FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin - Oct2010

8/8/2019 FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin - Oct2010

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October 2010

PrisonerRadicalization


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Departments

ISSN 0014-5688 USPS 383-310

Features

United StatesDepartment of Justice

Federal Bureau of InvestigationWashington, DC 20535-0001

Robert S. Mueller IIIDirector

Contributors opinions and statementsshould not be considered an

endorsement by the FBI for any policy,program, or service.

The attorney general has determinedthat the publication of this periodicalis necessary in the transaction of thepublic business required by law. Use

of funds for printing this periodical hasbeen approved by the director of theOffice of Management and Budget.

The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin (ISSN-0014-5688) is publishedmonthly by the Federal Bureau ofInvestigation, 935 Pennsylvania

Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C.20535-0001. Periodicals postage paid

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Send address changes to Editor, FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin ,

FBI Academy,Quantico, VA 22135.

Editor John E. Ott

Associate Editor David W. MacWhaStephanie Mitesser

Art Director

Stephanie L. LoweThe Training Divisions

Outreach and Communications Unitproduces this publication withassistance from the divisions

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October 2010Volume 79Number 10

Authorities need to be aware of the potential for prisoners to embrace a radical form of Islam.

The promotional process can impact a law enforcement agencys organizational leadership and commitment.

Law enforcement agencies can be successful in these crucial investigations.

Prisoner RadicalizationBy Dennis A. Ballas

Increasing OrganizationalLeadership Through the

Police Promotional ProcessBy Patrick J. Hughes

Investigating and ProsecutingHidden-Compartment Cases

By Todd F. Proughand Robert Veiga

16 Bulletin Reports Missing Children Guide

Family Abductions

18 Perspective Career-Long Vitality and

Wellness in the PoliceProfession

6 Leadership Spotlight Table Manners

7 Police Practice Energy Conservation

as a Budget Multiplier

9 Bulletin Honors Oregon Fallen Law

Enforcement OfcersMemorial


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October 2010 / 1

Prisoner Radicalization By DENNIS A. BALLAS, M.A.

On July 5, 2005, police in Torrance, California,arrested Levar Haley Washington and Grego-ry Vernon Patterson because of their suspect-

ed involvement in a string of gas station robberies.Ofcers conducting a standard follow-up investigationsearched Washington = s apartment and found jihad-ist material, including an apparent target list. Both

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suspects are U.S. nationals andconverts to Islam. This arrestof A common criminals @ quickly

led to a large-scale investiga-tion of a homegrown terrorist plot directed against targetsin Southern California. Many

people found it surprising thatsuch a threat could exist in their own community. Even stranger,individuals within the connesof prison walls fermented the

plot.

IMPORTANT CASE

Washington and Pattersonwere part of Jam = iyyat Ul-IslamIs-Saheeh (JIS), Arabic for Assembly of Authentic Islam,a radical prison organization.The JIS interpretation of Islam,sometimes known as A PrisonIslam, @ supports the establish-ment of an Islamic caliphate,or government, in the United

States and advocates the target-ing of the American and Israeligovernments, as well as Jews,

in retaliation for their policiesregarding Muslims. 1In 2004, Kevin James, an

inmate serving time for robberyconvictions at the New FolsomPrison near Sacramento, Cali-fornia, led the JIS. He recruitedfellow prisoners to join and

preached the duty of membersto target enemies of Islam, or A indels, @ including the U.S.government and Jewish andnon-Jewish supporters of Israel.James distributed a document in

prison that justied the killingof indels and made memberstake an oath not to speak of theexistence of JIS. He also alleg-edly sought to establish groups,or cells, of members outside

prison to carry out violentattacks. 2

James met Washington in prison in 2004 and introducedhim to JIS and its beliefs. Prior

to Washington=

s release thatsame year, James provided himwith A Blueprint 2005, @ a docu-ment urging prospective JISmembers to blend into society

by marrying, getting a job, anddressing casually. The docu-ment also instructed followersto study Arabic, acquire two

pistols with silencers, and learnhow to make bombs. 3

Washington used the docu-ment to recruit Patterson, anemployee at Los AngelesInternational Airport (LAX),and another individual, HamadRiaz Samana, a Pakistani citi-zen, at the Jamaat-E-Masijudalmosque in Inglewood, Califor-nia, where they all worshiped.Both Patterson and Samanaswore allegiance to Washingtonand pledged to serve as A muja-hideen, @ Muslim guerilla war-riors engaged in a jihad. 4

