Policing Matters

After decades covering the country's most closely watched trials, from Scott Peterson and Casey Anthony to Alex Murdaugh and Johnny Depp, Vinnie Politan has a front-row view of how the public, the press and juries see law enforcement.

He joins host Jim Dudley on Policing Matters to talk about his new YouTube-first video podcast, “Vinnie Politan Investigates,” and what he has learned about why some cases capture the public's attention while most never do. Along the way, he explains how skepticism toward institutions has changed what happens in the jury box.

About our sponsor

This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is sponsored by OfficerStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting OfficerStore.com.

As law enforcement agencies weigh the benefits and concerns associated with automated license plate readers, they need more than individual success stories to guide their decisions. Agencies need evidence about what fixed camera networks can — and cannot — reasonably be expected to accomplish, as well as clear policies for privacy, data retention, auditing and responsible use.

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Scott Mourtgos, Ph.D., a former police executive and assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice at the University of South Carolina. Mourtgos discusses his working paper, “Automated License Plate Readers, Vehicle Theft and Clearance,” co-authored with Ian Adams, Ph.D. Drawing on agency data from 2017 through 2023, the researchers examined whether fixed ALPR networks were associated with changes in vehicle theft, arrest clearances and recovery time.

About our sponsor
This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is sponsored by OfficerStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting OfficerStore.com.

Every officer, supervisor and commander eventually faces the same challenge crisis negotiators train for every day: staying composed, building trust and making a good decision when the information is incomplete, emotions are high and someone is demanding an answer right now. The techniques hostage negotiators use on the worst calls of someone's life turn out to work just as well on patrol, in the squad room and in the chief's office.

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Don Fieselman, a 25-plus-year law enforcement veteran and former leader and instructor with the Las Vegas Metro Police Department Crisis Negotiation Team, now a negotiation coach with the Black Swan Group. Fieselman explains how the same skills used to talk someone down from a barricaded standoff can defuse conflict between a sergeant and their officers, deliver bad news without losing trust, and get quiet team members to speak up before a problem becomes a crisis.

About our sponsor

This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is sponsored by OfficerStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting OfficerStore.com.

Police agencies depend on far more than staffing and training to stay ready for the next call. Vehicles, radios, protective gear, medical supplies, firearms and other everyday equipment all need to be available, serviceable and assigned to the right people. When agencies lose track of those basics, the result can be wasted time, avoidable costs and, in the worst cases, safety risks for officers and the public.

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with retired Loveland, Ohio, Police Chief Dennis Sean Rahe about the often-overlooked work of public safety logistics. Rahe shares practical ways agencies can improve accountability for fleet, equipment and other critical assets; identify maintenance and replacement needs before they become emergencies; and build a system that works.

About our sponsor

This episode is brought to you by Collective Data, the asset management platform built for quartermasters and supply managers. For nearly 30 years, agencies have used Collective Data to track gear, weapons, evidence and certifications in one central hub. Expired certifications have a way of surfacing at the worst possible moment. Collective Data flags qualifications and training before they lapse, and keeps gear issuance, uniform allotments, weapons, and evidence running on that same platform. A quick barcode or RFID scan at issue means you always know who has what, backed by real-time counts. Visit collectivedata.com and see what your supply operation looks like when every item is accounted for.

Twenty-five years after 9/11, the attacks continue to shape how public safety agencies prepare for catastrophic incidents. In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley speaks with retired NYPD Lt. Nicholas Bavaro about the recovery operations that followed the collapse of the World Trade Center.

Bavaro served in patrol, the Street Crime Unit and the NYPD Emergency Service Unit during his 20-year career. On Sept. 11, 2001, he responded to Lower Manhattan and spent the months that followed leading recovery operations at Ground Zero. Bavaro is the author of “The Big One: Reflections of an NYPD Lieutenant,” a memoir as told to Joe Badalamente about his career, the aftermath of 9/11 and the experiences that stayed with him long after retirement.

About our sponsor

This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is sponsored by OfficerStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting OfficerStore.com.