LEO Radio

Lieutenant Joey Sperlazza, Ed.S. is joined by J. Harris Academy of Police Training Instructor Lieutenant Collin Congleton, JD in LEO Radio Episode 32. Collin is a subject matter expert in Use of Force. Collin founded and now supervises the Force Investigation Unit for a major urban Police Department in New Jersey, is a United States Marine Corps combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and a nearly 20 year veteran law enforcement professional. He earned a B.S. in National Security Studies (Summa Cum Laude) from New Jersey City University and a Juris Doctorate from Rutgers School of Law (Newark) where he was awarded the prestigious Judge J. Skelly Wright Prize for work in civil rights. He also completed the Certified Public Manager Program at Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration, where his research work on police training reform was nominated for the nationally recognized American Academy of CPM's Askew Award. Some of his certifications include: FBI certified hostage and crisis negotiator; Force Science Institute certified force analyst; Gracie University certified Instructor of Gracie Survival Tactics (GST) Levels Iⅈ NJ PTC certified firearms instructor; NJ certified ICAT and ABLE instructor. Collin is also heavily involved in volunteer work supporting veterans and is an avid practitioner of Brazilian Jiujitsu. Full bios for Joey and Collin are available at JharrisTraining.com. Joey and Collin analyze three incidents in this episode of LEO Radio: • NYPD Officer Involved Shooting of Christopher Ferguson: The New York State Attorney General Office of Special Investigation is currently conducting an investigation into the death of Christopher Ferguson who died on December 5, 2024 following an encounter with members of the New York City Police Department (NYPD 77th Precinct) in Brooklyn. OSI has released videos from body-worn cameras that officers were equipped with during the incident and video from a dashboard camera. The full footage is available on the NYC AG website (https://ag.ny.gov/osi/footage/christopher-ferguson) and on the NYPD YouTube channel (https://youtu.be/I1oAPLhD9GU?si=JsdFy0uw8TZNIw-h) • Cranford, NJ Police Officer Involved Shooting of Kevin Harlfinger: According to the preliminary investigation, officers from the Cranford Police Department were pursuing a stolen vehicle when it crashed in the area of a southbound exit on the Garden State Parkway. After the crash, the driver of the vehicle, Mr. Harlfinger, exchanged gunfire with Cranford Police Officers Christopher Folinusz and Ryan McSharry. Mr. Harlfinger was pronounced deceased at the scene at approximately 12:04 a.m., December 29, 2023. A firearm was recovered near Mr. Harlfinger. Officer Folinusz sustained a non-fatal gunshot wound, was treated at a hospital, and later released. The full footage is available on the NJ AG Website: https://njoag.app.box.com/s/q0so00a1u4lbh1x005yy7gch4nuewvf5• Cleveland Police Officer Involved Shooting of Tamir Rice On November 22, 2014, 12-year-old Tamir Rice, an African-American boy, was fatally shot by Cleveland police officer Timothy Loehmann while playing with a toy gun at a recreation center; the incident sparked widespread controversy due to the rapid shooting despite the caller mentioning the gun was likely fake and the victim's young age, highlighting issues of police brutality and racial profiling within the Black Lives Matter movement. Tamir Rice was playing with a replica airsoft pistol at a park when someone called 911 to report a person with a gun. The video was released by the Cleveland Police Department, and the incident is well covered with dispatch and 911 audio by News 5 Cleveland: https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/cleveland-metro/tamir-rice-shooitng-video-warning-cleveland-police-release-surveillance-video LEO Radio is a podcast produced by the J. Harris Academy of Police Training. As always, the items described in this podcast are for information only.

Description: Join instructor Joey Sperlazza as he breaks down NJ v Ruffin decided on 1/7/2025. This is an appellate Unpublished opinion that reaffirms a lot of what we already know about the important topic of Miranda. Do we need to advise a subject of their Miranda Rights during booking questions? What do we do if during a formal statement, a defendant says "Well, I want a Lawyer then"? As always, the items described in these cases are for information only. Determine how the situation impacts you in your agency and in your state. Follow your state laws, state guidelines, and department policy and address questions to your superiors and legal advisors.

PART 2 CONTINUES  on with the leadership lessons we learn through personal development.  In this episode, our instructor team continues with a review of  “Extreme Ownership”.  For more information about our Command Series of leadership courses, visit our website at www.jharristraining.com Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win Author(s): Jocko Willink; Leif Babin Publisher: St. … Continue reading Episode 23: Leadership Series Part 2 →

Leadership is a critical aspect of success in any organization. When we recently read “Extreme Ownership”, we recognized that we are reviewing many of these common leadership concepts in our classes.  This book reinforced our thoughts and theory on the practical application of leadership in law enforcement. Based on this, we decided to start our … Continue reading Episode 22: Leadership Series (Part 1) →

An officer is asking routine booking questions and discovers and injury on the suspect. The question about the injury leads to incriminating statements. Will the statement hold up in court? This is so critical, especially for this case of murder/homicide. This case is for information only as it was an interesting case involving routine booking … Continue reading Episode 21: State v. Sheppard & Miranda →

