Acceptability of a real-time notification of stress and access to self-help therapies among law enforcement officers

Background Law enforcement officers (LEOs) are exposed to chronic stress throughout the course of their shift, which increases the risk of adverse events. Although there have been studies targeting LEO safety through enhanced training or expanded equipment provisions, there has been little attempt to leverage personal technology in the field to provide real-time notification of LEO stress. This study tests the acceptability of implementing of a brief, smart watch intervention to alleviate stress among LEOs. Methods We assigned smart watches to 22 patrol LEOs across two police departments: one suburban department and one large, urban department. At baseline, we measured participants’ resting heart rates (RHR), activated their watches, and educated them on brief wellness interventions in the field. LEOs were instructed to wear the watch during the entirety of their shift for 30 calendar days. When LEO’s heart rate or stress continuum reached the predetermined threshold for more than 10 min, the watch notified LEOs, in real time, of two stress reduction interventions: [1] a 1-min, guided breathing exercise; and [2] A Calm app, which provided a mix of guided meditations and mindfulness exercises for LEOs needing a longer decompression period. After the study period, participants were invited for semi-structured interviews to elucidate intervention components. Qualitative data were analyzed using an immersion-crystallization approach. Results LEOs reported three particularly useful intervention components: 1) a vibration notification when hearts rates remained high, although receipt of a notification was highly variable; 2) visualization of their heart rate and stress continuum in real time; and, 3) breathing exercises. The most frequently reported type of call for service when the watch vibrated was when a weapon was involved or when a LEO was in pursuit of a murder suspect/hostage. LEOs also recollected that their watch vibrated while reading dispatch notes or while on their way to work. Conclusions A smart watch can deliver access to brief wellness interventions in the field in a manner that is both feasible and acceptable to LEOs.

The Building Public Trust Against to Law Enforcers in the Covid 19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the credibility of the performance of law enforcement. National survey data and reports from various national media found a decline in public trust in law enforcement. With a normative juridical approach and using secondary data, this paper discusses what factors can restore public trust in law enforcement. First, the independence of law enforcement officers to improve the mentality of law enforcement in acting, secondly, it is necessary to develop a transformational bureaucratic leadership model to make changes in the field of services law enforcement in order to increase public trust.

The Criminal Offence of Child-on-Child Abuse With a Fatal Outcome

This research aims to analyse the legal protection for the child offenders in criminal offence of abuse with a fatal outcome, the judge's considerations in imposing imprisonment for the offence and the obstacles in the crime. Data obtained through empirical legal research. This research uses primary data obtained from empirical legal research in the form of interviews with respondents and informants and combines legal materials such as textbooks, theories, laws and regulations which are considered as secondary data. The results of the research showed that the legal protection provided to the child convicts is in the form of identity confidentiality, is treated well during the investigation process, is placed in a special place, the Judges in making considerations always refer to the mitigating factors such as the juvenile's age, the juvenile's mental state, the juvenile's background, the juvenile's family attitude and aggravating things such as a bad juvenile's life history and parents who are unable to educate them.. The things that indirectly hinder the process of settling this case are the parents negligence, lack of cooperation from both parties, and also the influence of gadgets. It is recommended to the law enforcement officers and Juvenile’s Special Development Institute should continue to cooperate in carrying out legal protection for child perpetrators according to applicable rules, the judge before imposing a prison sentence should prioritize the best interests of the child and to parents should contributing better in control the children's behavior.

Hashtag Black Lives Matter’s Tweets as Education Media Messages

TThe objectives of this study are to discover the various types of and the most frequently presuppositions used in the hashtag black lives matter's tweets as the education media messages on Twitter anchoring in Yule's theory of presupposition. This research employs a descriptive qualitative approach to elucidate and comprehend the meaning of utterance words in individuals or groups associated with a social or human problem. The analysis of the data used both qualitative and quantitative methods. The researcher discovered that existential presuppositions are the most frequently used type of presupposition in hashtag black lives matter's tweets, accounting for 41%. The factive presupposition is the second most frequently used type, accounting for 26 %. The lexical presupposition is the third most frequently used type of presupposition, accounting for 24%. The fourth position is occupied by the structural presupposition, which contains 11 data points out of 100 (8%), and the final position is occupied by the counterfactual presupposition, which contains one data 0,75%. This hashtag teaches law enforcement officers to investigate legal cases before imposing punishment.

