The Beat: A COPS Office Podcast

Among some of the top priorities in enhancing community policing efforts is refining community and police relations… specifically with youth. Strategy for Youth is an organization geared towards improving interactions between police and young people. The organization seeks to provide training for law enforcement on effective strategies for interacting positively with youth. Ms. Shelly Jackson, representative from Strategy for Youth, has spent more than 30 years protecting the civil rights of youth, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable populations. In addition, she served with the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, where she worked on matters involving the administration of juvenile justice. Ms. Jackson joins The Beat to share her wealth of experience and knowledge!

Andre Norman has had a series of life experiences resulting in a unique prospective on reducing violence. Sentenced for numerous crimes by the time he was 18, rising to become a prison gang boss, and then turning his life around and working tirelessly to lead others to do the same, he has become a sought-after voice in the violence reduction discourse. His organization works with corrections and law enforcement agencies to reach people they simply cannot, but most important, he works to help people on the other side of the law do and become better.

Recruiting and retaining high-quality law enforcement officers has been a struggle for departments across the United States over the last few years. The Rapid City Police Department in South Dakota was one of those agencies, but turned things around in 2023 through a holistic approach that addresses a wide variety of factors that influence who joins the department and is retained.

Exactly one day before stepping back from a 32-year career of service, Raul Ortiz, the former Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, made time to speak with The Beat. Recalling experiences and lessons ranging from his stint as a new Agent in San Diego, working internationally, to leading an agency of more than 20,000 people, Chief Ortiz reminds us that protecting and serving is a responsibility and privilege that is to be treasured.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The existence of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) liaison officers and units has increased significantly over the last 15 years. However, officers who staff these functions and the services that these units provide too often fall short of meeting the needs of LGTBQ communities. Greg Miraglia, Executive Director of Out To Protect, a partner organization of the COPS Office, joins The Beat to discuss the support his organization provides and how to effectively engage in June Pride Month activities.

There are an estimated 18 million veterans in the United States, and when they are in crisis, law enforcement officers are often the first to make contact with them. However, arrest is not always the best tool, or the only tool, needed to support those who have served. Sergeant Dave Corlett from the Cincinnati Police Department and Ron Michaelson from the Veterans Administration Medical Center join The Beat to discuss their Veterans Response Program and how it can easily be replicated.

There are an estimated 18,000 state and local law enforcement agencies throughout the country, and while there are many similarities between jurisdictions, there are also many differences. Jacob Molitor, Chief of the Meskwaki Nation Police Department in Iowa and Chair of the Small and Rural Law Enforcement Executives Association, joins The Beat to discuss unique aspects of serving a small tribal jurisdiction. Chief Molitor also discusses an innovative approach that his department has implemented to institutionalize robust de-escalation practices.

Officers throughout the country who have been involved in a response to a critical incident can expect to hear a standard question from their fellow officers and supervisors: “Are you good?” On far too many occasions, it can seem that this is a throwaway question and that there is only one acceptable answer. However, that is not the case for the men and women of the Oklahoma City Police Department. Lieutenant Don Holland joins The Beat to explain how the OCPD is meeting the needs of officers, their families, and the community's safety in the aftermath of a critical incident.

At heart, Mike Chitwood is a hard-charging cop who got his start chasing criminals through Philadelphia's subway system and now serves as the elected Sherriff of Volusia County, Florida. He is a dichotomy, viewed equally as a reformer and someone whose style and results endear him to traditionalists. Sherriff Chitwood joins The Beat to discuss his unyielding approach toward fighting crime, strategic improvements being implemented in his agency, effective community engagement, and contemporary issues in policing.

Marc Hildebrand is a currently serving law enforcement officer with over 18 years of experience. He struggled through a 100-pound weight loss journey while losing touch with his family and blamed it all on the unavoidable demands of police work. After successfully getting into the best shape of his life and establishing emotional balance he now works to help other officers get in shape, connect with their family, and change the trajectory of their career through his First Responder Fitness program.

Chuck Jordan retired as the Chief of the Tulsa Police Department in 2019, and during his 50-year career he made quite a mark on the profession. From his very first day on the job when he responded to an armed robbery call, to serving as a Commander of the United Nations Civilian Police Mission in war-torn Kosovo, Chief Jordan has seen a lot. As the Chief in Tulsa, a city with a well-document history of trauma stemming from the 1921 Black Wall Street Massacre, Jordan led his department's response to a high-profile police involved shooting and a racially motivated spree of shootings that threatened to open old wounds from 1921. Whether you are a patrol officer, supervisor, or executive, Chief Jordan's conversation with The Beat offers insight into contemporary issues in policing that should not be missed.

