file. Participants 

expressed a desire to be advocated for by leadership, especially with regard to officer safety and 

wellness policy creation and implementation. 

Additional suggestions for building collaboration between the leadership and the rank and file included 

the following: 

•	 Law enforcement leadership should participate in the same training sessions as rank-and-file 

officers to equalize experience, bolster camaraderie, and ensure a shared understanding of 

policies and job expectations across all levels of law enforcement agencies. 

•	 Law enforcement agencies should facilitate regular policy and procedures audits based on data 

analysis and relevant outcome measures. 

•	 Law enforcement agencies should review and continually update policies and practices based on 

evidence-based research in policing, including feedback from officers in the field. 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 9 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies and Tactics to Reduce Violent 

Crime 

In 2016, the number of violent crimes reported in the United States increased by 4.1 percent from 2015, 

continuing a trend that began in 2012 (FBI 2017). As defined by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), 

the category of violent crime includes murder, rape, nonnegligent manslaughter, aggravated assault, 

and robbery. As a result of this increase in violent crime reports, it is imperative for both public safety 

and officer safety and wellness that local departments understand potential underlying causes of violent 

crime and implement informed, innovate strategies to address the issue at both local and national 

levels. 

When asked about the origins of violent crime in the current policing environment, participants cited 

several contributing factors. Overarching themes were poverty, generational shifts, lack of community 

education about law enforcement, and critical emerging issues. They believe that strategies for reducing 

violent crime must therefore focus on addressing these causes. Further, officers said these causes are 

often intersectional in nature. Thus, the relationship among them must be taken into consideration 

when establishing tactics for addressing violent crime. 

Poverty 

Participants—supported by a body of literature showing the correlation of poverty to violence and 

crime—sought to address the underlying systemic violence associated with poverty. According to the 

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), low-income individuals and families are 

disproportionately affected by violent crime, and such exposure damages the health and development 

of individuals, families, and communities (Sackett 2016). Officers validate findings in the literature with 

their own experience, sharing that their time walking the beat has unveiled that unemployment, family 

disintegration, and economic dependency are all symptoms of the violence that officers see every day, 

and these same symptoms create alienation and frustration in all segments of society. 

Some of the ideas participants raised concerning the impact of poverty on crime included the following: 

•	 Policy makers, seeking to reduce violence and crime, need to promote strategies that create 

opportunities for education and training to enhance the chance of employment. 

•	 Local law enforcement agencies should build stronger partnerships with social services and 

mental health organizations seeking to address the underlying causes of poverty and improve 

the quality of life for all citizens. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Generational shifts 

Participants stressed that reducing violent crime requires an understanding of the nuances and lifestyle 

of today’s younger generations, particularly with regard to the rapid technological advancement and 

social media availability that was not influential even one generation ago. Participants suggested that 

this new age of technology and rapid information sharing, particularly among youth, has sensationalized 

crime in a way that was not possible in prior generations. Further, it seems that this rapid sharing of 

information, especially videos of criminal activity, can encourage additional crime and violence even in 

locations far removed from the initial crime. Officers believe that the ability of any individual to 

communicate about crime and violence via social media platforms and potentially reach millions of 

youth is very dangerous, leading to groups of young people becoming misinformed and potentially 

influenced to engage in criminal behavior themselves. Participants suggested that this phenomenon 

may also be influenced by the negative perception of law enforcement that they feel is portrayed 

through the media, creating a disregard for law enforcement and potentially further encouraging youth 

to engage in violent activity. Therefore, the officers believe that understanding the role of technology 

and social media as an influencer of crime is important for ensuring safety and wellness for law 

enforcement officers as well as for reducing crime. 

There was also a perception on the part of participants that the current generation of youth has a 

unique disregard or disrespect for the law, which in part has been influenced by a shift in parenting in 

younger generations. For example, one participant observed that “There is a lack of accountability on 

the part of parents. Twenty or 30 years ago, you didn’t hear of parenting classes. We just learned how to 

parent in a way that held our children to higher standards.” Officer Matthew Segal of the Richmond 

(Virginia) Police Department stated, “People do not have the same sense of personal responsibility 

today. People are no longer expected to not commit crime. Rather, the city or state is expected to 

prevent crime.” In other words, some officers feel that there is no longer an emphasis placed on 

personal responsibility but rather that governments are expected to provide a moral compass to society. 

Participants stressed the need for the general populace to understand that crime is often 

intergenerational. Officers have often observed this phenomenon while working in small and rural 

communities where they can directly see cycles of substance abuse and violence that span across 

generations of the same family. Furthermore, organizations like Amachi (the nation’s largest mentoring 

program for children of prisoners) and others concerned with intergenerational incarceration have 

found that 70 percent of young people whose parents are involved in the criminal justice system are 

likely to be involved in that same system. 

Education about law enforcement 

Participants frequently cited that there seems to be a lack of public understanding about how law 

enforcement functions, the essential duties of law enforcement, and the education and training 

required to be a sworn officer. Beyond this, they also see many citizens who do not appear to 

understand the causes or roots of criminal behavior. There has been little effort to educate the general 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 11 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

public on the law, procedure, and causes of crime, and participants feel that this leads to unreasonable 

or unrealistic expectations about what the police can or should do. That disconnect between 

expectation and reality ultimately makes the day-to-day efforts to address violence more difficult. 

