The demands of policing can make fitness feel like an impossible task. Shift work, overtime, court appearances, long hours in a patrol car and family responsibilities often leave officers struggling to prioritize their health. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Brandon Holder, strength and conditioning coordinator for the Fairfax County Police Department’s WellFit program, about realistic approaches to fitness, injury prevention, nutrition and wellness that help officers stay healthy, resilient and ready for duty throughout their careers.

Holder oversees physical readiness initiatives for one of the nation's largest police departments and works directly with officers facing the unique physical challenges of the profession. He discusses why consistency matters more than perfection, how short workouts can deliver meaningful results, common mistakes officers make after the academy and what agencies can do to build a culture that supports long-term wellness and career longevity.

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.

Mental health crises are among the most challenging incidents law enforcement agencies face. Whether it's a barricaded subject, a hostage situation or a person in severe emotional distress, negotiators and commanders often have to make critical decisions with limited information and high stakes. To help agencies navigate those situations, the National Tactical Officers Association recently released guidance on integrating behavioral health advisors into crisis negotiation teams.

In this week's episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley sits down with NTOA Executive Director Thor Eells to discuss the new policy and the role behavioral health advisors can play during critical incidents. Eells explains how these specialists can help negotiators better understand behavior, assess risk and shape communication strategies while supporting commanders with real-time insights that may improve decision-making and help preserve life.

Click here for more information on the NTOA.

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• Enhancing patrol response to barricaded subjects: A three-step strategy

American Military University supports law enforcement professionals with flexible online programs designed around the demands of the job. Whether you’re looking to grow your own career or support the development of your officers, the Everyday Heroes Grant provides eligible first responders and their families with a 20% tuition grant. Students may also be eligible to transfer up to 45 credits for academy training, prior education, and professional experience, helping them start ahead and finish sooner. Learn more at PublicSafetyAtAMU.com.

A decade ago, public safety agencies interested in drones were largely figuring things out on their own. The technology was limited, policies were still being developed and few departments had experience to draw from. Today, thousands of public safety agencies operate drone programs and Drone as First Responder deployments are growing at an unprecedented pace. As agencies move beyond tactical drone operations toward proactive, 911-driven response models, early adopters have identified critical lessons on community trust, officer safety, staffing efficiency and program implementation.

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, guest host Rob Lawrence sits down with Charles Werner, founder of DRONERESPONDERS and one of the leading voices in public safety drone operations, to discuss how DFR programs are transforming policing and emergency response. Drawing on decades of public safety experience, Werner shares what agencies need to know about building community trust, improving officer safety and preparing for the next generation of public safety aviation.

About our sponsor

Flock works with more than 5,000 law enforcement agencies nationwide, delivering real-time intelligence through a holistic ecosystem of technology designed to keep officers safe, reduce crime, and build stronger communities. And if you’re looking for real stories from the front lines — how your peers are using these tools to shape the future of safety in their cities — tune in to Flock’s “Real Time Policing” podcast. Watch episodes on YouTube or tune in wherever you get your podcasts. Click here to view.

Many officers have encountered child-to-parent violence. Few have received formal training on how to recognize it.

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with retired Oak Park Sergeant Rasul Freelain about the years of escalating abuse that preceded the infamous Bali suitcase murder. Drawing on his experience investigating the case and the research behind his forthcoming book, “When Lambs Become Wolves: The Chilling Case of Sheila von Wiese-Mack,” Freelain explains why child-to-parent violence often goes unnoticed, how systems can miss critical warning signs and what law enforcement can do when a parent becomes the victim.

Freelain served as a detective, patrol officer and supervisor connected to the Mack family case. He shares the warning signs he observed, the challenges officers faced when trying to intervene and how the case inspired his ongoing work training law enforcement agencies to recognize child-to-parent violence and abuse.

American Military University supports law enforcement professionals with flexible online programs designed around the demands of the job. Whether you’re looking to grow your own career or support the development of your officers, the Everyday Heroes Grant provides eligible first responders and their families with a 20% tuition grant. Students may also be eligible to transfer up to 45 credits for academy training, prior education, and professional experience, helping them start ahead and finish sooner. Learn more at PublicSafetyAtAMU.com.

Police agencies are under pressure to be transparent, but too often their public storytelling swings between stiff press releases and staged social media moments. Zach Hamilton believes there is a better way.

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Hamilton, founder of Red Watch Productions and a Michigan public information officer, about "The Shift," a documentary series that follows officers through the realities of patrol.

A former Hollywood visual effects artist who worked on productions including "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" and "Cry Macho," Hamilton shares how agencies can use authentic video storytelling to build trust, show the human side of policing and give communities a clearer view of what officers actually do between the headlines.

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 memoirs often focus on the cases: the shootings, the homicides, the organized crime investigations, the moments that test an officer’s instincts and nerve. Terrence Dwyer’s “The Badge Between Us: Duty, Marriage and Family” includes all of that, but the heart of the story is what those moments did to the life waiting for him at home.

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley talks with Dwyer, a retired New York State Police investigator, attorney, professor, Police1 columnist and author, about the career memories he had packed away in boxes and the family memories his wife never forgot. Dwyer discusses organized crime work, the murder of a fellow investigator, a gang case, a quintuple homicide and the toll those experiences took on his marriage, his mental health and his view of life after policing.

