The Cop Doc's Fox 59 interview on SuperBowl security

Here is the article with my interview today in the Ivy Tech Community College lobby in downtown Indianapolis with WXIN Fox 59 News on Super Bowl security: http://www.fox59.com/news/wxin-super-bowl-week-police-hold-onto-your-stuff-during-super-bowl-week-20120124,0,2187069.column

Police Expert on SuperBowl Security in Indianapolis

I work for a great college. The Ivy Tech Community College marketing and communications folks, led by vice president Jeff Fanter and Assistant Vice President Kelly Hauflaire, put together this terrific media advisory for media seeking a police expert on the SuperBowl here in Indianapolis. Here is the media advisory:

For further information, contact:
Kelly Hauflaire
(317) 917-5732
khauflaire@ivytech.edu

National Law Enforcement Expert available as Super Bowl source

WHO: Dr. Richard Weinblatt, Dean of the School of Public and Social Services at Ivy Tech Community College and national law enforcement expert, is available for interviews and expert commentary regarding law enforcement, security, and crime prevention for Super Bowl 2012 in Indianapolis.

Weinblatt, who is based in Indianapolis, has provided expert commentary on CNN, MSNBC, HLN: Headline News and CBS Evening News. In addition, he has been quoted and interviewed in hundreds of print publications and newspapers, including the Associated Press, Washington Post, the Detroit News, Orlando Sentinel, London Daily Mail, and the Philadelphia Enquirer, as well as hundreds of local TV and radio interviews across the country.

WHY: Weinblatt has explained complex police, crime and safety topics since 1989. He has an extensive background as a police chief, policy academy director, and criminal justice professor. His service has ranged from Auxiliary Lieutenant in New Jersey to Patrol Division Deputy Sheriff in New Mexico to Police Chief in North Carolina.

Additionally, Weinblatt has been a criminal justice and police academy educator in Florida, Indiana, New Mexico, North Carolina and Ohio. He has instructor certifications for pepper spray, firearms, defensive tactics, vehicle operations, and Taser, as well as experience as an expert witness.

Weinblatt, referred to as “The Cop Doc,” has also authored several books and articles related to the field of law enforcement.

He earned his Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Sarasota in Florida, Master of Public Administration in Criminal Justice from City University in Bellevue, WA., and Bachelor of Science in Administration of Justice from Guilford College in Greensboro, NC.

HOW: To connect with Dr. Weinblatt, please contact Kelly Hauflaire, Asst. Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Ivy Tech Community College, at 317-917-5732 or khauflaire@ivytech.edu.

To learn more about Dr. Weinblatt’s background and expertise, visit www.thecopdoc.com.

ABOUT IVY TECH COMMUNITY COLLEGE: Ivy Tech is the state's largest public postsecondary institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college system serving nearly 200,000 students annually. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana. It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering affordable degree programs and training that are aligned with the needs of its community along with courses and programs that transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.

Ivy Tech Community College is a very progressive place to recognize the police expertise service provided to the media and the community.

I just did an interview in the Ivy Tech Community College lobby with Fox 59 WXIN Indianapolis for their 4:00 and 5:00 newscasts and for their website.

Reserve Cops: Original Homeland Security on PoliceReserveOfficer.com

Police Reserves are the original homeland security. That's the position in my latest article The Original Homeland Security Force: Police Reserves on PoliceReserveOfficer.com.

The article covers the evolution of World War II. era civil defense (CD) forces into (at least for some parts of the country) a sophisticated academy trained and state certified sworn law enforcement professional serving on a part-time or volunteer basis.

Disasters have come to the forefront with recent events such as the tornadoes in Alabama and flodding in Louisiana. As for terrorist incidents, one has to look only at the recent death of Osama bin Laden to see the need for enhanced homeland security.

Police reserves, known also under the titles Auxiliary, Special, Supernumerary, and Intermittent, have long been a part of the fabric of their local police and sheriffs operations, as well as thei communtities. Check out the article for more detail on police reserves and homeland security.

Pretend Police: Are Impersonators Stopping You?

Pretend police in your mirror lights flashing and siren blaring is a scary prospect for all drivers on the road. Factor in being a woman alone or driving late at night and the prospect can be even more terrifying.

As a police expert, speaker, author, and media commentator, I hear what folks' police, crime, and safety related concerns are. And so, it was little surprise that quite a few people have been reading my latest police article for Examiner.com, "Pretend Police: Safety Tips for Drivers Being Stopped." As Examiner.com's designated "police examiner" for their national edition, I had a feeling that the article would strike a nerve for all concerned about police, crime and safety issues on an issue that really happens. I was right on target as the article opened with real life cases of police impersonators arrested in Florida, Massachusetts, California, and Pennsylvania.

Fake fuzz are out there and they are stopping drivers on the highways with pseudo cop accoutrements. The illicit equipment on the nabbed impersonator law enforcement officers have included badges, uniforms, radios, flashing lights, sirens, guns, and of course, a police style vehicle such as the ubiquitous Ford Crown Victoria.

The article gave safety tips, as I also do via my TheCopDoc.com website, on what to do if you think that a pretend police officer, deputy sheriff, or state trooper is trying to stop you.

The real police certainly want to stop police impersonators from engaging in their illegal conduct, arrest them, and bring them to justice. Fake fuzz endanger the public and law enforcers alike.

Check it out and comment below on The Cop Doc blog, on my Facebook page, or on the Examiner.com article. Have you been stopped by the Pretend Police?

Here is the link to the PoliceImpersonator article I wrote: http://www.examiner.com/police-in-national/pretend-police-safety-tips-for-drivers-being-stopped

WORLD PREMIERE of new The Cop Doc Radio Show Promo Video

Here is the WORLD PREMIERE of the new The Cop Doc Radio Show promo video. The video highlights the arresting topics such as Officer Down!, Policing Japan's Crisis, Cops and Crazies, and Domestic Violence. There are many more topics that have been covered on the show encompassing Police, Crime, and Safety. The show is geared for law enforcement and non-law enforcement listeners as part of The Cop Doc's mission to explain complex justice topics in understandable terms.





