Policing Matters

Ohio’s public safety challenges look like much of the country’s: violent crime concentrated among a small group of repeat offenders, the ongoing overdose crisis, and agencies asked to do more with fewer people. In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley talks with Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Andy Wilson about how the state is pushing proactivity over reaction, using analysts and technology to build stronger cases, and flexing statewide assets like aviation and specialized units to help local agencies disrupt shootings, recover illegal guns, and reduce harm before the next call comes in. Wilson brings a prosecutor’s mindset to a statewide job. Before being appointed in December 2022 by Gov. Mike DeWine to lead the Ohio Department of Public Safety, he served as an attorney and elected prosecutor, building cases shoulder-to-shoulder with detectives and staying close to the realities of street-level policing. Today he oversees 10 divisions, nearly 4,000 employees, and a $2.5 billion budget focused on “safety, service and protection,” with an emphasis on policies that help officers in the trenches rather than making the job harder from a distance. About our sponsor This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is brought to you by LVT, the mobile surveillance solution trusted by public-sector leaders nationwide. LVT’s solar-powered mobile surveillance units put eyes and AI analytics where fixed cameras can’t — parking lots, remote borders, disaster zones, and large events. Agencies using LVT have seen up to an 83% drop in parking-lot incidents and a 54% reduction in burglaries. Each unit is rapid to deploy, cloud-connected via cellular or satellite, and secured end-to-end so your team can monitor and respond in real time with fewer resources. See how LVT’s self-powered units protect communities, secure critical infrastructure and support law-enforcement operations and schedule a free trial today at LVT.com.

In public safety training, stress is not a side effect; it is part of the curriculum. The hard question is how to introduce it at the right time, at the right intensity, in a way that improves decision-making without turning scenarios into predictable check-the-box drills. A recent study from Texas State University’s ALERRT takes aim at a core debate by asking whether virtual reality can trigger the kind of acute-stress response officers feel in high-fidelity, in-person scenarios, and what that could mean for training quality, consistency and scale. M. Hunter Martaindale is the director of research and an associate research professor at the ALERRT Center at Texas State University where he leads applied research on police performance, decision-making, and stress in high-risk environments. In this episode of Policing Matters, he breaks down his team’s study comparing biomarkers and self-reported stress in a high-fidelity active attacker scenario versus a VR version built to match the live scenario as closely as possible, and he explains what VR can and cannot replace in modern training. About our sponsor This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is brought to you by LVT, the mobile surveillance solution trusted by public-sector leaders nationwide. LVT’s solar-powered mobile surveillance units put eyes and AI analytics where fixed cameras can’t — parking lots, remote borders, disaster zones, and large events. Agencies using LVT have seen up to an 83% drop in parking-lot incidents and a 54% reduction in burglaries. Each unit is rapid to deploy, cloud-connected via cellular or satellite, and secured end-to-end so your team can monitor and respond in real time with fewer resources. See how LVT’s self-powered units protect communities, secure critical infrastructure and support law-enforcement operations and schedule a free trial today at LVT.com.

For years, every police conference, report and panel has hammered on about recruitment and retention best practices, especially when it comes to Gen Z. Yet at too many career fairs, the reality still looks the same: two tired cops standing behind a table of keychains and water bottles, hoping the next generation will somehow be inspired. In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley explores how one big-city agency is finally breaking out of that pattern — blending modern marketing, faster testing pipelines and smarter academy support to turn interested prospects into successful officers. Today’s guest, San Francisco Police Department Captain Sean Frost, is a 20-year veteran whose roots are in street-level policing — patrol, fugitive recovery and investigations — and now leads SFPD’s recruitment efforts. Backed by the mayor’s office, the city’s innovation team and private-sector partners, Frost is piloting new strategies to find qualified candidates, support them through the academy and field training, and compete for both entry-level and lateral officers in a high-cost, highly scrutinized urban environment. About our sponsor  Equipping Protectors with Passion. That’s how we operate, and it’s how we live. We understand that having the right gear can mean the difference between life and death. Our goal is to get you the gear you need, when you need it, at prices you can afford. This holiday season, listeners receive 10% off now through 12/31 with promo code PR10. Visit OfficerStore.com.

On this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley tackles one of the most painful — and often avoided — topics in law enforcement: the sexual harassment and discrimination women still face on the job. Drawing on a national Police1 survey of more than 500 female police officers, the conversation explores what the data shows about repeat offenders, fear of retaliation and the toll on trust, morale and public confidence when agencies fail to act. To unpack the findings, Jim is joined by Professor Terry Dwyer — the attorney, former New York State Trooper and Police1 columnist who authored the survey and accompanying analysis. Dwyer brings decades of research on workforce behavior and accountability to help clarify what the numbers reveal about culture, leadership and reporting. Later, Sheriff’s Detective Carryn Barker from San Mateo County, California, shares her own experience reporting harassment and sexual assault by a supervisor — a case that led to one of the largest known settlements of its kind in the state. She describes the support she received from colleagues, the gaps she encountered inside her agency, and the changes she believes can help law enforcement build workplaces grounded in respect, safety and accountability. Read Terry Dwyer’s analysis of the Police1 survey here: Police1 survey reveals harassment and discrimination of female officers What female officers say about harassment and culture in policing About our sponsor  Equipping Protectors with Passion. That’s how we operate, and it’s how we live. We understand that having the right gear can mean the difference between life and death. Our goal is to get you the gear you need, when you need it, at prices you can afford. This holiday season, listeners receive 10% off now through 12/31 with promo code PR10. Visit OfficerStore.com.

The stress of policing doesn’t end at the station door. While officers shoulder trauma, long hours and unpredictable shifts, their families carry the unseen weight at home — the worry, the schedule changes, the emotional whiplash and the silence. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley sits down with Katherine Boyle who lived that reality as a child. She explains how police work shapes family life in ways officers often underestimate and offers practical guidance for staying connected, communicating openly and protecting the well-being of spouses and children. Katherine, known to many as “the lieutenant’s daughter,” is an advocate for law enforcement kids and families and the host of Beyond the Uniform with the LT’s Daughter. As the daughter of a longtime Philadelphia police lieutenant who served in special victims, she brings a rare dual perspective — the civilian child who grew up inside a police household and the adult who now works to bridge communication gaps between officers and their loved ones. Her mission is to help families understand the job, help officers show up fully at home and give civilians a clearer view of the public safety world they rarely see. Follow Katherine on Instagram. About our sponsor This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is brought to you by LVT, the mobile surveillance solution trusted by public-sector leaders nationwide. LVT’s solar-powered mobile surveillance units put eyes and AI analytics where fixed cameras can’t — parking lots, remote borders, disaster zones, and large events. Agencies using LVT have seen up to an 83% drop in parking-lot incidents and a 54% reduction in burglaries. Each unit is rapid to deploy, cloud-connected via cellular or satellite, and secured end-to-end so your team can monitor and respond in real time with fewer resources. See how LVT’s self-powered units protect communities, secure critical infrastructure and support law-enforcement operations and schedule a free trial today at LVT.com.