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Police In-Service Training

Police In-Service Training

By: Scott Phillips
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About this listen

This podcast is dedicated to providing research evidence to street-level police officers and command staff alike. The program is intended to provide research in a jargon-free manner that cuts through the noise, misinformation, and misperceptions about the police. The discussions with policing experts will help the law enforcement community create better programs, understand challenging policies, and dispel myths of police officer behavior.

© 2026 Police In-Service Training
Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Code Enforcement: Policing with a Light Footprint
    Apr 14 2026

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    Policing includes more than just law enforcement. Crime reduction is a thinking game: how can the police succeed while also saving their own time and resources? Hunter M. Boehme, an assistant professor in the Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice at the University of South Carolina, joins the podcast to discuss what I call “less formal” methods for reducing crime.

    Main Topics

    • Soft power is still power. Enforcing civil code violations can be used to reduce some violent crimes.
    • Non-sworn policing personnel, or even city employees, can provide a light footprint to improve an area.
    • While property crime was reduced at a statistically significant level, other violent crimes still declined.
    • “Better” does not have to be statistically significant, it just has to be better.

    Don't forget to like, FOLLOW, and share. Sharing this podcast or an episode is one of the best complements I can receive, which will help grow the show.

    And don't forget to provide a review. Giving five stars is never a bad idea.

    Feel free to email me your comments using the "send us a text" option (above), or at the following email address: policeinservicetrainingpodcast@gmail.com

    You can also contact me at: Bluesky: @policeinservice.bsky.social

    The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the author and guests, and are not authorized by and do not necessarily reflect those of the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services or the State of New York.

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    27 mins
  • Delayed Decisions in Policing: Choosing the Least Worst Option
    Apr 7 2026

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    If a police officer is facing a critical incident they may delay their decisions because of something called “decision inertia.” Officers don’t freeze up, but delay or fail to make decisions due to uncertainty. Paradoxically, that uncertainty can be the result of training or agency policies that are intended to guide behavior. Dr. Brandon May explains the issue, and discusses his research that found that when officers are offered a least worst option, they will make a decision to resolve an complex choice.

    Main Topics

    • Redundant deliberations and the “deliberation loop” can delay decisions.
    • A good decision can simply be the least worst option.
    • Police agencies need to accept that officers need to be flexible in an effort to make good-faith decisions.

    Don't forget to like, FOLLOW, and share. Sharing this podcast or an episode is one of the best complements I can receive, which will help grow the show.

    And don't forget to provide a review. Giving five stars is never a bad idea.

    Feel free to email me your comments using the "send us a text" option (above), or at the following email address: policeinservicetrainingpodcast@gmail.com

    You can also contact me at: Bluesky: @policeinservice.bsky.social

    The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the author and guests, and are not authorized by and do not necessarily reflect those of the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services or the State of New York.

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    33 mins
  • LAPD: How an Historical Examination can Improve Policing
    Mar 30 2026

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    Understanding a police agencies history, both successes and failures, provides important insights for creating transparency and accountability. Dr. Craig Uchida, from Justice Security Solutions, discusses his historical research at the LAPD, and explains some of the recommendations for improving policing, which can be made permanent in an agency.

    Main Topics

    • Examining organizational history, as well as environmental context, matters when understanding police agencies and future plans.
    • Using a consent decree as an accountability tool.
    • Leadership, whether organizational or political, must recognized its OWN responsibilities, not just the actions of patrol officers.

    Policing the Streets of Los Angeles: Controversies, Change, and Continuity

    https://www.bloomsbury.com/au/policing-the-streets-of-los-angeles-9781666976458/

    Don't forget to like, FOLLOW, and share. Sharing this podcast or an episode is one of the best complements I can receive, which will help grow the show.

    And don't forget to provide a review. Giving five stars is never a bad idea.

    Feel free to email me your comments using the "send us a text" option (above), or at the following email address: policeinservicetrainingpodcast@gmail.com

    You can also contact me at: Bluesky: @policeinservice.bsky.social

    The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the author and guests, and are not authorized by and do not necessarily reflect those of the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services or the State of New York.

    Show More Show Less
    34 mins
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