The Cop Doc radio show has had numerous guest experts on the program and the promo video featured radio show guests Criminal Profiler Pat Brown, Dave "Buck Savage" Smith, and police guru Roy Bedard. A complete lists of guests and topics can be viewed at www.TheCopDoc.com.

This is fast paced, rocking beat video that showcases the police, crime and safety topics show. The show was recently moved to it's new time of 7:00 pm EDT on Blogtalkradio to make it more available for guests and listeners.


In addition to the live show that can be listened to via the Internet on Blogtalkradio.com or on the telephone, listeners can also enjoy the archived version via many application platforms including Apple iTunes, Windows Media Player, AppleCoreMedia, GoogleListen, and PodTrapper.

Check out the video below. And listen to The Cop Doc radio show in the Blogtalkradio player at the bottom. Or you can click on the link to go to the Blogtalk radio show page: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/the-cop-doc

Listen to internet radio with Dr Weinblatt on Blog Talk Radio

Warring Cops Disgraceful

The following is an editorial I wrote. It appeared on the front page of PoliceLink.com today.

The article is about the warring cops in neighboring Pennsylvania towns that were caught on viral video and thus make the work of good law enforcers that much more difficult. It is heartening to see good law enforcerment people condemning this behavior and evidenced by the comments on PoliceLink.

Warring Cops on Video: How to Make Our Mission Even Tougher
By Dr. Richard Weinblatt, The Cop Doc

I’m sure many of my fellow law enforcement professionals watched the video carried on Fox News Channel, myfoxphilly.com and other outlets that showed neighboring Pennsylvania law enforcers at war with each other. I think all would be as embarrassed for our profession as I was.

Far from not establishing good pro-active community relations programs, the viral video makes these officers from Darby and Colwyn boroughs look like the proverbial keystone cops and worse.

According to Fox, the incident caught on video all started when a Colwyn officer crossed the street into Darby to nab a man that had just punched a woman in the face. The officer had apparently been flagged down by the woman.

The problem (at least in the eyes of the Darby Police chief) was that it was in the neighboring Delaware County borough of Darby. While I understand the jurisdictional legal concerns that may be present, I would argue that the officer couldn’t just continue driving and ignore the woman. So he stopped to render aid and control the situation.

As the report details, the Darby Police chief came soon thereafter to the scene yelling at the Colwyn officer to get out of Darby. Incredibly, officers had to use their skills – you know, the ones they use on emotional members of the public at calls for police service - to deescalate the police chief, but it was to no avail. Officers then had to physically intervene to stop the fight from escalating to a physical level. All of this played out in public view involving the very type of behavior that we are called to control. Incredible.

Now, I know it’s best not to believe all that is put out by the media. And I also know that sometimes events happen before the video is rolling that help to put what is seen in context. That said, the video speaks volumes of the situation. I am hard pressed to find any justification for what I saw on the tape.

The damage to officers everywhere, including those on scene, is immeasurable. This impacts all of us in a number of ways.

1) We’re in an era where budget cutters do not see police officers and firefighters as the untouchable sacred cow immune to layoffs. Witness what happened in Camden, NJ not too far from the Philadelphia area. Officers were pushed off the public payroll. The same thing happened in Newark, NJ. Incidents like this do not help bolster the fiscal health of law enforcement agencies or their employees.

2) Many people who viewed this disgraceful video have used it as fodder for their call for regionalization of law enforcement services. While the concept itself is worthy of debate, it should not be on the coattails of clearly avoidable schoolyard kid style conduct.

3) That particular area of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, is apparently rife with crime and drugs. Such displays do little to convince the beleaguered community that their police are up to the task.

4) Leadership emanates from the top. If this is the hot-tempered publicly displayed behavior of the police chief, who should be the most seasoned, rationale, and calm person on the municipal police agency, I shudder to think what some of his subordinates may have done.

5) As a defensive tactics instructor who has handled volatile calls in uniform where emotions are high, I know it is a basic tenet that you must have control of yourself before you can expect to have control of the scene. With a man in custody and a woman being treated by medics on the street, no ongoing scene safety or investigation has control or integrity while the law enforcers themselves are arguing emotionally and publicly on the scene.

6) From a national perspective, long-standing critics of the police are already pointing to this video to bolster their anti-police argument. Their contention has long been that crime fighters are just street fighters with badges. They want people to believe their skewed view of law enforcers. This video does nothing to refute their argument and does everything to bolster it. They are able to apply a broad paintbrush to the 700,000 ethical and hardworking police officers, deputy sheriffs, and state troopers in the United States based on the actions of a few.

Specifically in regard to this incident, while we can blame the video and the news media for disseminating it, the reality is that if the officers, starting with the Darby police chief, had not acted in such a manner, there would be nothing news worthy to display. The Colwyn officer should have walked away from the chief and not been baited into a confrontation.

As professionals, we need to address this conduct and identify it as not worthy of our position of trust in the community. The days of circling the wagons or sticking our head in the sand are long gone in policing. Our credibility is at stake and we need to distance ourselves from such conduct and repudiate it.

The intensely bright spotlight on isolated viral episodes, such as what transpired in Darby, are diminished if we acknowledge them as being outside the standard of professional conduct we as professionals hold ourselves to. We need to highlight the good work done by 700,000 law enforcers in the United States, and many more internationally, that gets overshadowed by the tarnished badge behavior of a few. It’s hard to get the mission done that with emotionally charged, warring police chiefs and officers out there fighting.

As I’ve told basic law enforcement academy students for a number of years, we live in an era of video technology. You should always assume that you are on camera and should act in a professional manner worthy of the oath we took and the badge we wear. In short, the conduct should be such that it that would make your mother proud. I doubt the Darby police chief’s mother would be proud of her son today.

Dr. Richard Weinblatt, “The Cop Doc,” is a former police chief, ex busy jurisdiction patrol deputy sheriff, and criminal justice educator who has written articles and provided media commentary since 1989. He can be reached via www.TheCopDoc.com.