The participants offered ideas for improving public understanding of law enforcement including the 

following: 

•	 Communities should establish programs that are designed to inform and educate young people 

about the causes of crime and criminal behavior. 

•	 Through programs such as Police Athletic Leagues (PAL), Explorers, and Boys and Girls Clubs, 

agencies should create opportunities for young people to understand the education 

requirements and demands of in-service training in the field of law enforcement. 

•	 Local law enforcement agencies should build collaborations to better inform citizens about what 

contributes to violent crime and how the criminal justice system works. 

Emerging issues 

The officers agreed that drugs, gangs, guns, and inconsistencies in the criminal justice system are all 

contributors to violent behavior. Attention to these issues appears to come in cycles, according to forum 

participants. Officers believe that in many locations across the country, the majority of violent crime is 

related to drug sales and gang territories. Officers also said they see failures within the criminal justice 

system itself preventing a decline in violent crime, stating that they believe jail sentences do not have 

their intended effect. As Officer Chris Tracy of Tacoma, Washington, said, “Violent criminals who have 

been in prison for twenty years are now being released and often have plans to ‘take back their turf.’ 

We are putting original, violent offenders back in the neighborhoods.” Other officers said some 

sentences in certain cases do not seem strong enough to encourage people to stop committing crimes 

when they return to the community. There was also a concern by a few that to some offenders, the idea 

of going to jail is not a deterrent and that this type of offender mindset creates a significant challenge in 

policing for the reduction of violent crime. These observations of the lack of a deterrent effect should 

not be surprising as criminal justice research since the 1970s has generally shown that sending 

individuals to prison is not a very effective way to deter crime (Nagin 2013). Whether individual officers 

are familiar with this specific research is beside the point; when policy and practice are predicated on 

theoretical assumptions (like deterrence) that are unsubstantiated by reality, officers are unable to have 

the impact they want to on the safety of their communities. 

Suggestions from the participants on better addressing emerging issues included the following: 

•	 Law enforcement agencies need to build the capacity to forecast and capture trends in crime 

and social change to better identify emerging issues. 

•	 Law enforcement agencies need to build collaborations with universities, think tanks, and 

organizations monitoring social trends to better equip rank-and-file officers with information 

regarding emerging issues. 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 12 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Effective strategies 

Participants were asked to share strategies used by their departments to address violent crime. Their 

response was nearly unanimous: Increased contact with their communities and building on the 

foundation of community policing should improve the deployment of evidence-based strategies and 

play a role in reducing crime. Increased engagement and connections with communities was the most 

frequently cited strategy or remedy for addressing violent crime. 

Lieutenant Tyrone Currie of Memphis, Tennessee, highlighted a neighborhood-based program—Youth 

Crime Watch—that seeks to engage high-risk youth in the hope of staving off violent crime. The program 

has been an integral part of addressing the issue in Memphis, both increasing access to information 

before the commission of a violent crime and building relationships of trust between youth and law 

enforcement, which may reduce the likelihood of participating youth engaging in violent crime 

themselves. Students in the program design safety protocols for their school communities and learn 

how to interact with police, one on one, directly from rank-and-file officers. Youth are given ownership 

and can take pride in the fact that they are contributing to the safety of their communities. Currie 

stated, “Until the police and community begin collaborating, we will continue to miss the chance to stop 

violent crime before it happens. We fear each other because we don’t know each other.” 

Officers from several departments said efforts to increase positive community engagement and 

decrease violent crime include officer participation in programs that promote dialogue and inclusion. 

According to Sergeant Timothy Guaerke of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a program called “Bridging the 

Divide” has trained 80 plainclothes officers to lead group discussions with young people in the 

community. This approach has humanized the officers and allowed them to understand the community 

on a much deeper level than they would otherwise. Improved community relations are realized by 

forming personal relationships while out on patrol and empowering community members with the truth 

that they have something valuable to offer to local law enforcement. Other programs such as restorative 

justice initiatives build trust and enhance police legitimacy in the community by giving crime victims a 

voice in the process. Restorative justice programs are inherently about responsibility, accountability, and 

addressing the needs of victims. According to participants, this kind of ownership creates a responsibility 

on the part of offenders and communities. 

Programs that focus on recidivism and initiatives to prevent reoffending are also critical for addressing 

and reducing violent crime. Rank-and-file officers in attendance felt that re-entry programs are critical 

prevention tools that are currently underfunded and unsupported, leading them to feel like they arrest 

the same people repeatedly. The general opinion around the table seemed to underline the importance 

of re-entry and recidivism prevention as violence prevention initiatives in communities. 

