UPSTREAM-DOWNSTREAM Once upon a time there was a fishing village along a mighty river. The villagers there were a fine, … More
Author: David Couper
Stepping Back: Reflecting On a Police Shooting
MANY YEARS AGO, I was a young police officer, just out of the academy. My partner and I, also a … More
Can Cops Be Honest?
The Power of Police Subculture An Excerpt From “Arrested Development” “Years ago as a young police officer, I remember finding … More
A Problem in Madison
The department that I headed for over 20 years is coming under attack regarding the shooting of an unarmed intoxicated … More
Making Choices: The Moral Aspects of Policing
Being moral is to make good choices between right and wrong or good and bad actions. It applies to both … More
A Police Shooting: What Would YOU Do?
One day in the life of a city in the Midwest, a young man was shot. Throughout the years, this … More
Police Leaders — Speak Out!
Shortly before I retired, I remember discussing the racial disparity in arrests we were experiencing with my assistant, Noble Wray … More
The Murder of a Police Officer — A Response
I just received this note from Chief Mike Masterson of Boise. It is a positive direction that many cities can … More
The Murder of a Police Officer
Towards the end of my police career, and a couple of years before my retirement, one thing continued to worry … More
More 2012 in review
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog. Here’s an excerpt: 4,329 films were submitted … More