Here is the link to the front page article on PoliceLink where you can watch the video and judge for yourself:
http://policelink.monster.com/training/articles/152341-warring-cops-making-our-mission-even-tougher

Full Body Scanners Bad for America News Interview

As seen in the below two videos of an interview I did this afternoon with Central Florida News 13 reporter Jacqueline Fell in the station's downtown Orlando conference room, I do not believe that body scanners (as used by the courthouses and particularly by the TSA at airports) and other efforts to enhance the safety of the American people is the way to go.

Not only did Centrral Florida News 13 put the print and video version of the TV news package on my objection to body scanners up on their website ( http://www.cfnews13.com/article/news/2010/november/174083/Questions-continue-to-surround-body-scans - click on SCANNED IMAGES RELEASED FOR VIDEO OF NEWS REPORT ), they also put video of my raw interview on their website: http://www.cfnews13.com/video?clip=http://static.cfnews13.com/newsvideo/cfn/1117BodyScan_111720100546.flv

Times Square Bomb & Arizona Immigration: Balancing Policing in A Democratic Society

Many Americans woke up this morning (Sunday) to the news that a bombing situation had been thwarted in a high profile hub of our nation: New York City's Times Square. They also awoke to see pictures of hundreds of thousands of people participating in rallies protesting the Immigration law (and it's slightly altered current incarnation) in Arizona. As a former deputy sheriff who worked on the border (as pictured above) and a former police chief, I see that both deal with ideas that go the very heart of who we are as a people and what ideals our country stands for.

DICTATORSHIP POLICING EASY

It is easy to police in a dictatorship. Sadam Hussein was able to keep murderous, warring factions of Iraq in check by being more murderous than those groups. At the other end of the spectrum, The anarchy that is Somalia has no central government or ability to speak of to keep the various local warlords in check.

The United States has long struggled with governmental control and it's most visible component is that of law enforcement. Policing in a democratic society is hard as is evidenced by the events of the past few days in Times Square and in Arizona.

In general, I do not believe that we should sacrifice our ideals in order to be safer. In the words of U2 lead singer Bono (I know he is not the biggest philosopher around, but his thought here is true): "We do not need to become a monster, in order to defeat a monster."

ALERTNESS

What saved the day in New York City was the vigilance of a civilian street vendor. This veteran took a moment to notice an unusual situation and reported to a mounted New York City Police officer. The officer in turned notified his chain of command and the NYPD Bomb Squad and NYC FBI field office bomb techs responded. The system worked there thanks to the alert observation and good law enforcement response.

In Arizona, police intervention could go too far in a situation which is really larger and more political in nature (My earlier blog post on Blogger and my interview with Alternet.org goes into more detail). If the police go with the Arizona scenario, we have started to move down the slippery slope that personified our country's treatment of the Japanese during World War II., as well as the Nazis. The solution needs to come from Washington, DC, so as to preserve our localized, democratic style of policing.

Having the police pull double-duty stretches already thin resources, opens fiscally-strapped local governments up to lawsuits whether they enforce the new law or not, and will propel crimes towards non-illegals as Hispanic victims and witnesses will be intimidated and not help the police stop predators. Those predators will also victimize non-illegals. The predator illegals that are here will not be scared by this; only the non-violent illegal aliens will be wary of the law and police.

Other states, such as Ohio, are thinking about copying the Arizona law. As I told the Ohio News Network (ONN), that would be a mistake. In both cases, what we need is alert people that will bring law enforcement into the picture when violence (or the potential such as bomb) enters the scene. The collection of intelligence has stopped some threats from coming to fruition and the same could be used more effectively to combat illegal immigration.


In this country, many officers have observed that people always want the laws enforced- as long as it is not against them. For example, all across the country, officers have agreed with my own experience having run radar in residential subdivisions in response to community outcry. The biggest offenders end up being the residents themselves and then they are not so happy to have that enforcement presence. Officers reading this can relate to it in their own policing experiences.

Even has a member of the police community, I have always been a staunch defender of the protections, rights, and even technicalities of our society. As I have said before, "It is those rights that protect you, me, my wife, and my son." I want a government that is strong enough to protect us, but not strong enough to move away from its democratic principles.

Much like the scales of justice, we must balance police and the power of the government enforcers in the middle. To much movement in either direction turns into the dictatorship of old Iraq or the anarchy of Somalia. We don't want to be either country. We are the United States of America and all the ideals that it stands for.

Caylee Anthony Police Expert Analysis on News Interviews

You would have to be under a rock not to notice the large amount of coverage garnered by the Caylee Anthony missing child case. As someone with law enforcement and media interviewing experience, it came as no surprise that I've ended up doing quite a few interviews on the topic. Even more than before, this investigation has lead to an incredible number of people coming up to me seeking answers to their many questions.

As I told WESH2 News (the NBC affiliate) anchor/reporter Gail Paschall-Brown, I fear that this case will have a sad ending. In my experience, the longer a child is missing, the more grim the prospects become.

This is a tragic case for a number of reasons. This missing two-year-old, now turned three-year-old, may have already been located if law enforcement officials were able to get straight answers from the get go. Sadly, As a former police chief who has investigated homicides and missing persons cases as a sworn law enforcer, it does not surprise me that people will use deceptions and omissions when dealing with police investigators seeking to ascertain the well-being of their own family.

I have told many folks that the Orange County Sheriff's Office investigators here in Orlando, FL, handling this case, Sgt. John Allen and Cpl. Yuri Mellich (who just finished two years in OCSO homicide), are not new kids on the block. They know how to investigate these types of cases. They are experienced, diligent and highly trained.

As for the smell of old pizza and the smell of death in the Pontiac. As anyone who has smelled a dead body left for some time, there is no confusing the two. As I pointed out in a Central Florida News 13 in-studio interview I did on 7/24/08 with Anchor Ybeth Bruzual, even Cindy Anthony, the grandmother, stated that in one of the 911 calls she made.

In a video package of a 7/23/08 interview I did with top rated ABC affiliate WFTV Channel 9 Eyewitness News, her statements concerning the pizza and my contradictory statements refuting the chance of confusing the two distinct smells were played together. Experienced law enforcers especially would not be confused by the pizza presence. As I told WFTV reporter Eric Rasmussen, that is not a chance that the two could be interchanged.


