Cops Sound Off

More than one-third of police officers murdered last year were not wearing body armor, and law enforcement analysts estimate that up to half of all officers don’t wear bullet-resistant vests regularly while on duty.Trainers, police officials and equipment dealers say the FBI statistics tracking murdered officers represent only part of a troubling phenomenon at a time when police confront suspects armed with higher-powered weapons. They worry officers will be put at increased risk.The vast majority of the nation’s 700,000 officers own or have access to bullet-resistant vests, says Ed Nowicki, executive director of the International …Read more […..]

Police departments in cities across the country are beefing up their ranks for Election Day, preparing for possible civil unrest and riots after the historic presidential contest.Public safety officials said in interviews with The Hill that the election, which will end with either the nation’s first black president or its first female vice president, demanded a stronger police presence.Some worry that if Barack Obama loses and there is suspicion of foul play in the election, violence could ensue in cities with large black populations. Others based the need for enhanced patrols on past riots in urban areas (following …Read more […..]

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — There will be a police cover-up in Corpus Christi beginning Nov. 1 — cover-up of officers’ tattoos.The department is implementing a new policy to require officers to cover their tattoos while on duty. Capt. Todd Green said the agency’s rules manual didn’t include guidance on tattoos and more people have them than 15 years ago.”If we didn’t address it, it could become problematic,” Green told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. “We had some complaints from citizens. Because of the tattoos, they weren’t really sure that the other person in uniform was an actual police officer, and they were …Read more […..]