The men plotted to attack Jewish institutions and other targets in the Los Angeles area,including synagogues, the Is-raeli Consulate, LAX, and U.S.military recruiting ofces andmilitary bases, intending to killas many people as possible. 5 They planned to carry out their attack on a synagogue during

Yom Kippur to increase thenumber of casualties; the plot-ters also considered the fourthanniversary of the September 11terrorist attacks. 6

Lieutenant Ballas serves with the Los Angeles,California, Police Department.

While only a small percentage of converts turn radical beliefs into

terrorist action, the James case is not an

isolated event.


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EFFECTIVE RESPONSE

Identication of

Terrorist ActivitiesThe Los Angeles PoliceDepartment (LAPD) trainsits ofcers on the tactics andmethods used by contemporaryterrorists. This includes thevarious steps that lead up to anattack, such as target acquisi-tion, preattack surveillance,and supply procurement. TheJIS investigation, conducted

by more than 200 investigatorsfrom the Torrance Police De-

partment (TPD), LAPD, FBI,and other local and federal lawenforcement agencies, revealedthat Washington, Patterson, andSamana, under the leadership of James, had taken part in all of these activities.

Patterson and Washingtonoriginally were connected to thegas station robberies when Pat-terson, who lived with Washing-ton, dropped a cell phone at oneof the crime scenes. During asearch of their apartment, inves-tigators found evidence of targetacquisition in a 2-page docu-ment written by Samana titled,A Modes of Attack, @ which listedthe addresses of each locationthey targeted.

Prior to their arrests, the JISmembers conducted surveil-

lance and used the Internet toresearch possible targets. Theyeasily did so with commonlyused Web sites that allowed

them to obtain overhead andstreet-level views of potentialtarget locations.

The suspects ultimatelyadvised investigators that theyconducted the gas station rob-

beries to raise funds to nancetheir terror efforts. This consti-tuted the supply procurementstage. The FBI later determinedthat Patterson bought a .223-caliber rie with the proceedsfrom his robberies.

Perhaps most important, theTPD had established relation-ships with its local and fed-

eral law enforcement partners.These partnerships allowed for a coordinated investigation suf-cient to disrupt JIS = terror plan,identify all involved parties, andensure an eventual successful

prosecution. As stated by thespecial agent in charge of theFBI = s Los Angeles ofce, A Thiscase reminds me of the evolv-ing terror threat we face andcontinues to serve as one of thenest examples of line policeofcers uncovering a terrorist

plot and setting aside jurisdic-tional boundaries to work withthe JTTF. @ 7

Washington and Patterson pled guilty in 2007 to charges of conspiring to wage war againstthe United States. In 2008,they received sentences of 22years and 12 years respectively.Washington also was sentencedto an additional 22 years in

prison for unrelated robbery andweapons charges. Kevin James

pled guilty in federal court toconspiring to levy war againstthe United States. In 2009,James was sentenced to 16years in federal prison. HamadSamana was sentenced to 70months in prison in 2009 for his

participation in the plot.

SERIOUS PROBLEMThe radicalization of Wash-

ington in prison is not unique.

Valuable MeasuresThe JIS case serves as an

excellent example of local lawenforcement using straight-forward crime-ghting effortsto thwart terrorist activities. In-vestigators from TPD followedthe clues to locate the robberysuspects, and they had the train-

ing that allowed them to recog-nize that they had uncovered aterrorist cell, not just a group of common criminals.

Prisons literally provide a

captive audience of disaffected young men

easily inuenced by charismatic extremist

leaders.