Officers from locations across the nation also cited youth-serving programs as effective strategies for 

the prevention of violent crime. As Officer Bervin Smith of the Dallas (Texas) Police Department said, 

“We have to go out and meet people where they are. You cannot go out into the community being 

afraid of the people you are working with. We need more understanding of the communities we serve, 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 13 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

not the other way around.” Smith went on to talk about (now retired) Chief David Brown of Dallas, 

Texas, who founded a program called Chief on the Beat. This initiative gets higher-ranking officers out in 

the community alongside patrol officers and works toward building stronger community relationships 

based on a foundation of trust between law enforcement and citizens. 

Service opportunities within the community are also a proven strategy for building community 

relationships. Several officers reported involvement in programs that provide school-aged youth with 

backpacks and school supplies at the start of each school year help to create a bridge between law 

enforcement and youth. Officer Mark Sorenson of the Rockford (Illinois) Police Department cited a 

community living program where officers live in homes refurbished by the city within the communities 

they police. 

It is important to note that all of the effective strategies for addressing violent crime that were shared 

by the officers in attendance focused on the primary objective of encouraging police departments 

everywhere to be a part of the communities they serve. Officers said the keys to addressing the unique 

problems facing communities are immersion in the community as members of it and involvement with 

community members, particularly at-risk populations. Overwhelmingly, participants believed that 

achieving this goal is a critical component of reducing violent crime. 

Participants’ ideas around effective strategies included the following: 

•	 Departments should create working groups to explore innovative strategies to build community 

relationships and involve the community in the process of preventing violent crime. 

•	 Tribal, state, and local governments should implement evidence-based rehabilitation and 

re-entry programs to reduce recidivism and improve offender outcomes upon release from 

prison. 

In addition to innovative strategies on the part of local departments, the need for community buy-in is 

critical for addressing violent crime—especially in the current climate that overshadows communitypolice relations. It is crucial, now more than ever, for community members and organizations to be a 

collaborative part of the crime prevention process. Community members can and should play an active 

role in reducing violent crime. Forum participants repeatedly emphasized the critical need for 

community policing programs, intentional community engagement, and a willingness by the community 

to begin building relationships with law enforcement. Participants said community-led programs, such 

as Community Watch and Block Captain programs, are equally as important as police patrol in helping to 

minimize violent crime. The officers believe that community members must take an active role in 

identifying and reporting violent crimes, requiring community members to have a willingness to 

cooperate and collaborate with law enforcement officers; to be both empowered and willing to be the 

eyes and ears of law enforcement. In addition, participants suggested that community members can 

help address violent crime by changing their behaviors regarding social media. They feel that community 

members inadvertently glorify crime when they record it for social media rather than engaging with law 

enforcement protocols such as maintaining a safe distance, calling 911, and giving the police access to 

the scene of the crime. 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 14 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to forum participants and their experience in the field, another significant challenge to 

addressing violent crime is staffing. There is a national shortage of qualified law enforcement officers, 

and recruitment remains a challenge. Officers felt that community policing or specialized units that 

focus only on community policing requires an adequate number of officers who are not overworked to 

participate. This may be especially true for smaller departments around the country. Part of this 

discussion focused on mainstreaming community policing by recognizing every officer as a community 

policing officer rather than delegating community policing to specialized units. In addition, participants 

suggested that officer shortage also leads to a culture of reactive rather than proactive behaviors. 

Therefore, participants recommend increased budgets for hiring and the review of methods for 

retaining officers. In addition, participants suggested hiring more bilingual officers to continue bridgebuilding in diverse communities. 

Other suggestions from the participants included the following: 

•	 Local departments should aim to hire officers that reflect the diversity of their communities, 

e.g., recruiting bilingual officers, supporting “live where you work” programs. 

•	 National guidelines or professional certification standards are needed for law enforcement 

agencies regarding recruitment and staffing levels, including minimum staffing requirements. 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 15 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emerging Issues in Policing and 

Strategies to Support Law Enforcement 

Officers 

Determining emerging issues 

The final topic of the day focused on the future of law enforcement and emerging issues in the field, 

both locally and nationwide. Overall, officers stated that the identification of and subsequent response 

to emerging issues is left almost entirely to supervisors and administrators. However, for Officer David 

Loar and the rank and file of the Kansas City (Missouri) Police Department, individual units have worked 

together to determine priority issues and establish an information flow to the patrol officers on the 

street. “Biweekly information sharing/intelligence meetings [are held] where some of these issues are 

funneled out through the ranks. [Certain topics] do tend to stay at the forefront. The unit in charge of 

whatever the issue is (e.g., human trafficking) determines that it’s an emergent issue,” he said. 

Through the deployment of more data-driven tactics, many departments use crime analysis applications 

to help map out patterns of criminal activity and determine what might be an emerging issue. 