If you add on top of that the positive hit indication of two cadaver dog teams, the direction becomes clearer. As I explained on the WOFL Fox 35 Morning News in two live on-set interviews with host Heidi Hatch on 7/23/08 and in a video package with WVEN Univision 26 Noticias (the Spanish language news) News Anchor/Producer Jimena Cortes on 7/24/08, these dogs are highly trained and have a keen sense of smell. They would not be confused by pizza. You could put a ham sandwich next to them and they would not be distracted.

As for their sense of smell, they can detect the smell of decomposition deep underground even with a concrete slab being present. I don't think the human and canine experts could get this wrong.

It does appear that the family is now cooperating a little more with the investigators. They have discussed the issue of the Anthony family shed burglary and gas can theft with them. I figured that it was worth looking at and I told WFTV Channel 9 in another interview on 7/29/08 that investigators would have to look at the gas can shed burglary and theft situation.


That is good that family is now talking with the OCSO investigators. They are the ones with the interviewing expertise. They are the ones with the big picture of all of the tips that have to be logged in and prioritized. Seemingly insignificant information might be relevant when coupled with other information known by investigators.

It takes a lot of experience and training to conduct these investigations and no one should undertake such an endeavor on their own. To do so risks the integrity of the investigation.

I have also been asked why investigators withhold information. As I told reporters and news directors, who understand this as they have covered crime stories for years, information is always held back especially in high profile cases. They do this to be able to test the veracity and credibility of those who might confess or come forward with information. People have been known to do so with false information.

Information is also held back in order to have more material to offer the news media at a later date in an effort to revive the story. As time passes, sometimes people become more comfortable coming forward. Media coverage later helps the investigators to get more tips.

All of this is being combined with the evidence that they have collected and submitted for analysis on several different forays. Such evidence includes the stain, hair, and dirt from the Pontiac's trunk, the shovel borrowed from the neighbor, and the clothes retrieved and cleaned by Cindy Anthony from the Pontiac and later taken by investigators from the Anthony home. As I explained to Central Florida News 13 reporter Stephanie Coueignoux on 8/6/08, the evidence has to be looked at and analyzed. The forensic evidence, combined with their interviews and document collections will help them to piece together what amounts to a giant jigsaw puzzle.

This saga is sure to continue for a little longer. However, unlike the Trenton Duckett missing little boy case, I think this one will be solved. Let's hope so that the Anthony family, friends and the community can get some answers and some closure. Something that I know that countless loved ones of other missing children across Florida and the nation are hoping for in their respective cases.

Below is my Fox 35 Morning News two live in-studio segments from 7/23/08. Other TV news interview clips are on youtube at www.youtube.com/user/richardweinblatt

My Morning with American Idol's Ace Young and July 4th Holiday Travel Safety Tips News Interviews

(Left to right) Fox 35 weatherman Jim Van Fleet, Seminole Community College Criminal Justice's Dr. Richard Weinblatt, and former American Idol contestant Ace Young in the Fox 35 studios.

Yesterday (July 3rd) was a fun day. Early in the morning I went over to the Lake Mary, FL, studios of WOFL Fox 35 to do another law enforcement-related interview for the Fox 35 Morning News. The cast, crew, and executives over the show were as friendly and gracious as they always are. It is really terrific to work with such a professional, reliable, and friendly TV station covering the Orlando TV market.

Both before and after my live on-set interview, I hung out in the studio and caught up with my friends there including the consummate show hosts Tom Johnson, Heidi Hatch, Lauren LaPonzina, and, of course, the weatherman and singer supremo, Jim Van Fleet.

American Idol's Ace Young

A nice bonus was spending some time with former American Idol contestant Ace Young. I've met a lot of celebrities, but Ace ranks as one of the nicest. I found him to be very down to earth. Of course it helped that my pal Jim Van Fleet (a buddy of Ace Young's) gave me an introduction to him that went like this: "Dr. Weinblatt's the man to know... he knows all of the law enforcement people." Thanks, Jim.


Ace and I joked about my business card not being a get out of jail free card. We also decided that a stint in jail would not be fun for either of us. Ace said he'd have to shave his head and bulk up if he went to the big house.

Ace Young has a killer schedule and I admire his work ethic. He had come into Orlando at 3:30 in the morning and was heading to Disney after the Fox 35 Morning News. After that, he said his plan was to get some sleep and then head to to perform at Red, Hot and Boom July 4th celebration in nearby Altamonte Springs, FL, (a bunch of my cop buddies are working this event on a mandatory basis and are going to be worn out themselves). Then it was off to Tennessee. Wow, what a schedule. As I said to Jim Van Fleet, "I guess you have to ride the wave while it lasts."

Ace has got a great memory and is smoother than most young rock stars out there. He told Jim that he had listened to his music on his myspace page. Later, he told me he was going to check out my website (www.policearticles.com). Not only can he sing, he can handle people very well. I was impressed.

Tom Johnson News Interview


Fox 35 Morning News host Tom Johnson (left) interviews Seminole Community College Criminal Justice's Dr. Richard Weinblatt live on the set.

As for my news interview itself, it went well. I had approx. two minutes live on the set with host and super nice guy Tom Johnson. We discussed July 4th holiday travel safety tips.

We covered such tips as: check out your car mechanically, plan your route, let another person know your route and car description (including license plate), and have plenty of food and water. I noted that a recent study found that two thirds of all crashes happen within five miles of the home. The shorter trip venues, caused by the rise in fuel prices, are no haven from crashes and other problems.

Behind the Scenes

For those who ask me what it's like to do these TV interviews, this may be of interest. We used three studio cameras and crew. It's pretty hard to look at the right camera at the right time and also at the host asking the questions. It takes some practice to follow the red lights on top of the camera that indicate they are the one feeding the image at the moment. All the meantime, you have to come with some good ad-lib based on the tips submitted previously. And you have to do this all smoothly without looking like it takes any effort. It is not as easy as it looks.


I've done interviews with both Tom and Heidi Hatch. They are both fun to work with. Tom was especially happy as he had plans this weekend to celebrate his eleventh wedding anniversary. Congratulations, Tom!