This podcast examines a recent “unpublished” case out of New Jersey regarding the questioning of a suspect and Miranda. Although this is out of New Jersey, we discuss the US Supreme Court Case regarding Edwards and the “Edwards Bright Line Rule” for questioning a suspect. Edwards v. Arizona, 451 U.S. 477 State v. McLean, 205 N.J. 438, … Continue reading Episode 20: State v. Maclean →

An officer makes a motor vehicle stop and a drug sniffing dog arrives to assist. During the exterior sniff, the police dog indicates on the car and then puts its paws up on the vehicle. The defendant is claiming that the dog did an unlawful search of the vehicle by placing it's paws on the … Continue reading Episode 19: Idaho K9 Search Going to US Supreme Court →

On July 4, 2023, a truck driver was being stopped by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The incident led to a pursuit. Upon stopping, Ohio troopers were giving commands to the driver when an canine officer from the Circleville Police Department deployed his canine. The video has attracted a lot of nationwide attention.  Jim Harris, … Continue reading Episode 18: Police K9 Deploys on Truck Driver →

Communication in an organization is difficult at all levels. Understanding the generational differences is one key factor in improving relationships and building morale. This is the first of many conversations about this topic.

A recent off-duty situation regarding a police chief stirs up controversy.  Officers being stopped are now questioning if they should or shouldn't identify themselves.  Officers utilizing discretion when dealing with officers are second-guessing if their agency will back them up when they let an officer go for a minor violation.  This podcast will address the … Continue reading Episode 16: Tampa Chief Controversy →

Miranda Warnings seem basic. They are stated loud and clear in TV shows and movies. However, the waters are getting muddy with when and how they should be provided to suspects.  Recent case law decisions out of New Jersey clarified some issues with regard to what the court will be reviewing when you are dealing … Continue reading Episode 15: Did the Cops Need to Given Miranda? →

In this episode, J. Harris Instructors hit upon a common area that is brought up in our open discussion forums of our Command Series Courses.  The Toxic employee is a cancer to the organization. They believe they are better than others and superior to their supervisors. This episode discusses those issues and tactics to deal … Continue reading Episode 14: The Toxic Employee →

In this episode, Jim Harris and Phil Rizzo explore morale within the law enforcement profession. This topic is a hot button item in all agencies across the US and was brought up again while on the road teaching one of the J. Harris Command Series Level 1: Developing First Line Supervisors courses.

There are a lot of questions regarding the “search” of a motor vehicle. Especially when it comes to just doing a “frisk” of a vehicle. This podcase discusses the Best Practices for all States across the US regarding this specific topic.  As we know, your own department policy and procedure may be different from the … Continue reading Episode 12: Frisk of a Motor Vehicle →

The legalization of marijuana has now begun to impact the entire United States. As the legalization spreads, it creates situations in which law enforcement officers can get into trouble for accidentally violating a citizen's rights based upon old and outdated training instead of learning new techniques to deal with this evolving trend. This podcast episode … Continue reading Legalized Marijuana: What Cops Can & Can't Do →

Although the laws throughout the United States vary, there is a big controversy regarding when officers can request identification from citizens.  This podcast discusses the controversy surrounding this issue and what may or may not be done when you want to request identification from a citizen.

This segment deals with Merit Promotions. Since the revitalization of this program has begun in Chicago Police Department, it has sparked debate around the country. Do Merit Promotions really introduce well qualified and diverse leaders? Listen to our discussion on the topic and decide for yourself.

Our interview with Dr. Laura King on her perspective into officer safety and mental health.

Discussion about the ongoing debate regarding facial recognition use by law enforcement.

In this episode, we continue to discuss use of force issues in America. This reviews Implicit Bias, Civilian Review Boards, Early Intervention Programs, etc.

We take a look at Minneapolis. What will the implications be? How do we move forward?

We sit down with Dr. George Peters, licensed clinical psychologist and talk about the ins and outs of the entry-level psychological evaluation process. What do you need to know? How can this fit into your agency’s evaluation process? What will the police psychologist do for you; and what can’t they do?  

This is the first of a series on law enforcement use of force. This episode focuses on the public’s perception of police use of force,  the realities of the law, and where the two views differ. We discuss the relevant case law, recent publicized decisions of some departments to declare the use of deadly force … Continue reading Episode 3: Use of Force and Public Perception →

This episode was recorded LIVE at the Police and Security Expo in Atlantic City, NJ! We talk with Captain (ret.) Andrea Craparotta and her new program in Middlesex County, using history classes to integrate law enforcement with high-schoolers, discussing key issues in the Constitution and law, and improving understanding and relations on both sides.

For our first episode of LEO Radio, we wanted to talk to the applicants, the future of the profession! What do you need to know about the hiring process? What can help you rise above the competition, or sink your chances at your dream career? We draw on the experience of cops who have supervised … Continue reading Episode 1: So, You Want To Join Law Enforcement? →