Regardless of the effectiveness of this predictive, technology-based method, patrolling officers are still 

the department’s eyes and ears in the neighborhoods, and ultimately see themselves having 

responsibility for recognizing emerging issues on the street. Their duties in establishing a flow of 

information from streets to administration were reflected upon by Officer Kelly Kasser: “As officers, we 

fall short in terms of passing on information that we are gathering on the streets up the chain [of 

command]. This is what we need to do to actually identify emerging issues.” This ear-to-the-ground 

approach, combined with data analytics, has prompted the police department in Columbus, Ohio, to 

construct the position of Community Liaison Officer (CLO). These CLO units “provid[e] support and 

assistance to the patrol officers” assigned to the five zones that make up Columbus’s police network 

(Columbus Division of Police 2018). Along with their interdepartmental assignments, CLOs conduct 

presentations, attend neighborhood and block watch meetings, and “offer law enforcement services to 

the assigned precincts by collaborating with the public to reduce incidents affecting quality-of-life 

issues” (2018). However, Sergeant Ken Schollenberger of York, Pennsylvania, expressed an opinion 

shared by many in attendance: “Emerging issues are cyclical; we beat them down enough to go back to 

regular business, [and] then they rear their heads again.” 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To better get in front of these trends and cycles, the participants’ suggestions included the following: 

•	 Law enforcement agencies should develop intentional formal and informal strategies that are 

about creating opportunities for communication and collaboration between command staff and 

the rank and file. 

•	 Law enforcement agencies should enhance crime analysis units to build their capacity to
 

decipher anecdotal and unsubstantiated trends in crime.
 

Social media and community expectations of the department 

Officer Matthew Segal of Richmond, Virginia, aptly stated a hard truth faced by police departments: 

“Social media has changed what becomes an emerging issue.” By pairing Facebook Live, Snapchat, 

Periscope, and other video streaming and sharing applications with the most advanced phones and 

cameras, officers perceive that the community has turned to social media as their preferred method of 

policing the police. Some within the law enforcement community see the posting of videos to social 

media accounts as an effort to disparage officers, prevent them from effectively performing their duties, 

and hold officers accountable instead of encouraging them to perform their duties more effectively. 

Despite the potential issues surrounding the integration of social media into policing, Officer Jason 

Cullum of Evansville, Indiana, has seen its advantages and uses it to engage the community: “In years 

past, you needed police resources to engage the community. With social media and the resources 

communities have now, we also use those platforms as public servants, we deal with addiction issues 

and broken homes . . . we touch kids’ lives.” Social media has allowed officers to integrate themselves 

into people’s daily lives and show them the human side of policing. 

When there is an increasing number of interactions and a higher level of familiarity between the 

community and police, it stands to reason that the relationship would shift to reflect a higher degree of 

mutual trust and respect. Lieutenant Tyrone Currie of Memphis, Tennessee, believes it is his 

responsibility to meet community expectations. “[The] community expects a friendlier and more 

engaged police department. [They’re] yearning for unity. Law enforcement should take the first step.” 

Taking the first step is not an approach that all police departments are accustomed to, however, and the 

flow of information is not always as smooth from police departments to communities as it might be in 

reverse. Officer David Loar of Kansas City, Missouri, raised this point during small table discussions: 

“[The] community not only expects us to serve and protect but [also] now [to] be extremely 

transparent—tell everyone what we’re doing, when, where, and how.” Officer Blake Massaro of Eureka, 

California, went on: “[The community is] expecting more services on increased taxes, such as providing 

transportation, mental health services, etc.” 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 17 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the ideas participants had for managing social media realities included the following: 

•	 Departments should create a social media liaison position to establish and maintain a 

community-oriented social media presence.
 

•	 Departments should provide training in the use of technology and the appropriate etiquette to 

assist officers on social media so that they can participate in community outreach with the 

necessary tools for successful communication. 

•	 Departments should integrate police blotters into police-sponsored social media feeds to 

strengthen the foundation of a culture of transparency and open two-way lines of 

communication between departments and the community as a whole. 

The police, NARCAN, and the opioid epidemic 

The opioid epidemic was viewed by many at the forum as a long-standing issue—not necessarily 

“emerging.” Officers proved well versed in the conversation that surrounds the fight against the opioid 

epidemic and the advances and setbacks that fight has experienced since the 1990s. Overall, the abuse 

of schedule II controlled substances, specifically opioids, has shown continuous growth as these drugs 

have become more readily available through forged prescriptions, doctors who employ unlawful 

prescription policies, theft, and so on. People who use prescription opioids for nonmedical reasons go 

on to use heroin at a rate that is 19 times higher than users who have no reported previous nonmedical 

use (Muhuri, Gfroerer, and Davis 2013), and researchers have established a correlation between the 

nonmedical use of multiple opioids and transitioning to heroin (Grau et al. 2010). Officer Matthew Segal 

of Richmond, Virginia, shared his empathy for individuals who may find themselves in this situation: “I 

like to find out what path took them to this destination. A lot of them got injured, maybe got in a car 

accident, got prescribed Hydrocodone. Then, they found somebody that would sell pills to them. Once 

they crossed the threshold of not caring that they weren’t purchasing the drugs legally, they moved on 

to heroin and harder drugs.” 