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Kevin James himself wasradicalized while incarcerated.In 1997, the then 21 year old

began serving a 10-year sen-tence for robbery at the Califor-nia State Prison in Tehachapi.Initially while in prison, Jamesfollowed a traditional formof American Islam, Nation of Islam, but found those teachingsuninteresting. JIS provided hima level of protection not af-forded other religious followers

because it is based on a modelin which its members act as a

prison gang. The group not onlyhas its own hierarchy, code of conduct, and secret communica-tion system but the members

also have their own group iden-tity. This gives them a shared purpose and has led to a form

of collective resistance againstthe U.S. government. 8

While only a small percent-age of converts turn radical

beliefs into terrorist action, theJames case is not an isolatedevent. 9 Jose Padilla, a Chicago,Illinois, street gang member,is just one more example of someone who became a radicalIslamist while in prison. Au-thorities arrested him in 2002 onsuspicion of planning to explodea A dirty bomb. @ 10

Prisons literally provide acaptive audience of disaffectedyoung men easily inuenced bycharismatic extremist leaders.These inmates, mostly minori-

ties, feel that the United Stateshas discriminated against themor against minorities and

Muslims overseas. This per-ceived oppression, combinedwith a limited knowledge of

Islam, makes this populationvulnerable for extremists look-ing to radicalize and recruit. 11

The shortage of qualiedreligious providers in prisonsheightens the threat of inmateradicalization. Prisoners withlittle training in Islam haveasserted themselves as leadersamong the prison population,at times misrepresenting thefaith. Prison Islam incorporatesviolent inmate culture withreligious practice. Currently,little standardization or accredi-tation exists to identify personsqualied to teach Islam or leadits services in prisons. Wardensrely on local endorsing agenciesor simply leave it up to inmatesto choose. Prison authorities arenot ensuring that religious lead-ers have adequate training or if they espouse radical theology. 12

POTENTIAL SOLUTIONSCurrently, and not surpris-

ingly, researchers are proposingthe need for more study in thearea of prisoner radicalization.The magnitude of the problemremains unknown. Authoritiesmust temper their responseswith the understanding that re-ligious conversion differs from

radicalization. Many peoplehave advocated the necessityof more effort in identifying

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October 2010 / 5

and recruiting qualied chap-lains who could teach a moremainstream version of Islam in

prisons. Even so, the JIS casedemonstrates that some prison-ers will nd Prison Islam moreattractive than a moderate or mainstream teaching of theQuran.

Other recommended so-lutions to the radicalization

problem stem from the positionthat groups, such as JIS, are

prison gangs and that authoritiesshould deal with them as such.In California, gang investiga-tors assigned to prisons have

been trained to recognize andmonitor the potential radicaliza-tion of inmates. Of particular concern are people, such asWashington, who can be pa-roled into the community after radicalization. Such individu-als pose the threat of commit-ting acts of violent jihad. In aneffort to get an early warningabout any such prisoner whomay play the role of the mar-tyr, California = s correctionalauthorities forward informationabout prison radicalization tothe state =s intelligence fusioncenters, where ofcials fromall three levels of government,as well as the private sector,share information. Likewise, theFederal Bureau of Prisons and

the FBI address the problem, aswell, both by vetting chaplainsand religious volunteers and by

closely tracking inmates withsuspected terrorist ties. 13

CONCLUSIONThe problem of prisoner

radicalization is a serious one.Clearly, any solution willrequire a multiagency andmultidisciplinary response andwill rely on better education,intelligence, and enforcement.

2 J. Kouri, A Four Terrorists Arrestedfor Conspiracy, Robberies, @ http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/2231 (accessed March 26, 2010).

3 Anti-Defamation League, A Two Sen-tenced in Los Angeles Terror Plot AgainstJewish Institutions. @

4 Ibid.5 Ibid.6 Ibid.7 U.S. Department of Justice, Fed-

eral Bureau of Investigation, A Man WhoFormed Terrorist Group That PlottedAttacks on Military and Jewish FacilitiesSentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison, @ http://www.justice.gov/usao/cac/

pressroom/pr2009/024.html (accessedMarch 26, 2010).

8 U.S. Department of Justice, Ofceof Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice, Prisoner Radicalization: Assessing the Threat in U.S. Correctional Institutions (Washington, DC, 2008).