Jim Van Fleet's Music CDs and My Wife

I know I made my wife, Anne, happy when I hand delivered to her office three CDs of weatherman and music star Jim Van Fleet's artistry. Anne has met the charismatic Jim before and likes both him and his music. She was thrilled that Jim gave me the CDs for her. You can check out his music at www.jimvanfleet.net or www.myspace.com/jimvanfleet Anne told me that she already played his CDs with my six-year-old son Michael in the car on the way home yesterday.

The interview, as well as another one I did that afternoon at the downtown Orlando studios of Central Florida News 13, is below.

Great Feedback from "The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet" Appearance

I have gotten great feedback from my appearance on "The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet" live from FOX Studios in New York City. I've heard from law enforcement and non-law enforcement alike who appreciated the public explanation of the use of Tasers.

That is my aim. I hope that my interviews, etc. help people to understand what law enforcement does and why we do it. Not all law enforcers are good and not all officers are bad. I am the last person to take a hard line view dumping all possibility of the latter or the former.

I want to give the public the tools needed to make informed judgments about the conduct of police officers and deputy sheriffs. That educated perspective will hopefully result in dignified treatment of the police and the public that we serve.

Here is one of the particularly enjoyable emails that I received. The writer even addressed the situation on the University of Florida Taser incident's Andrew Meyer. This one is from a police officer in Fort Worth, Texas:

Chief Weinblatt. Sorry but once a chief, always a chief. This email is
in comment to the Morning Show that I watch today. And as a fellow law
enforcement officer, I was happy to see that a law enforcement officer
was given the opportunity to explain how tasers work on national
television.

Your law enforcement career exceeds mine by 10 years if not more. I
believe your explanation and demonstration of the taser will help people
better understand their use and purpose in the law enforcement world.
Being tased myself I can tell you that it's far better than a bare
knuckle brawl with a 250+ suspect where arms and shoulders are going to
break. Like the guest on the show for example, one lady stated that it was
mistaken identity and she was tased three times. First off why would it
take three times to subdue this woman?

I feel that a portion of society feels that they are above and out of reach of the law. I'm not even going to touch the topic on the Fl kid. He's just lucky that the
secret service or other feds weren't present.

The taser is a highly effective devise. When I was first trained on
one, I thought come on how much can it really hurt. WOW! I'll take
pepper spray any day. I still was a little weary about them and maybe it
was more doubts about the effectiveness of them. I mean the last thing
any officer wanted was to be in the middle of you know what and a taser
takes a crap on you.

The first time I saw one deployed, I was in FTO and got in my first
pursuit. I was the second patrol car in the pursuit. I was so excited,
radioing dispatch of our location, a lot was going through my mind. The
car stopped, and the suspect fled on foot. We were able to catch him
during the foot pursuit. I was so happy that I got him. But I was now on
the ground fighting with this guy. It was the first time anything really
big happened on my first phase of training. All I thought about was,
"I got him, I caught him". But the real fight started. I heard my
FTO behind me and he yelled, "TASER". I just let go of the suspect
and moved away. He took the ride 4 times before compiling with officers.
But after everything was done, I walked over to the car and thanked the
guy. I said, "Thank you so much you are officially my first arrest".
He looked at me and said, "Damn that hurt. Next time I'll take the
ass woopin'".

I've read some of your articles Chief and I'm glad you were given
the opportunity to help people better understand the vital role that
tasers play in law enforcement.

And here was my email back to this Fort Worth police officer:

Thanks for your nice email concerning Tasers and my recent appearance on "The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet." I've gotten quite a lot of feedback on the segment.

You are right. The more that the law enforcement community educates and informs the public, the more they will understand what it is we do and why we do it. That is my aim.

It sounds like you care about what you do. That is great. We need more police officers who care about the professionalism and service aspects of the job. Keep up the good work.

UF Student Tasered: I respond on youtube, my space, etc.

If you haven't heard of University of Florida student Andrew Meyer and the infamous Taser incident involving the UF Police Department at Senator John Kerry's forum, you've probably been under a rock somewhere. While I am heartened that many people have seen the incident for what it really was, some have been misinformed or uneducated as to the role of the Taser and how use of force was used in this incident.

In the wake of all the publicity and millions of views on youtube, my space, and other media outlets, I thought it was time for a responsible voice to put information out so that people could then make an informed and educated judgment as to what transpired.


With the assistance of my wonderful wife, Anne, on this warm Central Florida Saturday night, I made an approximately six minute video giving a law enforcement expert's perspective on the situation. I made my credentials known in the video (I didn't want the viewers to think that my comments were based in fluff). I even included a short clip of me being Tasered in 2004 when I was a police chief as part of training. I was shot in the back and "took the ride" (as the saying goes). I couldn't resist and was able to get up unscathed afterwards. Of course, it helps that I did not ingest copious amounts of cocaine or other drugs prior to be shot with the Taser. That alone shows that the Taser is purely a control device. And that is what law enforcement officers are after: control and compliance to commands.

In the case of Andrew Meyer, as I explained in my video, officers with the University of Florida had every right to be concerned. While I am a staunch defender of freedom of speech, where there are rights, so too are there responsibilities. Mr. Meyer disregarded the rules of the forum and became an unwelcome guest of the organizers.

Lucky for him that this was not the President or some other high profile official under protection of the feds. If the U.S. Secret Service had been present, I feel certain that he would have been pounced on as soon as he barged his 200 pounds up to the front of the line. Especially in this age of heightened terrorist concerns, law enforcers have to be wary of a man that is emotional, moves fast, and may be armed with a bomb, firearm, or knife.

It was only after he rambled, disregarded the University popo, and used a sexual expletive, that the organizers cut his microphone. It was not the police officers that did so; it was the organizers of the forum. I submit that it was Meyer who was violating everyone else's freedom of speech as he was preventing them from having a reasoned and controlled public discourse. Meyer then broke away from the officers.

In the Sunshine State, as elsewhere, we have guidelines for use of force and the use of the Taser. The Taser safely fall under active physical which would include Meyer's actions of pulling away from the officers. Taser is low on what we call the use of force continuum. It certainly more preferable over a dislocated shoulder and broken arm which is what he might have gotten if all of the officers piled on him and used brute strength to force his arms back.