Naloxone, more commonly known by its brand name NARCAN, is an opioid antagonist that was created 

in 1961 and approved 10 years later by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of 

opioid abuse by suppressing overdose symptoms, which allows time for further lifesaving techniques to 

be employed. It was distributed to 15 states and Washington, D.C., in 1996 in the form of take-home kits 

for non–first responders. Its primary purpose was for in-home usage. As a result, the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that more than 26,000 opioid overdoses were reversed by 

nonmedical personnel between 1996 and 2014 (Cordant Health Solutions 2017). In April 2014, the FDA 

fast-tracked the approval of an easy-to-use nasal spray form of NARCAN that has become the favored 

administration method among emergency responders (American Health & Drug Benefits 2016). 

Although this has resulted in police officers saving thousands of lives, Sergeant Ken Schollenberger of 

York, Pennsylvania, expressed frustration over the number of users requiring NARCAN: “We’re in 

Appalachia where this all began. We are NARCANing four to five people a shift, every shift. One couple 

that we’ve had, I personally NARCed this girl five times. I can’t even arrest her . . . . What’s the end?” 

With more than 2,000 opioid overdoses being reversed by Pennsylvania law enforcement using NARCAN 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 18 
 

 

 

 

 

(NCHRC 2018), Sergeant Schollenberger is not alone in his experience. As naloxone is deployed to save 

lives, communities need to come up with better solutions to break the cycle of addiction that led to the 

overdoses in the first place. 

NARCAN 

You have seen this in the news. We have a huge opioid issue. It would be a miracle if we 

didn't have an overdose a day. A handful of our officers carry NARCAN. They’re starting to 

implement our CIT [Crisis Intervention Team] officers all carry NARCAN . . . . It's a miracle 

drug. I've never seen anybody get pulled back from two, three, four [overdoses], and walking 

and be absolutely fine. 

— Officer Kelly Kasser, Columbus, Ohio 

We explore having every officer deployed with NARCAN more on the theory that it’s for us. If 

we are exposed to it, and we have minutes to save an officer’s life . . . tourniquets are really 

for us, but if we encounter an incident in the community where we can save a life, and using 

it seems appropriate, then we have it to deploy. It’s really for us, but if it helps the 

community as well, we can deploy. 

— Officer Chris Tracy, Tacoma, Washington 

Three or four years ago we had a group of churches that come [sic] together, it’s 

Congregations Acting for Justice and Empowerment. They asked local law enforcement 

agencies if they would carry NARCAN in their patrol units . . . . We ended up trying it as a pilot 

program when we found some money to pay for some just for a few officers. In that short 

time frame . . . you won’t find an officer who will patrol without it. Now, we’re actually 

applying for a second grant. 

— Sergeant Jason Cullum, Evansville, Indiana 

We’re currently budgeted to have NARCAN in our police department . . . . Medical studies 

dictate that you have to keep NARCAN in a cooled, temperature-controlled environment. And 

in the trunk of a police car in New Mexico, at 105 degrees, it is not that. So, we’re concerned 

about the liability of administering it when it’s not properly kept. 

— Detective Shaun Willoughby, Albuquerque, New Mexico 

In 2015, the National Institute on Drug Abuse recorded more than 30,000 overdose deaths from opioidbased drugs alone. (See figure 1 on page 20.) 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 19 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 1. Number of deaths involving opioid drugs in the United States, 2002–2015 

This figure shows the total number of U.S. overdose deaths involving opioid drugs from 2002 to 2015. Included in this number 

are opioid analgesics along with heroin and illicit synthetic opioids. The line graph overlaid on the chart shows the number of 

deaths of women and men. From 2002 to 2015 there was a 2.8-fold increase in the total number of opioid deaths. 

Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse (2017) 

The advent of NARCAN as a method of reviving a person following an opioid-related overdose has 

altered law enforcement protocols when responding to opioid- or overdose-related call. In many cases, 

these protocol changes have come as a result of police partnering with community groups to develop 

and evolve policy. 

While there was some dissension in the ranks, most of the officers present embraced NARCAN and the 

use of NARCAN within their department as good policy. It not only revives a user who has overdosed but 

it also allows officers to be more active and responsive on a drug-related call. However, this issue has 

become further complicated by budget restraints, protocols for storing NARCAN, liability issues, and 

training protocols. 

Copple closed out the conversation with the observation that discussion and debates of this type are 

what bring to light emerging issues within departments. He took a moment to note that the discourse 

surrounding the opioid epidemic, the concerns raised in regards to NARCAN, and the lack of a clear path 

moving forward only serve to underscore this as an emerging issue of the utmost importance. 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 20 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Participant suggestions for addressing the opioid epidemic included the following: 

•	 Departments should improve lines of communication from the rank and file to leadership to 

provide precise information about the opioid problem as seen on the streets. This information 

will help leadership move toward appropriate tactics and solutions. 

•	 The opioid epidemic affects people nationwide and requires law enforcement agencies to 

implement regular briefings and training specifically to discuss the opiate issue and the 

strategies for addressing it. 

•	 Law enforcement agencies working in collaboration with local unions and professional 

associations should become more active in the development of policy related to the opioid 

crisis. 

•	 Departments should implement community strategies that encourage and empower community 

members to be active eyes and ears on the opioid issue, working in collaboration with local law 

enforcement. 