9 Ibid.10 Ontario Consultants on Religious

Tolerance, A Potential for Radicalizationof U.S. Muslim Prison Inmates, @ http:// www.religioustolerance.org/islpris.htm (accessed March 26, 2010).

11 FBI Deputy Assistant Director Don-ald Van Duyn, statement before the SenateCommittee on Homeland Security andGovernmental Affairs and Related Agen-cies, September 19, 2006, http://www.fbi.

gov/congress/congress06/vanduyn091906.htm (accessed March 26, 2010).

12 George Washington UniversityHomeland Security Policy Institute andthe University of Virginia Critical IncidentAnalysis Group, Out of the Shadows:Getting Ahead of Prisoner Radicaliza-tion, available at http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/ciag/publications/ out_of_the_shadows.pdf (accessed March26, 2010).

13 J. Straw, A Prisons: Fostering Extrem-ism? @ http://www.securitymanagement.com/article/prisons-fostering-extremism (accessed March 26, 2010).

any solution will require a multiagency and multidisciplinary response and will rely on better education,

intelligence, and enforcement.

Seemingly, law enforcementand government in general are

better positioned to respond to,if not prevent, future incidents,like the JIS case. And, certainly,a greater awareness of the threatexists.

Endnotes1 Anti-Defamation League, A Two Sen-

tenced in Los Angeles Terror Plot AgainstJewish Institutions, @ http://www.adl.org/ main_Terrorism/los_angeles_sentenced.htm (accessed March 26, 2010).


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Lesson Leadership Translation

Leadership Spotlight

Table Manners from Mom and Dad

A s a child growing up in a middle class family with two brothers and a sister, we always were comingand going in many different directionsexcept when it was time for dinner. It was an unspokenrule that all family members had to be at the dinner table by 5 p.m. on weekdays. While I recalla few meals that were not particularly appetizing (meatloaf with raisinssorry Mom), the conversationsalways were rewarding. Eating dinner together was considered a time to unite and share the days hap-

penings and events. It also was a time of instruction on the proper etiquette required at the dinner table. Iam reminded today of the many life teachings that my parents instilled at dinnertime in the guise of tablemanners.

Be punctual Honor your commitments by being on time or notifying otherswhen you will be late.

Give thanks It is simple, free, and powerful to show appreciation. We caninspire others by thanking them for their efforts.

Place your napkin on your lap The professional courtesies we sometimes ignore or forget leave alasting impression and can weaken team morale. Manners count!

Ask someone to pass you the food Ask advice from others and let them feed your creativity.

Use little or no salt Too much of anything is generally unhealthy; maintain a balanced

worklife that keeps stress in check.Try new foods Expand your palate by seeking new learning opportunities that

make you a well-rounded leader.

Listen to what is said at the table Generous listening is rare. Take time to be a more active listener.

Share something about your day Share your skills, talents, and experience with others. This is a greatway to build new leaders.

Dont overeat Avoid taking ll in yourself because of a title or position. It createsindigestion for everyone, including you.

Help clean up the dishes Understand that it never hurts to occasionally climb back in the

trench and help. Servant leadership speaks volumes.

Christopher C. Lenhard, a member of the Leadership Development Institute at the FBI Academy, prepared this Leadership Spotlight.

You can tell a lot about a fellows character by his way of eating jelly beans. Ronald Reagan

TEN LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM THE DINNER TABLE


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October 2010 / 7

A s the nations economy struggles and localtax revenues drop, the mayor and councilmembers call you, the chief of police, in for ameeting. They advise that they cannot continue tofund the police department at the current budgetlevels; they want to lay off ofcers. What are yougoing to do? How are you going to respond?

By proactively taking certain steps now,law enforcement agencies can begin to decreaseoperating costs. The opening scenario may notoccur. But, if it does, leaders can demonstratehow they have reduced their bottom line throughenergy conservation at fundamental budget levels,

convincing government ofcials that they are notonly aware of the depth of the nancial crisis butare actively engaging in a solution.

