Off The Beat Podcast

If the laws aren't working, make concessions with the criminals! That should work right?.......right?

Criminals are still committing crime regardless of the law. So are more laws the answer? It kind of sounds like a snake oil salesman; "Step right up, crime still a problem in your city? Criminals ignoring the laws? Well then you need more laws!" I'm not so sure about that.

All points bulletin our for "Somebody"! Who is this "Somebody" that people keep say should do something? "Somebody" is not coming, so do something.

How should police leadership be chosen? Should we look outside the department for a new Chief? Should a Sheriff be elected though a political process? Join me as I share my thoughts on choosing leadership.

Social Media can be a wonderfully helpful tool, but how safe is it? Join me as I discuss this immersive world and provide some facts you probably don't know.

Artificial Intelligence in Law Enforcement. A good idea, or the rise of the machines? Join me as I discuss this controversial topic and add some points you may not have thought about.

What do I think about firearm ownership? More importantly, what do the stats say about it? Join me as I discuss this polarizing topic.

Movies and TV show real Cop life right? Wrong! Join me as I cover some of these hilarious mistakes.

The Truth ... what is it? Does it still exist? Is it your truth, my truth ... or is it truth based on fact? Join me as I discuss the current status of the truth.

They have to read me my rights, I get a free phone call, and so many more. Policing myths are everywhere....but what's the truth?

Agency morale is dictated by attitude. But who's attitude? That's where it gets tricky, join me as I take a look at this touchy subject.

Crazy Laws you didn't know existed! Join me as I run down the 50 craziest laws in the land.

What drives you to go to work everyday? Perhaps you've lost your direction. Join me as I challenge you to remember your oath.

What makes you successful? What defines you? It's not your job, it is you. Let me explore the idea of - everywhere you go, there you are.

Live from the 26th Annual Florida Crime Intelligence Analysts Association! Listen as I take questions from the live audience in Orlando Florida.

Do you have opinions about how things should be done? First question to ask yourself; do you actually know anything about the subject, or just what you see on TV? It's all about educating yourself before you speak!

With calls for service up and fewer Officers on the road, is Community Policing possible? Join me as I discuss what Community Policing is and why making it happen may be difficult, but not impossible.

Who is your A-Team? If you had to put a team together of the best of the best, who would be on it? How many are on your team? Now think about your hiring and promotional practices? Are they the same standard?

So you have new and innovative ideas? Well, first you have to get past the dreaded R.O.D.! Maybe you should just give up. No! Push through!

Have you lost the spark? The drive to make a difference? Have you unwittingly slid into complacency? Join me as I discuss a prickly issue facing many in public service ... Retired on Duty.

After being arrested, a violent offender is released on a signature bond. Upon release he murdered his wife and their unborn child. How is this ongoing issue being addressed? Please welcome Off The Beat's first-ever guest, Chief Josh Bruegger of the Pasadena, TX Police Department, to explore Bail and Bond reform and hear his first-hand experience navigating this issue.

Thankful? For What? It has been a year of "Law Enforcement is Bad, Let's defund them". So what do folks in Public Safety have to be thankful for? A lot more than you may think.

What is Normal? Normal, routine, these are often used terms in policing, but what do they mean? Can we define them? Should we? Join me as I "define" these terms and suggest what "normal" means in policing.

Heroes, the true ones walk among us … in silence. True Heroes are hard to find, and perhaps even harder to define. In our world of people getting their news and views from social media, the true definition of hero is being shifted to something quite different. Join me as I discuss the rapidly diminishing definition of Hero.

Why are we reluctant to ask for help? Pride, fear or something else? Be brave enough to find solutions with one four letter word ... HELP.

Personal protection, does that mean buying a weapon? How about training to become a ninja? Or does it really start with self awareness? Join me as I discuss this touchy subject from an angle that may surprise you.

Where do preconceived notions come from? Who has them? Do we all have them? Listen as I dive into these notions and challenge the way we think about them.

Many agencies are seeing a rise in DUI crashes as states ease COVID travel restrictions. So how do you handle this problem in the time of COVID and social unrest? Is it any different from the way you handled it before? Maybe it should be, in some ways.

Big Data ... What's the Big Deal? There is a lot of talk lately about data held by the police; why are they holding it, what are they doing with it? Those answers are actually pretty simple, but what is not so simple is what is everyone else doing with citizen data? Join me as I dig into both sides of this issue.

What does that defunding mean? Reform? Reallocate? Dismantle? So many ideas are swirling around media outlets right now, who has the answer? Join me as I discuss these terms and their impact on not only the Police, but society as well.

The Elephant in the Room, There are some bad cops, but not all cops are bad. It seems like by simply pinning on the badge, cops are labeled as bad. How do we change that? Join me as I discuss this deeply rooted issue.

Technology killing old school 'instincts'? Is technology diminishing our core skills for Law Enforcement, Crime Analyst, etc? Ask yourself; if your technology failed, could you still do your job? If not, does that mean that we have lost our basic skills?

Does your agency have a body cam program? WHY? Join me as I talk about the body cam revolution. I will cover questions like; When did the body cam revolution begin? Why did it begin?, and challenge you to define the purpose and goal of your body cam program.

In this current Pandemic, we have seen the need for public safety to be mobile. We are seeing Detectives and Crime Analysts working from home and dispatch centers making sure they are functioning within Social Distancing guidelines. How are these changes impacting the daily job of public safety? Join me as I discuss 6 things that we need to think about when it comes to public safety mobility.

First Responders remain on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic, but with concerns like safety, new laws, mandatory building closures, shelter in place orders, and ensuring a feeling of safety for citizens - how are First Responders dealing? Join me as I talk about these current events and offer a possible window into the crisis to ensure that your agency has the best information using the data you have today.

Privacy - is the sky falling or do we just need better understanding? Do you have privacy? When? Where? Is privacy up to the individual, society, law ... or is the definition a moving target? Join me as I weigh the public opinion, my opinion, and ultimately, the official opinion of the US Supreme Court.

How many myths can you think of when it comes to policing? Dozens right? Well, I came up with my 8 favorites. Join me as we drive down the road of "Where do people come up with these things?"

With technology advancing rapidly, how are training academies adapting? As always, the answers may be in the data. Let's dig in.

How many agencies do you know who can say - "We have more cops than we need"? I'm guessing zero. This means we must be efficient and use resources wisely. Let's explore how our data can help.

What is your agency's policing methodology? Simple question, right? Is there one right answer? Let's explore your best options and what makes sense for you in this episode of Off The Beat with DJ Seals.

Tip your hats to all who are working to keep us safe this holiday season

Could your agency be more effective if you refuse stagnation or apathy towards new policy, strategy, technology, etc? "Because we've always done it this way" is not the path to success. Let's discuss.

Stealapalooza! The holidays often bring more than merriment, peace and goodwill for law enforcement. Let's look at how we can use past data with new strategies to address seasonal crime spikes and ensure our citizens have a merry holiday season.

What stops us from moving forward? There is a lot of movement going on in law enforcement between technology, skills, equipment, etc ... how do we keep up?

Intelligence Led Policing doesn't apply to my agency. Sound familiar? Well let's dive a bit deeper into the myths surrounding intelligence led policing methodologies, break down those myths, and discuss why it's an important consideration for your agency.