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.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will bring enormous public safety demands to cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico — including places that are not hosting matches. For Dallas, the challenge is especially complex: While games will be played in nearby Arlington, the city will serve as home to FIFA’s International Broadcast Centre and host major fan events expected to draw international crowds.

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, guest host Rob Lawrence talks with Lt. Mark Rickerman of the Dallas Police Department about how the agency is preparing for the 2026 World Cup and what other departments can learn from the process. Rickerman discusses the challenges of coordinating across law enforcement, fire, transit, private security, event organizers, local government and federal partners, as well as the importance of building plans that can change quickly once the event begins.

This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is sponsored by Panasonic. Built to withstand the harshest environments, TOUGHBOOK rugged police laptops and tablets are the ultimate police technology equipment. From police car laptops and police car computers to versatile police tablets, these solutions ensure uninterrupted access to mission-critical data. With advanced features like high-performance processors, long battery life, and secure connectivity, TOUGHBOOK empowers officers and deputies to leverage police tech and new police technology for faster response times, informed decision-making, and improved operational efficiency.

When reliability matters most, TOUGHBOOK is the trusted choice for police computers and police technology that keeps law enforcement ready for anything. For more information, visit https://connect.na.panasonic.com/public-safety.

Police leaders have long embraced the idea that preventing crime is more effective than simply responding to it. Yet despite decades of emphasis on proactive policing, many officers find themselves spending most of their shifts answering calls, writing reports and moving from one incident to the next. Results from Police1's “What Cops Want in 2026” survey highlight the challenge, revealing widespread frustration with limited time for proactive work and the growing demands placed on patrol officers.

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley spoke with Las Cruces (New Mexico) Police Chief Jeremy Story about the barriers preventing officers from engaging in proactive policing and what agencies can do to overcome them. Story discussed the role of evidence-based policing, crime analysis, technology and leadership accountability in helping departments shift from a purely reactive model toward one focused on crime prevention and community impact.

This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is sponsored by Oracle. Today’s public safety professionals face new and evolving challenges every day. The expectations of the communities you serve have never been higher, and your duties have never been more complex. Oracle recognizes the importance of the work you do, and has set out to make a meaningful difference in how you deliver on your oath to service. Oracle’s unified public safety hardware and software suite provides first responders with the advanced tools to boost efficiency and enhance real-time situational awareness, which can help improve issue resolution. To learn more, visit oracle.com.

Artificial intelligence is no longer a future concept in policing. Agencies are already using AI-assisted tools to analyze digital evidence, identify crime patterns, process body-worn camera footage and accelerate investigations that once took days or weeks to solve. But as adoption spreads, law enforcement leaders are also confronting major questions about transparency, policy, cybersecurity and the risks of overreliance on automation. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Fairfax County Police Major Brendan Hooke about where AI is delivering real operational value, where agencies need guardrails and why human oversight remains critical as policing enters a new technological era.

Hooke, commander of Fairfax County Police Department’s Cyber and Forensic Division, says AI’s biggest impact is helping investigators manage overwhelming volumes of digital evidence. From analyzing jail calls and surveillance video to identifying vehicles through distinctive features beyond license plates, AI tools are helping agencies surface critical leads faster while keeping investigators focused on higher-value work. He also discusses Fairfax County’s use of real-time crime center technology, AI-assisted report writing, predictive analytics and live translation tools, while emphasizing that AI should serve as a force multiplier — not a replacement for human judgment, investigative rigor or community trust.

This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is sponsored by Oracle. Today’s public safety professionals face new and evolving challenges every day. The expectations of the communities you serve have never been higher, and your duties have never been more complex. Oracle recognizes the importance of the work you do, and has set out to make a meaningful difference in how you deliver on your oath to service. Oracle’s unified public safety hardware and software suite provides first responders with the advanced tools to boost efficiency and enhance real-time situational awareness, which can help improve issue resolution. To learn more, visit oracle.com.

As agencies prepare for protests, demonstrations and civil unrest, police leaders face mounting pressure to balance public safety, constitutional rights and officer protection under constant public scrutiny.

In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Robert Sorensen, director of strategic partnerships and agency liaison for SoRite and a longtime less lethal instructor, about the evolving challenges surrounding chemical agents, crowd control tactics and public order policing. Their conversation explores training shortcomings, leadership decision-making, legal liability, decontamination practices and the growing debate over restricting less lethal tools.

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.

Leadership in law enforcement isn’t automatic — it’s learned, often the hard way. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley sits down with Lt. Sean M. Carroll (ret.), author of “A.I.O. Leadership for Law Enforcement: The Proven System That Forges Legendary Leaders Who Adapt, Improvise, and Overcome,” to talk about what really happens when officers step into leadership roles — and why so many struggle early on.

From the jump from officer to sergeant — and the isolation that comes with it — Carroll breaks down the realities of leading in policing, including gaps in training, the importance of self-awareness and the shift from doing the job to developing others. The conversation focuses on what effective leaders do differently — and how agencies can better prepare them from the start.

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.