In todays society, although many people be-lieve it is always noble and politically correct to gogreen and save the environment, employees maynot buy into the program without motivation. Theymust understand the need to conserve, and organi-zations must regularly inform them of the progressand results of their efforts. Each area of the countryis unique in its needs and uses of energy for dif-ferent reasons. Police ofcers in the Arizona heatmay want to leave their patrol cars running when

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Energy Conservation as a Budget Multiplier By Alan John

Police Practice


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unoccupied to keep them cool. In Jackson Hole,Wyoming, ofcers may want their cruisers running

because of the frigid temperatures. Most agencies

have chargers for every electronic gadget pluggedin all over the department. Ofcers plug in radio battery and cell phone chargers, automated exter-nal debrillators, and jump packs for cars evenwhen they are not using or charging them. Further,many organizations regularly leave all of the lightson in their buildings.

ONE AGENCYS EXPERIENCEJackson, Wyoming, is one of the most beautiful

places in the world. Its citizens care about the futureof the planet and ecosystem

and continue to increase their environmental awareness.The Jackson Police Depart-ment operated in the businessmode outside the commu-nity norms. Officers oftenleft cars running for hours ata time while they completedreports in the station. They

joked to each other how theyturned their vehicles on in

November and turned themoff in May. Many communitymembers complained to the

police chief and town councilthat the department was not

being energy efcient. Drawing upon the badge of public safety, for several years, the chief declaredsuch practices necessary for the good of the com-munity. Finally, the town administrator called anall-employee meeting with attendance mandatory.He announced that the budget was getting tighter,and the organization needed to become more aware

of budget ow in all areas. When the administrator mentioned energy conservation, the room eruptedwith the usual laughter. He announced, I dont

care if you believe in the environmental benetsof conserving energy or not. This has come downto a money issue. Every bit of energy we save

translates to money we have in the general fund,which is where we get money for salaries. Now,of course, he had everyones attention and nished

by reminding each employee to save energy.

New PoliciesOver the next 6 months, department heads

monitored their employees energy use. The policechief reminded all supervisors that vehicles shouldnot run while unattended unless the temperaturefell below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Subsequently,

supervisors passed that infor-

mation to ofcers and broughtit to their attention when theydiscovered a cars enginerunning unattended. Soon, of-cers started reminding eachother. The message becameclear, even though not par-ticularly popular with some.Employees turned off ofcelights at night and whenever not needed during the day. Theadministration departmentshared educational tidbitsto teach officers additionalways to conserve energy. Of-cers unplugged cell phone

and radio chargers when not in use and turned off computer monitors. Additionally, the departmentinstalled motion lights in hallways and bathroomsto conserve energy. The mayor and council mem-

bers applauded the employees efforts.

Results

The Jackson Police Department reduced itseet fuel consumption by 44 percent the next year.Consequently, the energy use for the town hall

...although manypeople believe it isalways noble and

politically correct togo green and save

the environment,employees may not

buy into the programwithout motivation.


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October 2010 / 9

where the police department is located decreased23 percent in 2 years. The results of the conserva-tion efforts became obvious to employees in nu-

merous ways. Department heads verbally thankedand acknowledged the success at department meet-ings and team briengs. As the budget becametighter, the department saved positions that mighthave been eliminated.

CONCLUSIONLaw enforcement organizations throughout

the country face nancial constraints and areexpected to do more with less. By discoveringways to reduce electricity and fuel costs, agenciesmay be able to apply such savings to general fund

balances and save jobs. They can accomplishthese reductions without decreasing public safetywhile, at the same time, helping to preserve the

environment.Conserving energy and fuel benets everyone.Law enforcement executives can demonstratetheir willingness to lead in tough economic times

by implementing innovative programs to resolvedecreasing budget conicts and save jobs in their departments.

Sergeant John serves with the Jackson, Wyoming, Police Department.

Bulletin Honors

The Oregon Fallen Law Enforcement Ofcers Me-morial sits on the grounds of the Oregon Public SafetyAcademy in Salem. The monument features a curvedgranite wall, representing the survivors lives with theones they lost; another wall with the names of the de-ceased, depicting the deaths themselves; and trees, rep-resenting the lives of those left behind after their loss.

The memorial honors more than 160 Oregon lawenforcement ofcers killed in the line of duty, somedating back to the 1880s. It recognizes those from allagencies, including city, county, and state police of-cers; county and state corrections ofcers; parole and

probation ofcers; and other local, state, and federallaw enforcement agents and ofcers.