•	 Departments should provide access and safe handling procedures for NARCAN, and the use of 

NARCAN should become standard training in all police academies and law enforcement 

continuing education programs. 

Human trafficking as an emerging issue 

With an estimated 45.8 million people in some form of modern slavery, 20.9 million international 

victims of trafficking, and close to 58,000 living in captivity in the United States, human trafficking is an 

issue on a global scale that affects law enforcement at all levels (Global Slavery Index 2018). At that 

scale, human trafficking is not necessarily an emerging issue for many officers in attendance at the 

forum but rather a long-standing problem that has resurfaced and returned to the forefront of the 

public’s collective consciousness. Human trafficking, from a law enforcement perspective, has always 

been an issue with no concrete solution in sight. 

One of the most significant challenges is the labor intensiveness of investigating, identifying, arresting, 

and prosecuting the perpetrators of human trafficking. In specific unfortunate instances, the issue has 

become overgrown and complicated. Some departments have found themselves facing the challenge 

without adequate resources. As this is a multijurisdictional issue, officers find themselves needing to 

pursue criminals across state and international borders. 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 21 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Human trafficking 

It’s not necessarily emerging. It's been in Texas for a very, very long time. I can point to, a 

few weeks ago, San Antonio. There was an 18-wheeler . . . that made national news. They 

treated it like it was a rare occasion, [it] happens every day. We get those same trailers as far 

north as Fort Worth . . . . It's not just the immigrants wanting to come over. It's smuggling, 

sex trade, people that have been kidnapped, people from poor communities. It's been going 

on for a very long time. I think law enforcement is just now wanting to treat it. 

— Sergeant Richard Van Houten, Dallas, Texas 

As one of four southern border states, we see a huge impact with this. It’s a huge issue and 

it’s multifaceted. It’s illegal immigration, it’s drugs, cartel drug trade, it’s human trafficking, 

sex trafficking—a lot of issues rolled up into it. A few years ago, Phoenix was the drop house 

capital of the nation . . . . It is extremely manpower intensive . . . . In Phoenix, we have had 

issues with local politics creeping into policy and they gutted a good, well-written 

immigration enforcement policy. 

— Officer Kenneth Crane, Phoenix, Arizona 

I headed up an investigation as an Intel (intelligence officer) and we ran it from the Florida 

border all the way up to the South Carolina border, where it was the same chain and they just 

kept moving the girls in and out. The biggest problem we faced was the language barrier and 

the fear that the people involved [in the process] have for their families. There is a constant 

threat that [their families] are going to be killed. There isn’t anything that allows us to bring 

them out and put them in a safe house. So, unfortunately, it seem[ed that] we can't do 

anything to offer them protection if we do get them out. 

— Officer Kenneth Allen, Atlanta, Georgia 

Feeling handcuffed by their protocols and regulations, overwhelmed by a seemingly neverending stream 

of trafficking victims, and losing resources to other hot-button, emerging issues, rank-and-file officers 

engaged in human trafficking cases often find themselves frustrated and unwilling to fully dedicate their 

time to this critical issue. The depth and scope of trafficking’s effects, specifically the wide net of 

victimization it casts, have brought this topic to the forefront of the public consciousness and fueled the 

ongoing development of anti-trafficking policy on a global scale. 

Improving support for law enforcement 

Repairing and enhancing law enforcement’s outward relationships with the community was a prevalent 

theme of discussion at the forum. However, relationships within the system also need to be examined. 

The exchange of different perspectives on officers’ relationships with the upper levels of their 

departments was an important topic for most in attendance. First, as a result of limited interactions, 

many of the rank-and-file officers do not feel supported by their leadership. Officers shared concerns 

that leaders who are responsible for making policy and procedural decisions are not best suited to make 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 22 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

such decisions because of their limited exposure to the current street-level environment. Policies 

viewed as outdated or ambiguous often leave officers unsure of proper procedure and turning to 

culturally antiquated practices or continuing outdated techniques of policing. Furthermore, participants 

felt that leadership often becomes too entrenched in politics, impacting the quality of decisions made 

and thereby affecting ground-level policing. Last, officers reported concerns regarding inadequate 

resources resulting from the disconnection with leadership around appropriate staff needs. Whether 

because of enacting faulty policy, playing politics, or simply mismanaging their officers, participants 

viewed law enforcement administrators as susceptible to the same pitfalls as management in civilian 

professions. (The comments in the sidebar titled “Administrative support” reflect some of the 

frustrations officers expressed and may or may not be experienced by others within their departments.) 

Administrative support 

Funding is the key. We can’t do everything without money. Or minimize the role of law 

enforcement so that they can do their jobs sufficiently. 

— Lieutenant Paul Williams, Bloomington, Illinois 

It’s difficult to keep track of proper procedure. Keep communication open from top to 

bottom; this will foster respect. 

— Officer Kelly Kasser, Columbus, Ohio 

Stop changing procedural protocols so frequently. [It gets] difficult to keep track of what’s 

right and wrong. 

