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Improving Police: A Necessary Conversation

A veteran police chief committed to improving police leadership, trust, effectiveness, and officer safety.

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Author: David Couper

I served over 20 years as the chief of police in Madison (WI), four years as chief of the Burnsville (MN) Police Department, and before that as a police officer in Edina (MN) and the City of Minneapolis. I hold graduate degrees from the University of Minnesota and Edgewood College in Madison. I have written many articles over my years as a police leader. After retiring from the police department, I answered a call to ministry, attended seminary, and was ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church. After almost 30 years serving in and leading two Episcopal Churches in the Diocese of Milwaukee, I am "sort-of" in the process of retirement. Life is good.

ICE: Get Out of Our Cities!

The Death of a Poet and the Collapse of the Professional Police Model I have spent more than 30 years … More

history, mayor-jacob-frey, Minneapolis, news, police, police chiefs, police leaders, police policy, politics, professional-policing, renee-good, Trump, use of force

An Urgent Warning!

History will not ask if this moment was comfortable. It will ask if our local police leaders did their duty … More

autocracy, democracy, Donald Trump, immigration, martin-neimoller, politics, radly-balko, resistance, show-me-your-papers, speaking up

When Viral “Fake News” Becomes Federal Policy

In our modern digital landscape, professional policing faces an unprecedented and corrosive burden: the “digital-to-federal feedback loop”  This has been … More

Code of ethics, fake-news, ICE, immigration, influeners, model, news, oath-of-office, police leadership, policing, resist, Trump

Reporting on 2025

As We Begin a New Year Together at Improving Police As this year comes to a close, I want to pause … More

democracy, improving police, New Year, police, thank you

Fear Is Not Public Safety

AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn Why Chief O’Hara’s Message Matters Now Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara recently published an op-ed titled “Fear Undermines … More

brian-ohara, constitutional, ICE, immigration, law enforcement, Minneapolis, news, police, trust

On 2025: And the Year Ahead

Standing, Speaking, and Being Courageous Reporting on Year 2025 Why 2025 Mattered This past year tested our democracy in ways … More

Constitution, courage, democracy, news, police leaders, Rule of Law, year-end-report

To the Community: A Call to Action

Protect Our Neighbors, Uphold the Constitution I speak today as a person of faith and conscience—committed to human dignity, the … More

community, Constitution, deman, government, ICE, immigration-laws, news, police, police leaders, politics, resist

To Fellow Police Officers on the Street: This Moment Is Yours!

As many of you know, I spent more than 30 years as a police officer, including serving as chief in … More

duty-to-protect, duty-to-resist, enforcement, fairness, history, immigration-laws, integrity, oath-of-office, police-code-of-ethics, resistance, street-officers, Trump

Training and Leading Police

The Toxicity Doesn’t End at Graduation Even if police academies reformed tomorrow, the police employment crisis would persist—because the problem … More

bullying, hazing, leadership, mental health, news, retention, suicide, top down, toxic-workplace, training

Only One Institution Can Stop Federal Overreach: Your Local Police

This is the Moment! What Happens When They Come for You? Ask History I am sensing a growing danger in … More

Constitution, deputy-sheriffs, elected-sheriffs, ethics, Germany, hitler, martin-neimoller, news, non-cooperation, oath-of-office, pastor, police, police-code-of-ethics, politics, resist, speak out, this-is-the-moment, Trump

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Recent Posts

  • ICE: Get Out of Our Cities!
  • An Urgent Warning!
  • When Viral “Fake News” Becomes Federal Policy
  • Reporting on 2025
  • Fear Is Not Public Safety

Top Posts & Pages

  • ICE: Get Out of Our Cities!
    ICE: Get Out of Our Cities!
  • The Fear Factor in Policing
    The Fear Factor in Policing
  • Hazing and Bullying in the Police Academy
    Hazing and Bullying in the Police Academy
  • Police Killings in U.S. Rise!
    Police Killings in U.S. Rise!
  • Policing and the ISO
    Policing and the ISO
  • When Viral "Fake News" Becomes Federal Policy
    When Viral "Fake News" Becomes Federal Policy
  • Herman Goldstein: 1931-2020
    Herman Goldstein: 1931-2020
  • Time For "Less-Lethal" Restraints
    Time For "Less-Lethal" Restraints
  • Fatal Police Pursuits
    Fatal Police Pursuits
  • What Cops Need: Sabbaticals!
    What Cops Need: Sabbaticals!
Follow me on Twitter @bocougar

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