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.

Building an Effective Strategy and Coalition

IF EUROPE’S POLICE CAN, WHY CAN’T WE? A Systems-Thinking Case for Improving Police Use of Deadly Force — A Draft … More

The Case for Raising Police Deadly Force Standards

[NOTE: For more than a decade, I’ve argued on this blog that relying on the Supreme Court’s 1989 Graham v. Connor standard … More

“I Was Only Following Orders”: The Most Dangerous Words in a Democracy

In a recent talk, “I Was Only Following Orders: The Line Between Duty and Conscience,” I challenged the dangerous notion … More

We’re a 2026 Top Cop Blog!

I am pleased to share some wonderful news with you. Recently, this blog has been selected as one of the … More

The Active Fight is Over. Moving to Reserve Duty

Active Reserve Duty I have fought a long, hard fight for nearly three-quarters of a century. It is now time … More

Breaking Trust: Why Local Police Should Not Enforce Federal Immigration Law

Today’s New York Times investigation highlights a disturbing and dangerous trend in American law enforcement: the rapid expansion of federal … More

Another Sad Tale of Failed Police Reform

It is a bitter irony to watch the cycle of crisis and reform churn in Minneapolis—a city in which I … More

Balancing order and freedom

In a free society, the legitimacy of policing rests not on power, but on the consent and cooperation of the … More

Here We Go Again, This Time It’s Akron

Police Reform in Akron, Ohio: Moving to Take a Step Forward The Police Executive Research Forum recently completed a use-of-force … More

Echoes of Police Reform

“Paradox: Echoes of Reform & the Minneapolis Police” is a three-episode Twin Cities PBS documentary series led by historian Yohuru … More