— Sergeant Ken Schollenberger, York, Pennsylvania 

Other ideas from the participants for improving support included the following: 

•	 The community, law enforcement administrators and supervisors, as well as the rank and file 

themselves, need to develop strategies that reinforce peer-to-peer support. 

•	 Law enforcement leaders need to maintain and encourage open lines of communication among 

their peers and subordinates. 

•	 Law enforcement agencies should engage in their fiduciary duties and provide the public with an 

online budgetary debriefing so that taxpayers can better understand how funding is spent. 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 23 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion
 

Bringing rank-and-file officers to the table and establishing a culture of conversation bred dialogue 

between officers representing a broad swath of departments, which resulted in thoughtful, creative 

ideas and solutions to the challenges the profession currently faces. Officer Ken Crane of Phoenix, 

Arizona, stated, “I have faith in the profession, and it is rewarding to know that we have the ability to 

help new officers.” Overwhelmingly, participants felt that while the profession is experiencing major 

growing pains and must undergo systemic changes, there is excitement about the potential for the 

future of policing. 

Officers agreed that establishing trust and building relationships between communities and police must 

be at the forefront of the community policing mission across the nation. It is critical that local, state, and 

federal leadership engage with rank-and-file officers on a regular basis to thoroughly understand the 

current policing climate and the needs of street-level policing. Leadership engagement at the local level, 

both within departments and within communities, has the power to increase officer morale while 

building trust and legitimacy in communities. 

Even when addressing complex emerging issues such as the opioid epidemic and human trafficking, 

community engagement has proven key. From the opinions shared at the forum, rank-and-file officers 

are ready and willing to put forth the required efforts to rebuild positive relationships with the 

communities they serve. With support from local, state, and federal leadership, these officers are 

excited to implement innovative community policing strategies. Moreover, they are excited to be a part 

of pushing the profession to new heights for the betterment of both officers on the street and 

communities. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Washington, DC: Federal Bureau of Investigation. https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2016/crimein-the-u.s.-2016. 

Global Slavery Index. 2018. “Findings.” The Minderoo Foundation. Accessed March 14, 2018. 

https://www.globalslaveryindex.org/findings/. 

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Grau, Lauretta E., Nabarun Dasgupta, Alison Phinney Harvey, Kevin Irwin, Anthony Givens, Mark L. 

Kinzly, and Robert Heimer. 2010. “Illicit Use of Opioids: Is OxyContin a ‘Gateway Drug’?” The 

American Journal on Addictions 16: 166–173. 

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Muhuri, Pradip K., Joseph C. Gfroerer, and M. Christine Davies. 2013. Associations of Nonmedical Pain 

Reliever Use and Initiation of Heroin Use in the United States. CBHSQ Data Review, August 2013. 

Washington, DC: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 

http://archive.samhsa.gov/data/2k13/DataReview/DR006/nonmedical-pain-reliever-use-2013.pdf. 

Nagin, Daniel S. 2013. “Deterrence in the Twenty-First Century.” In Crime and Justice in America 1975– 

2025, edited by Michael Tonry, 199–264. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 

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modified September 2017. https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/overdosedeath-rates. 

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Vila, Bryan, and Dennis Jay Kenney. 2002. “Tired Cops: The Prevalence and Potential Consequences of 

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Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 26 
 

 

 

Appendix. Participant Roster
 

Officer Kenneth Allen 

Atlanta, Georgia, Union President 

Detective Jeremy Arnold 

Scott County (Indiana) Sheriff’s Office 

Sergeant Gaston Balli 

McAllen (Texas) Police Department 

Trooper Candice Bershears 

Kansas Highway Patrol 

Sergeant Wallace Billie 

Navajo Nation Police Department, Arizona 

Officer George Carranza 

Reno (Nevada) Police Department 

Corporal Michael Coleman 

Wilmington (Delaware) Police Department 

Officer Ken Crane 

Phoenix (Arizona) Law Enforcement Association 

Officer Timothy Crawford 

Chicago (Illinois) Police Department 

Sergeant Jason Cullum 

Evansville (Indiana) Police Department 

Lieutenant Tyrone Currie 

Memphis (Tennessee) Police Department 

Officer Lindsey Fuquay 

Owyhee County (Idaho) Sheriff’s Office 

Officer Bryen Glass 

Baltimore County (Maryland) Police Department 

Sergeant Andrew Grove 

Kent (Washington) Police Department 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 27 
 

 

 

Sergeant Timothy Guaerke 

Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Police Department 

Corporal Nathaniel Harris 

Gulf Shores (Alabama) Police Department 

Officer Richard Kayes 

Colorado Springs (Colorado) Police Department 

Officer Kelly Kasser 

Columbus (Ohio) Police Department 

Deputy Jason Krizan 

Morton County (North Dakota) Sheriff’s Department 

Officer David Loar 

Kansas City (Missouri) Police Department 

Corporal Errol Lobin 

Prince George’s County (Maryland) Police Department 

Sergeant Matthew Mahl 

Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department & President, FOP Lodge 1 

