When you ask many cops about how to get to a specialized unit, their initial response is that the selection process “isn’t fair…”

And that can be true.

There’s agencies and units where advancement i...

STOP RUSHING

Always ask yourself: why are you rushing into a situation?

• Is there an exigency? 
• Is someone actively being harmed? 
• Are you facing opposition and being forced to act immediately? 
...

Plain clothes work is dangerous enough when done right.

Add sloppy coordination, old intel, or teams operating in the dark, and you’re asking for blown cases — or worse, a tragedy that could have bee...

ESTABLISH BEHAVIORAL BASELINES

The key to being able to accurately identify criminal intent is to understand what is "normal" behavior and what is not. This requires you to first establish the baseli...

AVOID PROBLEM AREAS

Be deliberate about where you conduct a traffic stop.

Where you make a stop is one of the few things under your control.

Examples of potentially hazardous locations:

• Busy or
...