Oregon Fallen Law Enforcement Ofcers Memorial


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L aw enforcement agen-cies and their designappear to differ fromany other type of organization.Although usually comparedwith the military, police depart-ments have been referred toas having hyper-bureaucraticmilitary organizational attri-

butesthose of formal rank,formal hierarchy, and a chain of unquestioned and unquestioningcommand. 1 Only until a fewyears ago, the term police man-agement , designated only for

those holding a title, describedwhat those in the profession be-lieved to constitute leadership.However, more recent yearshave shown that managers arenot necessarily leaders. Rather,those placed into managerialroles should possess leadershipskills, behaviors, and knowl-edge. Employing such a conceptcould improve ofcers connec-tions with their departments andaid in succession planning when

promoting future leaders withinthe agency.

So, how do ofcers obtain a police leadership position, andwhat measures their leadership

behaviors and skills? Are theright people placed into these

positions, and can these indi-viduals lead larger numbers of ofcers in the future? For the

past few decades, some policeresearch has dealt with suchtopics as leadership styles of those in positions of authority.Other studies have focused onleadership as it pertains to gain-ing organizational commitment.

Increasing Organizational Leadership Through the Police Promotional Process By PATRICK J. HUGHES, M.S.

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Professor Hughes, a former police ofcer, is the director of criminal justice administration at Central Pennsylvania College in Harrisburg and also instructs at the Harrisburg Area Police Academy.

Police organizations face a changing

environment at a faster than normal pace and

should have a structure exible enough to

handle such situations....

Little research, however, has ex-amined the promotional processand how it can impact organiza-

tional leadership and commit-ment. In todays world, a needexists to research and createchanges to both the design of these agencies and the processto promote future leaders.

To this end, the author explores the current assessment

process used to promote rst-line supervisors and discussesleadership education and itsavailability and applicability toall ofcers. He draws a connec-tion between desired leadershipstyles and how a proper assess-ment process, coupled withleadership education and train-ing of future rst-line supervi-sors, could enhance the abilitiesof those in positions of author-ity to lead the ofcers in their charge.

Examining the DesignWhen focusing speci-

cally on organizational design,law enforcement agencies arehighly structured with well-dened charts that describe theroles that accompany the posi-tion titles set forth. In addition,top-down communication existsinside these agencies. Somearguments have highlighted theneed for this design because of

the severe situations ofcers en-counter and the great amount of liability that accompanies suchincidents. These organizations

and their design, however, lack some items that ofcers wouldlike, such as better communica-

tion networks, more participa-tion, improved decision making,and enhanced ethical leader-ship. Through these requests for change, organizational commit-ment may increase. Researchhas indicated that participa-tive role clarication improvedorganizational commitment. 2 Inside a militaristic-designedorganization, the levels of rank in management and their im-

portance often are oversimpli-ed and many times seen as amere conduit of communicationhaving no real inuence onsubordinates. Researchers haveargued that obedience social-ization and military commandsupervision across the hierar-chal levels appear to distort the

nature of police work. 3 Policeorganizations face a changingenvironment at a faster than

normal pace and should havea structure exible enough tohandle such situations, as wellas owing communication andleadership rmly embedded inthe design. In most police struc-tures, ranks descend from chief to deputy chief, captain, lieu-tenant, sergeant, corporal, and

patrol ofcer. These levels existmore in larger metropolitan or county-level agencies mainlydue to the number of ofcersemployed. However, in somestates, such as Pennsylvania,department size does not allowfor such rank design, makingthe levels of sergeant and patrolofcer more open to leader-ship situations. One study notedthat the quasi-military model