Sergeant Blake Massaro 

Humboldt County (California) Sheriff’s Department 

Officer Francisco Montes 

Sycuan Tribal Police Department, California 

Officer Michael Netherton 

Meridian (Idaho) Police Department 

Sergeant David Orr 

Norwalk (Connecticut) Police Department 

Officer Sean Payne 

Tucson (Arizona) Police Department 

Sergeant Harold Richardson 

Bozeman (Montana) Police Department 

Timothy Richardson 

Senior Legislative Liaison, Fraternal Order of Police 

Sergeant Ken Schollenberger 

York (Pennsylvania) Police Department 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 28 
 

Officer Matthew Segal 

Richmond (Virginia) Police Department 

Officer Phillip Smith 

Evansville (Indiana) Police Department 

Officer Bervin Smith 

Dallas (Texas) Police Department 

Officer Mark Sorenson 

Rockford (Illinois) Police Department 

Officer Chris Tracy 

Tacoma (Washington) Police Department 

Sergeant Rick Van Houten 

Fort Worth (Texas) Police Department 

Sergeant Edward Vazquez 

Miami-Dade County (Florida) Police Department 

Lieutenant Paul Williams 

Bloomington, Illinois, Union President 

Detective Shaun Willoughby 

Albuquerque, New Mexico, Police Union President 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 29 
 

 

 

About SAI
 

Strategic Applications International (SAI) provides training, technical assistance, and organizational 

development strategies for domestic and international nongovernmental organizations; nonprofits; and 

local, state, national, and international governmental organizations responding to crime, violence, and 

substance abuse. SAI provides facilitation and mediation services and brokers partnerships between 

public and private sectors to address critical issues facing communities. 

In partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice and the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services 

Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, SAI has facilitated 22 governors’ 

summits on methamphetamine and, in collaboration with state and local agencies, developed 

comprehensive prevention and treatment strategies with measurable outcomes. Most recently, with 

funding from the COPS Office, SAI worked with 40 tribal law enforcement agencies seeking to address 

drug abuse in tribal nations. 

SAI is a global firm with projects to address police corruption, criminal justice reform, counterterrorism, 

and deradicalization in East Africa; prevent and treat HIV and AIDS in South Africa and Swaziland; and 

tackle gender-based violence in Kenya, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Rwanda. Globally, SAI addresses 

development issues around community policing, substance abuse, gender empowerment, climate and 

the environment, and women and youth employment. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the COPS Office
 

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) is the component of the U.S. 

Department of Justice responsible for advancing the practice of community policing by the nation’s 

state, local, territorial, and tribal law enforcement agencies through information and grant resources. 

Community policing begins with a commitment to building trust and mutual respect between police and 

communities. It supports public safety by encouraging all stakeholders to work together to address our 

nation’s crime challenges. When police and communities collaborate, they more effectively address 

underlying issues, change negative behavioral patterns, and allocate resources. 

Rather than simply responding to crime, community policing focuses on preventing it through strategic 

problem-solving approaches based on collaboration. The COPS Office awards grants to hire community 

policing officers and support the development and testing of innovative policing strategies. COPS Office 

funding also provides training and technical assistance to community members and local government 

leaders, as well as all levels of law enforcement. 

Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to add community policing officers to the 

nation’s streets, enhance crime fighting technology, support crime prevention initiatives, and provide 

training and technical assistance to help advance community policing. Other achievements include the 

following: 

• To date, the COPS Office has funded the hiring of approximately 130,000 additional officers by

more than 13,000 of the nation’s 18,000 law enforcement agencies in both small and large

jurisdictions.

• Nearly 700,000 law enforcement personnel, community members, and government leaders

have been trained through COPS Office–funded training organizations.

• To date, the COPS Office has distributed more than eight million topic-specific publications,

training curricula, white papers, and resource CDs and flash drives.

• The COPS Office also sponsors conferences, roundtables, and other forums focused on issues

critical to law enforcement.

COPS Office information resources, covering a wide range of community policing topics such as school 

and campus safety, violent crime, and officer safety and wellness, can be downloaded via the COPS 

Office’s home page, www.cops.usdoj.gov. This website is also the grant application portal, providing 

access to online application forms. 

Rank and File: Reflections on Emerging Issues in Law Enforcement 31 
 

 

 

In August 2017, 40 rank-and-file officers met for a roundtable to discuss their roles in 

implementing their agencies’ community policing policies and operations. The officers came 

from departments across the country and explored a wide range of issues from the viewpoint 

of those who work on the ground. The meeting provided insights and recommendations for 

ways in which officers, law enforcement leaders, and communities can work together to 

reduce crime—in particular illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and violent crime. They also 

discussed the need to support officer morale, safety, and wellness and explored emerging 

issues such as the growing opioid epidemic, providing forthright assessments of the current 

state of policing. 

U.S. Department of Justice 

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services 

145 N Street NE 

Washington, DC 20530 

To obtain details about COPS Office programs, call 

the COPS Office Response Center at 800-421-6770. 

Visit the COPS Office online at 

www.cops.usdoj.gov. 

Strategic Applications International 

1342 Connecticut Avenue NW 

Washington, DC 20036 

202-457-7771

www.sai-dc.com 

e031806869 

Published 2018