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.

Charlottesville! What Now Should Police Do?

“Commonplace instant, mass, and social media provide an opportunity to highlight and improve the public's view of law enforcement legitimacy. … More

New Book Just Out: “Telling It Like It Is!”

Now Available! Just Published! Telling It Like It Is: Couper on Cops Order now at http://www.createspace.com/7319283 and get … More

Charlottesville: That’s Not Us!

Years ago, when the KKK wanted to demonstrate in Madison (WI) they were small in numbers. As police, our mission … More

Most Active Posts Last Week

Policing: To Alter or Abolish? Principles of Leadership Making Choices: The Moral Aspects of Policing How a Traffic Offense Can … More

Problem-solving should not be new to policing, it’s been formally around since 1990 when Prof. Herman Goldstein published his … More

Learning From Medicine?

My wife is a nine-year cancer survivor. When she was diagnosed, her physicians gave her a survival rate of one … More

Policing: To Alter or Abolish?

Tracey L. Meares, is the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor of Law at Yale University, a woman of color, and served on … More

Mr. President, Roughing Up Suspects is Never OK!

“President Trump’s message to officers condoning unnecessary use of force is both dangerous and misinformed.” [The following is … More

Officer, Have a Problem? Check the Literature!

The following comes from the Problem-Oriented Policing Center (POP) and how police, working with community activists, effectively addressed the problem … More