At the time of the repeated verbal commands and later application of the Taser, Meyer did not have the handcuffs on. Unlike on TV, it is very hard for even a group of officers to place handcuffs on a subject that does not want them on. At least not without causing a great deal of injury.

By using the Taser in drive stun mode, the officers used the localized pain compliance by putting the activated Taser against his body. That certainly is more preferable than the old way of breaking bones and bashing skulls with many officers or a solid baton.

If any thing, as I told the Orlando, FL-based Fox 35 10:00 News on Tuesday (9/16/07) on this very incident, the question wasn't whether too much force was used...the issue is that too little was used and further that it was utilized too late.

I explain in my video that the officers should have actually used more force sooner. They should have grounded him, used the Taser, and loud, repetitive verbal commands. They did all this, but dragged it out too long.

I feel for the University of Florida police officers involved in this fracas. I'm sure that they hesitated due to the high profile nature of the event, the cameras present, the Senator in front of them, and the nature of the campus environment that they operate.

While the police officers are on paid administrative leave, I hope that Chief Linda Stump makes sure that the panels being convened to investigate the incident and UF Police use of force and Taser policies are fair and impartial. I also hope that the students and others being selected to serve on the inquiry boards are educated so that they fully understand the complex dynamics involved in the policing in a democratic society. Hopefully, my video will help in that education mission.

Yet Another Taser Blog Post: Taser for Women

I was recently contacted by WKMG-TV Local 6 News reporter Kimberly Houk concerning a story she was doing on Taser for women. Scottsdale-based Taser International has put out a sleek Taser that is available in designer colors dubbed the C2.

While I'm not totally against firearms and Taser weaponry for civilians, I have quite a few concerns. I agreed enthusiastically to meet with Kimberly and her crew at her Orlando, FL, TV studios.

I had not worked with Kimberly before, so I was not sure what to expect. I found the experience to be terrific and the finished product was great. The video package was aired on September 6, 2007 on Local 6 News at 11.

I brought along a portable target stand and Tasers for Kimberly to fire. We videoed some me giving Kimberly some Taser instruction and fired the Tasers in the studio. Kimberly did a good job, as did another one of the station's employees. We then did the sit down interview.






As I mentioned to Kimberly in the interview, I would like to see Taser, and other companies, mandate more training. Here in Central Florida, we put recruit students in the Basic Law Enforcement Academies I manage through 770 hours of intense training. Even then, they are only just beginning to acquire the necessary tools, skills, and mindset needed to face an aggressor in a stress-filled, real-life situation. I'm not sure many people have the skills and attitude needed to, without hesitation, fend off an aggressor. I fear that the weapon could be used against them or that there is potential for misuse.

Even with that said, as I tell the police academy recruits, you often don't know how you will react in a dangerous situation until you are faced with one. While I believe in choice and freedom in the United States, I still wish there was more that could be done to protect the civilian Taser bearer and us against the Taser and possible misuse.

You can watch the Local 6 News at 11 story on the civilian use of Tasers for women on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxoCgyNvkM

Taser Blog Post Gets Good Reactions (And so do my other comments)

My most recent post on Blogger concerning the Taser has gotten some good reactions. Here is an example of an email I received. This one is from an officer in Massachusetts:

I got the link to your blog and wanted to say I thought the info on the taser was excellent. My PD has kicked the idea around and it was kind of let go for the time being. Hopefully they will reconsider.

Even the controversial Fox 35 10:00 News interview I did on the traffic stop in Hillsborough County, FL, (see a couple previous blog posts) got some positive reaction. Here is one off of PoliceLink.com that I received from an officer in Virginia:

Richard,
I haven't chimed in on all the comments in regard to the traffic stop videos, but I wanted to write you personally. Thank you for your honesty and candor in regard to the officer's reactions. Lately (especially on this site), I've been fed up with some attitudes exhibited by fellow officers and have been annoyed at the idea that no matter the action-the officer is always correct. It seems as if some officers have forgotten where they came from, and have completely lost their human side. I believe theres a time and place for everything and seeing you-especially with your experience-being so honest- is truly a breath of fresh air.

I have actually had to step away from this site for a while after receiving some messages from a certain member (who shall not be named) who accused me of being too soft, compassionate, and uptight. To me, policing is like a recipe. You have to figure out the correct ingredients for whatever jurisdiction you work. What works in Florida might not work in DC-and so on.

So, thank you for your honesty. It hasn't gone unnoticed.
Take care and stay safe.

That traffic stops interview even has found its way to be a part of training officers the importance of remaining calm and composed in the face of a possibly problematic officer-citizen interaction. Here is an email I received from a Southern California city's training sergeant:

I just reviewed a news video about an interview with you regarding a traffic stop that went bad: Hillsborough traffic stop. I was wondering if I could get a copy of the video from you for training purposes? I will be teaching a tactical communications class at the end of August and I would like to incorporate it in my training.

It's nice to see that the information is helpful for law enforcement officers, trainers, and administrators.

Taser Continues to Thrive as 51st Lawsuit Dismissed

Taser International is trumpeting its 51st lawsuit dismissal over the sometimes controversial Taser less-lethal component in law enforcement's tool bag. Many people jump up and down in knee jerk reactions over the Taser. I am a Taser instructor and teach the topic in our Seminole Community College Basic Law Enforcement Academies. I've even been shot in the back by the Taser and lived (quite happily) to tell about it in less then a minute after the probes hit me. See the video below.



Like much that happens in police work, it is hard to see the successes as they do not make headlines. Just as when you take a drunk driver off the road or a gun off a drug dealer, if the case goes south later on on a technicality, you could make the argument that at least the drunk is off the road or the gun is off the street. It is hard to quantify or put your finger on the ephemeral possibility of what was avoided.

So too is the use of the Taser as it is hard to know how may deaths exactly the 50,000 volt ECW -it is dubbed under the generic moniker of ECW (Electronic Control Device) by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)- have helped to avoid. The media loves to ponder the culpability of the Taser in deaths that have occurred after the use of the device (hence my Taser death interviews with CNN Headline News and MSNBC).