Encumbered and Traditional Anthropometry of Law Enforcement Officers for Vehicle Workspace and Protective Equipment Design

Objectives This study investigated anthropometric changes of national law enforcement officers (LEOs) in 46 years, compared the differences between LEO data and civilian anthropometry, and identified the magnitude of differences in dimensions measured with gear versus semi-nude measurements. Background The best available 46-year-old anthropometric dataset of LEOs has largely become outdated due to demographic changes. Additionally, anthropometric data of female LEOs and LEO measurements with gear are lacking. Method Thirty-four traditional body dimensions and 15 with gear measurements of 756 male and 218 female LEOs were collected through a stratified national survey using a data collection trailer that traveled across the U.S. and the data were compared to the LEO anthropometric data from 1975 and existing civilian anthropometric databases. Results LEO body size and shape have evolved over the past 46 years - an increase of 12.2 kg in body weight, 90 mm in chest circumference, and 120 mm in waist circumference for men. No previous data was available for comparison for females. Compared to civilians, both male and female LEOs have a larger upper body build. LEO gear added 91 mm in waist breadth for men and 120 mm for women, and 11 kg in weight for men and 9 kg for women. Conclusion The study reveals that equipment design based on the existing civilian datasets or 46-year-old LEO dataset would not accommodate the current LEO population. The new data fill this gap. Application: The differences reported above are important for LEO body gear, vehicle console, and vehicle ingress/egress design.

Criteria for Establishing the Status of Law Enforcement Officers under Criminal Legislation of Ukraine

The theoretical and practical difficulties in using criminal law measures against law enforcement officers who exceed power or official authority are studied here. The types of law enforcement agencies of Ukraine are clarified, and the signs of division of their system are described. The criteria for determining the status of law enforcement officers are established, and the features that distinguish an official from the support staff are emphasized. Finally, the most common disadvantages enshrined in the Criminal Code of Ukraine in terms of liability for abuse of power or official authority by law enforcement officers are analysed. The concepts of law enforcement officers, persons carrying out law enforcement activities, persons endowed with law enforcement powers, executors of law enforcement functions and the meaning and instances of their application in domestic legislation are also investigated. In light of the study results and the requirements of current criminal law, including the positions of criminal law scholars, suggestions for possible ways to eliminate existing regulatory shortcomings are provided.

Modern Technologies as Compensatory Means of Ensuring the Rights of Vulnerable Persons in Criminal Proceedings

This article presents theoretical and practical aspects of the use of modern technologies to promote the rights of persons with disabilities as participants in criminal proceedings. In this context, modern technologies are considered as means of compensatory nature. These technologies help persons with disabilities to become active participants in criminal procedural legal relations and independently exercise their rights and perform duties in the field of criminal proceedings. Through the use of modern technologies, persons with disabilities can level their position in relation to other participants in criminal proceedings who are active subjects of criminal procedural legal relations, and can independently exercise their rights and perform their duties. This is part of the compensatory approach that should be implemented in criminal proceedings in order to compensate persons with disabilities for the restrictions that they have due to circumstances beyond their control. The social vulnerability of individual members of society should be compensated by the state in the person of the legislator and further implemented by state bodies such as law enforcement officers. This is the essence of the compensatory approach. One can note the importance of this approach for observing human rights and building the rule of law and a welfare state in countries that view themselves as democratic. This is also important for improving the quality of international legal acts that introduce a standard for all States, members of the world community. In this connection, it is proposed to develop at the international level the direction of using the achievements of modern science and technology as means of compensatory nature, to equalize the legal status of persons with disabilities participating in criminal proceedings. As a general conclusion, a proposal is made to extend the compensatory approach not only to the field of criminal procedure, but also to the entire legal sphere, both in the norms of international law and national legislation.

Justification of Hand-to-Hand Combat – a Service-Applied Sport as an Element of Special Physical Training of Law Enforcement Officers

The purpose of the study was to substantiate the effectiveness of hand-to-hand combat as a service-applied sport in the process of physical training of law enforcement officers. Materials and methods. Theoretical analysis of scientific and methodical literature, generalization of scientific data of modern approaches to the organization of the process of special physical training of law enforcement officers, pedagogical observations and pedagogical experiment were used. To determine the operational composition of technical and tactical actions used by law enforcement officers in their professional activities and differences in martial arts on various grounds, an analysis of video materials of competitions among law enforcement agencies in hand-to-hand combat from the section "Demonstrations of applied equipment" of hand-to-hand combat in 2019-2020 was used. Results and discussion. The use of hand-to-hand combat - service-applied sport as an element of special physical training of law enforcement officers is substantiated. It is established that the distinguishing feature of hand-to-hand combat as a sport and part of special physical training of law enforcement officers is the presence of directions of work with weapons (stick, knife, pistol, machine gun), counteraction to several attackers and the use of an element of surprise (unexpected attack). The operational composition of the means used by law enforcement officers in their professional activities and athletes in different types of martial arts and the differences between the types of martial arts by different distinctions are determined. Conclusion. Hand-to-hand combat is a unique service-applied sport, which consists of sections "Demonstration of applied equipment" and "Duels". A distinctive feature of hand-to-hand combat as a sport and part of special physical training of law enforcement officers is the presence of areas of work with weapons (stick, knife, pistol, machine gun), resistance to several attackers and the use of an element of surprise (unexpected attack). The content of competitive activity in the section "Demonstration of applied equipment" of hand-to-hand combat fully corresponds to the specifics of solving operational and service tasks without the use and with the use of weapons by law enforcement officers. The operational composition of the means used by law enforcement officers in their professional activities and athletes in various martial arts (hand-to-hand combat, combat sambo, pankration) are identical, which in turn allows in the process of special physical training of law enforcement officers to conduct classes in these martial arts. According to the main features that distinguish different types of martial arts (clothing, allowed and prohibited by law ways to achieve advantage, the position in which to fight, the size and features of the site, the time allotted for technical and tactical actions) hand-to-hand combat is most suitable for special physical training, training of law enforcement officers. It is proved that hand-to-hand combat is the most suitable type of martial arts for special physical training of law enforcement officers