Center for Council focuses on intensive training in wellness, empathy and resilience to address officer health and performance -- and builds on those skills with powerful opportunities to foster improved community relationships, effective de-escalation practices and meaningful procedural justice. Center's Executive Director, Jared Seide, along with one of their law enforcement counselors, Rich Goerling, join The Beat to discuss their law enforcement programs.

Kathleen O'Toole worked her way through the ranks to become arguably the most experienced woman in the history of American policing. She has served as the Chief of the Seattle Police Department (WA), Commissioner of the Boston Police Department, Lieutenant Colonel of Massachusetts State Police, Secretary of Public Safety for the State of Massachusetts, and Chief Inspector of Ireland's National Police Service. Chief O'Toole (Ret.) joins The Beat to share her experiences and discuss current law enforcement issues.

Matthew Horace began his 28-year career with a local law enforcement agency, and concluded it as the Special Agent In-Charge of an Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Office. He is also the author The Black And The Blue, a book that details his experiences serving as an African American Officer and Special Agent in a work environment that was often unaware of, or insensitive to its' own biases. He joins The Beat to discuss how law enforcement can move beyond an all too frequent disconnect with communities most in need of effective policing, and the participation of law enforcement officers in the January 2021 storming of our nation's Capitol Building.

Throughout our communities, seniors and individuals with disabilities live alone, and may face challenges that put them at risk, or result in neglect of their basic needs. The Paradise Valley Police Department's (AZ) You Are Not Alone (YANA) program is an automated, proactive approach that supports these citizens without overburdening department resources. Officer Steven McGhee and Patricia Wagner join the Beat to discuss YANA.

Resilient Minds on the Front Lines is a program developed to support law enforcement and other first responders with tools and knowledge that can help them cope with the stress inherent to a profession requiring self-sacrifice in the name of serving the ‘public good'. During this episode of The Beat, the team behind Resilient Minds discusses techniques and resources available to help first responders continue helping others.

Peter Koutoujian Sheriff, Middlesex County Sheriff's Office (MA)President, Major County Sheriffs of America A career public servant, Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian oversees one of the nation's oldest law enforcement agencies - the Middlesex Sheriff's Office. Sheriff Koutoujian joins The Beat to share his experiences and lessons learned leading his organization through the height of the coronavirus.

Fausto Pichardo Chief of Patrol Services, New York Police Department The NYPD's Patrol Services Bureau is responsible for operations conducted by the majority of the department's uniformed officers. These officers work out of 77 precincts that each serve a population of between 70,000 and 150,000 people. Deputy Chief Pichardo speaks with The Beat about how the Department responded to the Coronavirus, and shares his perspectives on the commitment of NYPD officers.

Leadership is critical to the success of every department. However, perceptions of what constitutes effective leadership can vary depending on when and where officers enter the profession. Chief Joel Shults (Ret.) joins The Beat to provide insight gained during his 30-year career about successful police leadership.

In this episode of The Beat, Sheila Gunderman and Evan Mishler from the Virginia Center for Policing Innovation (VCPI) discuss the training resources offered through the COPS Office's Training Portal. The Portal is a no-cost resource for entire departments, academies, and individual officers to access a high-quality, interactive e-Learning curriculum.

The Madison (WI) Police Department's Building Personal Resilience project was developed in coordination with the University of Iowa's College of Nursing and focuses on helping officers dissipate stress and effectively self-regulate as they endure the rigors of the job. Captain Mary Schauf (ret.) and Sandra Ramey, PhD, RN, join The Beat to share Madison's experience.

Brody Young is a Utah State Parks Ranger who was shot nine times, left to die in a remote location, and is back on the job today. Ranger Young speaks candidly about the incident, his recovery, and how the experience has changed his life.

John Wordin is well known for transitioning from a 260-pound college football player to a 185-pound professional cyclist in 16 months. Today, he has transitioned into an entirely different realm, and is the founder of the Life Aid Research Institute. Life Aid is a suicide prevention program for military veterans and first responders by applying a whole health approach and peer support. John joins The Beat to spotlight those who are at risk of suicide and also examines how their families are impacted.