I believe that the Taser saves more lives than it takes (if any). Police officer and deputy sheriff injuries and injuries to suspects have gone down. Of course, it helps that the training for officers deploying the Taser has gotten better. No longer are officers encouraged to Taser individuals who are on rooftops. You see, those folks end up falling off the roof when the Taser hits them and, of course, they can't put their arms out to break their fall.

As Taser has settled in to the police landscape, officers and their respective agencies have learned that the Taser is not a one size fits all device. It is not appropriate for all circumstances.

Some history may help to put this all in perspective. Some of the same hysteria and police overuse happened when Pepper Spray hit big (full disclosure: I am also a pepper spray instructor). Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) is not to be confused with Mace as the former is organic and operates beyond just pain compliance and the latter is man-made and is not effective on some drug or alcohol induced individuals who are feelin' no pain.

A few in-custody deaths occurred due to over or mis use of pepper spray on the part of officers. Once some training and departmental policy modifications took place, the problems seemed to abate. Hog tying, what is now sometimes referred to as three point restraint, has been restricted due to its tie with positional asphyxia. Simply put, placing an obese man suffering acute cocaine intoxication on his stomach is not a wise move.

Fast forward to the 21st Century and the advent of the Internet. The new era of communications has made the Anti-Taser movement much more virulent than the anti-pepper spray movement that preceded it. Pepper spray's enemies were not able to garner the support and vitriol of the Internet bearing anti-Taserites.

The move affot in some places to restrict the use of the Taser as an extremist knee-jerk reaction is not healthy for law enforcement or the public we serve. A more measured response backed by well-thought out policies and training, with controlled deployment in the field by officers, is the key to restoring the public faith. Victorious in the civil litigation arena does not serve to fully convince the public. We need to do a better job at using the Taser and explaining its deployment.

Sad End to New Orleans Police Beating Tragedy

As many of you may have seen in the news recently, one of the New Orleans Police officers caught on video tape and accused of beating 64-year-old retired school teacher Robert Davis committed suicide about one month before his trial was slated to begin. Former "Big Easy" cop Lance Schilling, 30, killed himself at his home in suburban Metairie, LA.

As I wrote in a January 4, 2006 PoliceOne.com article and have also been quoted in England (See my blogger post from February 27, 2007), he used his gun to end it with a gunshot to the roof of his mouth adding to the statistics of police officer suicides.

While I do not condone what it appears these officers did in a highly publicized way on October 8, 2005 to Mr. Davis and the image of a battered post-Katrina New Orleans Police Department, I would never wish such a tragedy to be compounded by Schilling's final act. I am sure his family is suffering and, likewise, the closure is surely not there for Mr. Davis and his family.

The beating was videotaped by an Associated Press Television News crew and was played over and over on newscasts around the world. One of the APTN news crew, producer Richard Matthews, was captured on tape in the same incident being battered by another officer, Stuart Smith. That case was dropped due to an apparent violation of Garrity procedures. Smith's statements to internal investigators were turned over to the District Attorney's office for criminal action.

The move caused Smith's lawyer, Eric Hessler, to allege a Garrity violation of his client's rights. That is when an officer is compelled to talk to his or her employing law enforcement agency with the resulting statement to be only used in the administrative proceeding; not for any criminal prosecution.

While I hate to draw conclusions on officers cations, the era of video tape affords more information than ever before. I was appalled by what I saw on the tape, especially since the apparent actions of the officers flew in the face of the countless officers and deputy sheriffs that do their job admirably and with honor each and every day. But of course, the public does not have a tape of them doing such noble service played endlessly in the 24 hour news cycle. Officers beating people quite simply tarnishes the badge. No professional officer should want to stand behind bad policing.

I was so concerned about the situation and the understandable backlash from the public that I wrote an editorial on it for the Orlando Sentinel daily newspaper here in Florida. The Orlando Sentinel published my editorial, "A rip in fabric that holds law enforcement together," on October 19, 2005. Here is the text of it:

Like many Americans, I watched with great interest, and with increasing anger, the recent beating of a 64-year-old retired schoolteacher on the streets of New Orleans. The glare of the public eye almost wasn't there. A New Orleans police horse appeared to be made to walk backward, apparently to block the probing eye of the TV camera.

Unlike many Americans, as a former police chief and current manager of a police academy, I have learned that the facts of alleged police misconduct are many times at odds with the information that comes out publicly. Time after time, I would investigate complaints against officers, only to find the issue to be clouded in misunderstanding or sometimes even blatant lies against an officer making a lawful and professional arrest.

However, even in the eyes of law-enforcement professionals across the nation, who tend to hold back criticism of fellow officers until the very last shred of damning evidence is in, the New Orleans situation was very disturbing. Every officer and police instructor I spoke with in different regions of the country had a similar reaction: disgust.

As the picture speaks a thousand words for itself, so, too, does the obvious crossing of the line with Robert Davis. And while there exists a sliver (and I mean a tiny sliver) that there could be some truth in the position of the arresting officers, an even more unsettling development out of the same situation was the New Orleans police officer who threatened and used profanity with an AP television producer while physically pushing him back against a car.

The blatant and open hostility vented by the officer revealed a brand of law enforcement that could not support a bona fide arrest of that producer and could offer no credible explanation for the verbal barrage of expletives and obvious physical battery. Even if the producer was subject to a legitimate arrest, the officer's behavior was not acceptable.

When I took the oath of a law enforcer years ago, I told myself that the true measure of what separated me from the bullies and predators in our society was not my badge. Rather it was the inner strength I possessed to curb my impulses and shape my behavior so that "I" did not become "them." The badge was but the symbol. The true manifestation of policing was within me.

And the true essence of being an honorable law enforcer is in most police officers, deputy sheriffs, and state troopers. New Orleans is a situation that stretches the thread that binds the police fabric together. It pulls at the material and frays the edges, making it easy for an officer to fall victim to his impulses to loot sunglasses or take TVs.

The hidden strength in the blue fabric should be the presence of other interwoven blue threads that lend support for those rare moments of personal weakness. It behooves the rest of us in this noble profession to see the signs of tired and stressed threads and give them support.

