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Implementing Physical Fitness Programs in Law Enforcement Agencies
Get PDFThere is a heavy emphasis on physical fitness training during a police academy. Fitness is critical to law enforcement, yet the emphasis on it diminishes for many agencies once officers graduate and begin serving in their communities. Implementing physical fitness programs to meet officers' increasing physical and psychological demands should be a priority. Regular exercise is essential not only for enhancing job performance but also for improving resilience and overall health. Studies have shown that it aids in managing stress, reduces the risk of health issues, and supports mental well-being, all crucial for officers facing high-stress situations. Despite these benefits, many agencies still need consistent fitness programs. This paper recommends that agencies adopt voluntary, incentivized fitness programs with on-duty workout time and access to fitness facilities. Such programs may improve performance, reduce injury rates, and enhance long-term health, benefiting public safety. Challenges like staffing shortages and program costs will be discussed, and solutions like basic in-house gyms or local memberships will be provided. The paper emphasizes that clear policies for on-duty workout time are necessary to balance fitness with emergency response needs.LEMI
Law Enforcement Agencies Should Mandate Polygraph Examinations for all Police Applicants
No full textTo gain public trust and attempt to hire the best applicants, polygraph examinations should be mandatory for all law enforcement applicants. The purpose of this paper is to encourage the use of polygraph examinations for those applying for law enforcement positions. The polygraph should be considered an essential component of the hiring and background investigation process. Today, the importance of having qualified, ethical, and reliable individuals in law enforcement roles is paramount. Hiring the best applicants will uphold public trust and the integrity of policing, ultimately providing better policing services. What is commonly referred to as a polygraph was first developed in the early 20th century. With the advancement of technology, the polygraph machine has been transformed and improved and is now computer-operated. Throughout the years, the polygraph has been scrutinized and challenged. There continues to be an ongoing debate regarding its reliability and accuracy. Furthermore, concerns have been raised about false positives, false negatives, and the potential for operator manipulation and error. Considering these concerns, this paper intends to argue the validity of polygraph examinations when used as a tool for applicant screening. When used properly by a trained examiner, a polygraph can reveal an applicant's truthfulness, past actions, and credibility, adding a level of scrutiny to the background investigation. Ultimately, the goal of mandating a polygraph examination is to ensure only the best applicants are hired into law enforcement positions, bolstering public trust.LEMI
AI's Impact on Crime Prevention and Reduction Strategies
No full textCrime is a ubiquitous and evolving challenge for law enforcement agencies globally. Traditional methods are often lacking when it comes to keeping up with complex and evolving criminal activities. This white paper addresses the problem of increasing crime rates and the limitations of conventional crime-fighting methods. The relevance of this issue is highlighted by the pressing demand for innovative solutions that can enhance public safety and resource efficiency. This paper argues that all law enforcement agencies should integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into their crime prevention and reduction efforts. The thesis proposes that AI’s advanced analytical capabilities, predictive modeling, and real-time data processing can significantly improve crime prevention strategies. Major ideas explored include AI-driven predictive policing, real-time surveillance enhancements, and data-driven crime analysis. The paper concludes that by integrating AI technologies, law enforcement agencies can significantly enhance their ability to reduce crime, make more efficient use of resources, and develop a safer environment for the communities they serve. By capitalizing on AI's capabilities, law enforcement agencies can streamline operations, improve decision-making processes, and ultimately foster a more secure and resilient public space. By embracing AI technologies, law enforcement agencies can transform their approach to combating crime and adapting to changes in modern times.LEMI
Associations between Personality Psychopathology and Risk within Intimate Partner Violence
No full textPersonality psychopathology is frequently associated with the development and perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV). Current efforts to evaluate risk of IPV recidivism target personality traits related to psychopathic personality, such as callousness and irresponsibility. However, research suggests that broader personality traits, such as negative affectivity and separation insecurity, are predictive of frequent and serious IPV perpetration. This study investigated whether broadband personality traits as assessed via the Alternative Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5), particularly those related to borderline personality disorder (BPD), were associated with IPV risk. More specifically, this study examined whether use of broader dimensional traits predicted risk over and above typically assessed psychopathic traits.
