Police Tips

The PoliceOne Law Enforcement and Police Tips section provides insight from PoliceOne columnists and members on the things Police Officers can do to increase safety and enhance productivity.

The tips and resources here—ranging from innovations in defensive tactics to new concealment techniques to off duty survival and dozens of other matters critical to law enforcement officers—are updated regularly. Every day, Officers on the streets encounter new information that can help fellow officers, so we encourage you to submit your tips. Help us to help Police Officers better serve and protect our communities.

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Full list of recent and archived Police Tips

Check your take-home squad 5: The recent report of a Florida man who was just convicted of (among other things) rigging a booby trap outside the home of an officer whose unmarked cruiser was parked there, serves as a ...
Use a conductive grease for your lights and lasers3: I have a green laser aiming device on my AR-15. It has an aluminum milled body which holds two CR 123 cells with a heavy aluminum cap at the end. I press check it often. I am alarmed when I ...
Electronic Stability Control is a problem for PIT 3: As a driving and PIT instructor I have noticed a topic that has gone unnoticed by the law enforcement when it comes to PIT. Many newer vehicles (and all vehicles sold in the United States ...
Perfect color and light balance for crime scene photos 1: As evidence techs we all know how important it is to take pictures that not only show the crime scene, but show it truly. That's where color and lighting come into play. I have been using a ...
Video: Selecting a sling for your patrol rifle7: Choosing between a one-point, two-point, and three-point sling is not a fashion decision. In this video tactical tip, Don Alwes of NTOA explains that selecting a sling for your patrol ...
Lighten up! Choose salad for lunch9: What's the first thing that'll happen after you devour that mid-shift Philly Cheesesteak sandwich and fries? Yep, foot pursuit. During a ride-along I did recently with a large Bay Area ...
Where are your handcuffs? 20: I’ve seen way too many guys carrying handcuffs on their duty belt right in the middle of their back. Please don't do this. Think about it, if (when) you get into a fight in which you ...
Video: Using social networks for departmental PR1: The whole area of ‘social networking’ often gets a pretty bad rap with police officers, but there are some benefits to be culled from this online universe. Used with care and precision, ...
Bad dog! When should you shoot a canine?38: How many times have you withdrawn your firearm, trained it on a human subject, and pressed the trigger? How many times have you had to withdraw your firearm, train it on some four-legged ...
Compliance leads to control 2: When working on the street you deal with all kinds of calls from barking dogs to man with a gun. One of the most important things you can hope for when arriving on a scene is compliance ...
Situational awareness in the squad car 13: Two quick thoughts on maintaining situational awareness in your squad — this stuff is not new, but two different conversations I’ve had in the past week have led me to ponder ...
Tactical kindness: Soften your initial contact 14: I’ve been home from IACP 2011 in Chicago for roughly 12 hours, and have reams of notes to convert into tactical tips for many months to come, but want to share one immediately that ...
Make time to remain a physically fit officer 20: Every single one of us knows that it is important to be fit in this line of duty. But we also know that it is so easy to get tied up in paperwork, or traffic stops, or get complacent, or ...
Video: Selecting a patrol rifle 14: What rifle should you bring on patrol? Don Alwes offers a few tips and tricks, including a useful test for determining the correct weight to choose. ...
Cameras belie your arrival at the door 5: Working on assumptions can be a dangerous business. Assuming, for example, that simply parking down the street from your target address and making a quiet, tactical approach will be enough ...
Rotate your pistol magazines 32: There are some truths and some misconceptions about the durability of pistol magazines. It would seem that everyone has an opinion, but most are based upon conjecture and not science.The ...
Video: Tech-savvy cops can prevent terrorism 3: Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith shares a terrorist prevention tip.
2 questions to help reduce cell phone robbery 1: Every day it seems, the sidewalks are filled with people whose eyes are squarely affixed to the little rectangular screens on their phones. Their total lack of situational awareness enables ...
Remember when you were cautious? 11: Remember your first hookup? That first time you actually told someone they were under arrest and put your handcuffs on your first prisoner? Remember that feeling you had in your stomach ...
Constant tactical positioning 13: In this video tactical tip, George Matheis of Modern Combative Systems discusses and demonstrates what he calls constant tactical positioning. This is the practice of always putting ...