When the officer pushed the media producer against the car, I observed several other officers that stood by and watched. Those officers should have been the "cross thread" that gave strength to the situation and intervened. Better yet, maybe they could have foreseen the buildup and moved their colleague down the street to cool off.

The image of New Orleans police as bullies and intimidators on national television does not help the cause of an agency that has strived for some 10 years to break its negative reputation. That impetus to clean up the department's image began with the arrival of former police Superintendent Richard Pennington (now the police chief in Atlanta) and has come full circle with the recent events.

Nor, for that matter, does it help the image of police professionals elsewhere. While all would acknowledge that the stress on the New Orleans officers during this post-hurricane period has been inordinate, the oath has no clause that makes for
allowances of police abuse and brutality.

My 4-year-old son interacts with police officers regularly, pretends that he is one, and wants to be one some day. I am ashamed to say that I had to have him leave the room when the images of those officers breaking their oath came on the television again and again. My little, wide-eyed boy did not yet need to see what happens when the blue fabric that holds the law-enforcement profession together is ripped.

Richard B. Weinblatt is professor/program manager of the Criminal Justice Institute for Seminole Community College in Sanford. He may be reached via his Web site www.policearticles.com.

Schilling's suicide is a tragic end to a sad tale. I hope it serves as a cautionary lesson to other officers who contemplate dishonoring the badge.

Bulletproof Vest Interest Continues

It seems that the interest in bullet proof vests on the part of the media has not waned (please see blog post below). The day after I did the bullet proof vest show and tell in the downtown Orlando studios of Central Florida News 13, Fox 35 10:00 News had me come to their WOFL-TV studios in Lake Mary, FL, to film an interview with reporter Kelly Joyce.

Kelly, upfront and gracious as always, told me that piece would be fairly short and air within the first 15 minutes of the newscast. Out of the sound bites I offered them, Fox 35 picked my sentiments that agencies should make wearing a bulletproof vest part of a mandatory officer safety policy.

Luckily for the deputy sheriffs who were shot (remember, this was the incident that sparked the interest in law enforcement bulletproof vests), they wore their vests. One deputy took a round to the left chest and the vest stopped it.

Maybe these segments will encourage more officers to wear their vests and perhaps budget managers at smaller agencies will see the need to supply all officers with bulletproof vests. You can view the Fox 35 10:00 News video below.

A traffic stop gone bad in Hillsborough County, Florida

Last Wednesday (May 2, 2007), I was watching the Fox 35 10:00 News with my wife when I first viewed the tape of the Hillsborough County deputy sheriff stopping the female motorists on her way to see to her heart attack stricken father in the emergency room of a Tampa, Florida, hospital. We were both very distressed to see the way the traffic stop was handled.

While the woman was wrong to take off before the stop was concluded, it was clearly the deputy's fault for the situation to escalate as it did. As I discussed with a police academy class the next day, the onus is on us as the law enforcement professionals to remain calm and de-escalate the situation. I also told them that the deputy's actions in that nationally viewed dashboard video tape will make their job when they get out of the police academy that much harder. The picture of me below is in the classroom discussing this very topic.



Towards the end of the day, while enroute to the gym to workout, I received a call on my cell phone from Fox 35 10:00 News reporter Kelly Joyce. While I had not worked with Kelly before (she got my number from ten-year station veteran reporter David Martin with whom I have worked before), I was eager to meet up with her and explain my perspective on the stop as she requested.

I met with Kelly and WOFL-TV Fox 35 photographer Steve Cegielski at 6:15 (after my workout -- I couldn't miss that) by the college's police academy police cars and we talked extensively about the situation. At that time I did not know that the Hillsborough County, FL, Sheriff's Office had concluded their investigation. The AP story came out later in the evening. The result of their investigation concluded that the deputy used excessive force. The deputy got a five day suspension and all charges against the driver were arrested.

My comments to Fox 35 would have been even stronger had I known that. As it was, I made it very clear that as law enforcers, we are not allowed to have a bad day. I told Kelly that when we have a bad day, people can die. It is up to us in law enforcement to be professional and to remain calm. I have posted the video of my Fox 35 10:00 News interview below. I hope you'll agree that professional law enforcers should be held to a higher standard.

Virginia Tech massacre

The tragedy of Virginia Tech's massacre has no doubt settled in and people are hunting for solutions to the myriad of issues that the tragedy has brought to light. I certainly feel for the victims and their families (they are often the unseen victims). Hopefully some good will come out of this. Policing needs to constantly evolve and improve in order to better satisfy our mantra of public service and protection. Maybe we'll see better media relations, better identification and care of the mentally ill, and better tactics (although who could have predicted chained doors in Active Shooter training).

In the wake of the situation, I was featured in a PoliceOne.com article by Associate Editor Rachel Fretz (The Big Picture: Working withg the Media) http://www.policeone.com/media-relations/articles/1227908/ , authored my Weinblatt's Tips column (Tips for major incident media relations in the wake of the Virginia Tech shooting) http://www.policeone.com/writers/columnists/RichardWeinblatt/articles/1238549/

I also did an approx. three minute interview on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 in the downtown Orlando studios with Central Florida News 13. You can check out the video of the interview below.


I was on the firing range for Seminole Community College with the day law enforcement academy (I'm a firearms instructor - hence the red firearms instructor shirt you see in the interview) and then I had to give an exam to the night law enforcement academy folks at the main campus, so I was trying to figure out how to fit this interview in when the Central Florida News 13 folks called. Luckily they were able to have me come to their downtown Orlando studios at 8:00 pm Wednesday night (after I gave the exam) to tape it for their news loop. Several days on the range gave me that sun burned and wind blown "look."

The folks at Central Florida News 13 are always pleasant to deal with and it was good to see anchor Ybeth Bruzual again. Although, I didn't see her in person this time as she was in Studio 13-A and I was in studio 13-B. But we got to chat through the vido and audio feed. As she and I discussed, we always seem to meet after some tragedy. It's the nature of our respective businesses.

Hopefully, the tide turns for the Virginia Tech community.