To examine personality trait correlates to intimate partner violence perpetration, a sample of 463 undergraduate students completed various psychometrically supported measures related to childhood exposure to IPV, personality, and IPV behaviors and attitudes. Correlational analyses and hierarchical multiple regression models suggested that personality variables supplemented the prediction of IPV behaviors and attitudes over and above childhood exposure to IPV. However, broadband personality traits and those related to borderline symptomology did not supplement the prediction of IPV over and above psychopathy variables
Perspectives from University Personnel on the Utilization of Artificial Intelligence in Risk Assessments to Prevent Public Mass Shootings on Campus
No full textThe purpose of this qualitative case study was to determine how an AI risk assessment tool can be used to potentially prevent public mass shootings on higher education campuses through the exploration of perceptions of university administrators. Three participants, who are involved in different forms of risk assessment at the same public 4-year university in the United States that has experienced a public mass shooting, discussed components of an AI risk assessment tool and surrounding policies that they believe would be helpful or necessary to include. The risk assessment instrument used by the university’s Campus Assessment and Response Team and the Campus Assessment and Response Team policy were also analyzed.
Four themes, and multiple subthemes, emerged, including Theme 1: “Information Overload”; Theme 2: Assessments and Procedures; Theme 3: Limitations and Challenges; and Theme 4: Ethics and the Law. Findings from Theme 1 suggest that an AI risk assessment tool that functions to prevent public mass shootings on higher education campuses could collect and store different types of data, help transmit vital cross-departmental communications between pertinent areas, and foster efficiency with risk and threat assessment processes. Findings from Theme 2 present AI developers with the opportunity to create a unifying tool that could include a formative function, provide support for human-led assessment findings, integrate a monitoring component, synthesize a large amount of data, incorporate particular behavioral markers of concern, adapt to meet people where they are, complement or incorporate human care and compassion into processes, and be developed with a mindfulness of the implication of labels. Findings from Theme 3 can inform AI developers of a potential lack of awareness about risk and threat assessment and a lack of resources available to threat assessment teams so that they may think about the usability and marketability of such a tool. Findings from Theme 4 address the fact that states and institutions have different threat assessment policies in place, if at all, which may impact how such tools are implemented. Although the policies at the institution in this study may not be fully transferable, the participants provided insights that may be useful for institutional leaders across the country, such as the consideration of bias, privacy, and evolving AI ethics. As the number of fatalities from public mass shootings continues to rise, the world is simultaneously experiencing a new frontier of AI exploration. Although an AI risk assessment instrument may not be the only answer to solving the problem of public mass shootings on higher education campuses, it is an additional tool that, with thoughtful development, practices, and policies in place, has the potential to support and enhance threat assessment processes
Tactical Disengagement and Barricaded Suicidal Subjects
No full textA prominent rise in mental health issues in America in the years between 2010 and 2024 has brought about an increase in the number of suicidal subject calls that police must respond to (PERF, 2023). Response to these mental health calls can be complicated, and, at times, controversial. These calls are dangerous for both officers and the citizens they are trying to protect, due to the unpredictability of persons during a mental health crisis and the uncertainty of how to handle the situation by officers. In addition to the physical danger, these types of calls also present many legal liabilities that officers must be aware of when making decisions on how to handle any specific situation. The different facets of legal liability involved in law enforcement’s interactions with people in mental health crises have been addressed in multiple court cases, and officers have often been found to be liable for the injury or death of these people. Due to the complicated nature of these situations, it is, at times, advisable for agencies to adopt a different strategy. Law enforcement agencies should disengage when dealing with barricaded suicidal subjects.LEMI
Overdose Investigations
