The Thin Blue Line: A History

Policing a Free Society Dane County Historical Society — April 19, 2026 I had the pleasure (and blessing) of sharing … More

The Future of Policing and the Policing Covenant

A Covenant for Democratic Policing The Future Policing Institute (FPI) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank founded and led by … More

Your Bounden Duty: Seven Precepts for a Police Officer in a Free Society

Introduction When I was a young boy growing up in the Episcopal Church, I was given a small pamphlet called My … More

Community-Oriented Policing: A Conversation Still Worth Having

There are moments in reflecting back to the work I did in policing to remind me why it matters. My … More

Silence is Surrender

If Democracy Is To Hold, Local Police Must Resist I have watched American policing change—sometimes painfully slowly, sometimes faster than … More

Remember What We Built

As a growing presence of federal law enforcement comes to our towns and cities and looms in our future, let’s … More

The Thin Blue Line

A Crisis of Allegiance A dangerous collision is imminent between federal overreach and the front-line reality of local policing. Across America, … More

Interview with Commissioner Bill Bratton

This post contains a link the podcast Chat with the Chief, hosted by Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche. It features … More

Tension on the Street

Several cities and states are adopting measures that restrict how federal law enforcement conducts civil immigration operations, placing local police … More