CRIMINAL SUBCULTURE AS A CONDITION OF CRIMINAL INCULTURATION OF PENAL OFFICERS OF RUSSIA AND ISSUES OF COUNTERING IT

В данной статье авторы раскрывают проблему противодействия профессиональной деформации сотрудников правоохранительных органов путем их приобщения к тюремной субкультуре, идеологии «АУЕ» (криминальная инкультурация) начиная от зарождения девиантных мыслей до совершения преступлений, а также рассматривают некоторые вопросы детерминации и профилактики данного явления. Авторы отмечают, что приобщение сотрудников правоохранительной системы России к идеям криминального мира является следствием одного из направлений тщательно продуманной деятельности криминальных авторитетов, находящихся как в местах лишения свободы, так и на свободе, в отношении действующих сотрудников силовых структур. В статье рассматривается возможность привлечения сотрудников к ответственности по ч. 3 ст. 282. 2 УК РФ (Участие в деятельности экстремистской организации с использованием лицом своего служебного положения). Авторами подчеркивается важность уголовно-правового предупреждения в рассматриваемом вопросе. В заключение авторы отмечают необходимость четкого разграничения таких неприемлемых идейных взгляды сотрудников ведомственных структур, как принятие, тяготение, приобщение, поддержание, потворствование, распространение и привнесение в служебно-деловое и бытовое общение норм тюремной субкультуры, с общечеловеческими понятиями: сочувствием, пониманием, сопереживанием, чуткостью, взаимоуважением, взаимопомощью, которые также могут проявляться в работе и с лицами, совершившими преступления. In this article, the author reveals the problem of professional deformation of law enforcement officers by introducing them to the prison subculture, the ideology of «AUE» (criminal inculturation), starting from the inception of deviant thoughts to the commission of crimes by them, and also considers some issues of the determination and prevention of this phenomenon. The authors note that the introduction of the Russian law enforcement system to the ideas of the criminal world is a consequence of one of the directions of carefully thought-out activities of criminal authorities, both in places of imprisonment and at large, in relation to the current employees of law enforcement agencies. The article considers the possibility of bringing employees to responsibility under Part 3 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (Participation in the activities of an extremist organization using a person's official position). The authors emphasize the importance of criminal law prevention in the issue under consideration. In conclusion, the authors note the need for a clear distinction between such unacceptable ideological views of employees of departmental structures as acceptance, attraction, communion, maintenance, indulgence, dissemination and introduction into official, business and everyday communication of the norms of the prison subculture, with universal concepts: sympathy, understanding, empathy, sensitivity, mutual respect, mutual assistance, which can also manifest themselves in working with persons who have committed crimes.

Ways of improving language literacy of law enforcement officers

The article is devoted to considering the ways of improving language literacy of law enforcement officers. The experience of the existing researches concerning this issue is analyzed and summarized. The ways of improving language literacy of law enforcement officers are formulated. Some recommendations both on teaching the Russian language within the professional training of law enforcement officers and organizing their self-training are provided. Such concepts as professional speech culture, literacy, functional literacy, language literacy are considered in the article. It is noted that modern society makes higher demands on the professional developing level of specialists in various fields: a competent specialist must have both a set of professionally significant knowledge and skills and high level of professional speech culture, which implies a high level of literacy. It is indicated that the level of developing the professional speech culture is regarded as one of the main indicators of the law enforcement officers’ professionalism. Literacy implies the ability of a person to read and write according to the standards of his native language. The concept of functional literacy is interpreted as the level of knowledge, skills and abilities that ensure the normal individual’s functioning in the system of social relations. Language literacy, being a component of functional literacy, implies the ability of a native speaker to comply with the norms of the literary language in the process of oral and written communication. Some recommendations on teaching the Russian language to law enforcement officers are provided. Various ways of improving the language literacy of this category of specialists are described. It is concluded that the main ways of improving the language literacy of law enforcement officers are the following: teaching the Russian language to law enforcement officers; organizing the research activities of trainees; organizing the self-training of the officers during off-duty hours (using the educational Internet-resources and mobile applications). The urgency of the problem of improving the literacy level of native speakers at the present stage of the society development is emphasized.