No full textTowards the end of the 20th century, the United States of America experienced a dramatic increase in opioid-related deaths. With the introduction of fentanyl in the early 21st century, opioid-related deaths increased further. In an attempt to assist law enforcement in combating this epidemic, many states began enacting new laws to charge the narcotics dealers with, not only manufacturing or delivery of a controlled substance, but, murder, if it can be proven that the decedent died from the toxic effects of an opioid. Due to this, overdose scenes where a death has occurred should be thoroughly investigated. Officers should receive specialized training in narcotics, overdoses, and homicide scenes. This will create a better-rounded investigator who can look at many different aspects of a death scene from various angles. Investigators should collaborate not only externally with other law enforcement agencies but also internally with other investigative divisions, like homicide investigators and narcotics detectives. By doing this, a more comprehensive investigation will occur, effectively leading to the arrest and prosecution of narcotics dealers who are harming the citizens of this country.LEMI
Alaric Maude and the Origin of the Pitcairn Islands Post Office
No full textWe learn the history of how the Pitcairn Islands Post Office was established in 1940 from someone who was there at the time! Learn about Dr. Don Patrick Albert's visit with Dr. Alaric Maude (he's the small child in the photo on the right).Environmental & GeosciencesPitcairn Islands Research Statio
Communist Prisoners of War in Korea and Vietnam: The Geneva Conventions as a Framework for U.S. Policy
Get PDFThe outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950 brought tremendous geopolitical instability during the early days of the Cold War. The United States aggressively built and led an international political and military coalition during the Korean War that resulted in a formal armistice and exchange of prisoners of war. Nonetheless, this leadership did not extend to all areas of the conflict and the United States acquiesced to the International Committee of the Red Cross requests for the application of the Geneva Conventions to meet the humanitarian needs of the war. This thesis explores the treatment of the communist captive and argues the Geneva Conventions provided a
humanitarian framework for the United Nations Command to navigate the war’s humanitarian needs. However, in Vietnam this same framework did not meet the humanitarian needs of the war. This paper offers perspectives on
prioritization, restraint, and limitations of the treatment of war prisoners in Korea and Vietnam. In addition to the exploration of numerous memoirs, archival records pertaining to the seriously sick and/or wounded, casualties, nationality, and formal escape correspondence provide a glimpse into the world of the captives and present interpretations of identity specifically, youth and gender. Lastly, this thesis examines the limitations of the Geneva Conventions during the Vietnam War
Differential Gene Expression of Acidovorax sp. 1608163 Under Simulated Microgravity
Get PDFPrevious studies reported that several bacterial species under microgravity stress undergo differential gene expression leading to diverse physiological responses such as increased growth, virulence, antibiotic resistance, and biofilm production. The current study examines the gene expression differences of Acidovorax under normal and microgravity conditions. Acidovorax is a gram-negative bacterium capable of infecting a variety of crops, including corn, rice, oats, and wheat. The hypothesis that “Acidovorax grown under microgravity alters the gene expression patterns” will be tested by comparing transcriptomic data grown under normal and microgravity conditions. Bacterial samples were collected during the log phase and stationary phase of growth (48 and 72 hours), total RNA was extracted and reverse transcribed, and then the DNA was sequenced using Illumina Mi-Seq. Results revealed that growth rates were significantly higher under microgravity conditions compared to the normal gravity conditions. Two different comparisons (normal gravity vs microgravity at the log phase and stationary phase) were made. A total of 678 differentially expressed genes (15% of the total genes), 232 (34.22%) and 446 (65.78%) genes were up- and down-regulated in the log phase, respectively, whereas at the stationary phase, of the total 231 differentially expressed genes, 32 (13.85%) and 199 (86.15%) genes were up- and down-regulated, respectively. Differentially expressed gene analysis indicated that genes coding for several COG, KEGG, and GO functions, such as metabolism, signal-transduction, transcription, translation, chemotaxis, and cell motility are differentially expressed in response to microgravity stress