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makes no provision for thesituational effects of a leaders

behavior. 4 Other researchers

echo this by suggesting, Al-though many agencies appear torely on military arrangementsin terms of structure, rank, andhierarchies, this model may noteffectively serve police leadersand their respective organiza-tions. Replacing the militarymodel of leadership develop-ment with behavioral com-

petency development may bemore effectual in leadership andagency performance. 5

Many in the police arena believe that law enforcementagencies differ greatly fromorganizations in the privatesector. However, one studycompared the scores of policeleaders on the California Per-sonality Inventory with thosefrom the business world andfound that results indicate verysimilar scores. 6 Is there trulya difference in how leadershipis applied between the polic-ing and business worlds? Somein law enforcement will arguethat at their basic cores, the twodiffer in followers, motivation,and desired leadership styles.Many people associate the wordentrepreneur with the world of

business. One study introducedthe concept of entrepreneurial

policing with the basis behindsuch a term being that the lead-ership concepts in policing donot differ greatly from those of

business. It suggested that en-trepreneurial policing is an openstyle of management linked to,

but transcending, individualleadership styles because it can be practiced by everyone withinthe police service irrespectiveof rank. This link between therubrics of entrepreneurship andleadership is vital because for a

practical theory of entrepreneur-ial policing to develop, policing

requires the active participationof future generations of policeleaders. 7 This concept not onlyintertwines the business worldwith policing but also exem-

plies that leadership should be seen at all levels within the police organization. To further support this, the study con-nected entrepreneurship and

policing by reporting that it isaction-oriented cognitive humanability, which guides policingas an everyday practice and

paradoxically links manageri-alism and conformity to risk-taking behavior. 8

In addition, some studieshave reported other perceivedleadership styles gathered fromsworn personnel. 9 For example,researchers examined how thesestyles affect ofcer-integrityviolations. Findings identiedthree styles as openness, rolemodel, and strictness, conclud-ing that all three aspects of leadership...have a signicanteffect on the frequency withwhich corruption occurs. 10 Another study revealed thatthe most effective perceivedstyle admired by ofcers wastransformational leadership. 11 Finally, another researcher fo-cused on ofcers as the changeagents in police organizations,arguing that police depart-ments could be well advisedto encourage participatoryinvolvement as a vehicle for organizational reform. 12

As seen by this variety of research, many studies haveidentied styles sought by of-cers of their supervisors. Itappears that through employ-ing these styles, ofcers mayhave stronger organizationalcommitment. By engaging inthese styles, supervisors maystrengthen the integrity and

ethical behavior of the organiza-tion. Apparently, strengtheningleadership among supervisors,especially rst-line ones (e.g.,

Many in the police arena believe

that law enforcement agencies differ greatly from organizations in

the private sector.


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October 2010 / 13

sergeants), would benet manylaw enforcement agencies andtheir followers.

If police organizations needmore exibility and incorpo-rate leadership at all ranks,what, then, should change, andwho should participate in thatchange? Moreover, Does thecurrent promotional processtruly select candidates withthese styles, and, if not, howcan that process be improvedto do so?

Analyzing Promotionsand AssessmentThese processes can differ

from department to departmentgiven the resources and num-

ber of employees. Many larger agencies usually employ a

procedure involving written andoral examinations, performanceevaluations, psychological and

physical tests, and drug screen-ing created and disseminated bya consulting department. 13

Agencies can expand andcontract on these steps if theyso choose. However, this can

prove costly for smaller onesthat often must rely on years of service and performance evalu-ations to promote their ofcers.With all of this in mind, thequestion remains, Is the cur-rent promotional process truly

choosing candidates with thewanted leadership styles, and,if not, what improvementscan be made?

One of the most difculttasks in the promotional pro-cess is creating standardized

testing, a system employed insuch areas as collegiate admis-sions, government civil service,

psychological measurement,and high school academic pro-ciency. As a means of bringingfairness and equality to all whotake them, the exams seek tomeasure, through written words,a persons skill or personal-ity. Prior to the test, candidatesshould complete a job-task

analysis, which offers perfor-mance dimensions needed for a certain position. While suchtesting has served its purpose,recent research has shown someaws. 14 For example, research-ers administered the CaliforniaPsychological Inventory (CPI)

to promotional candidates inTexas attending leadershiptraining. They gave both a pre-and posttest, advising results

indicate that the CPI-260 can be utilized to assess changethrough training and that, in this

case, the training seemed effec-tive at helping the law enforce-ment executives develop their leadership skills, awareness,and abilities. 15 In the current

processes, many candidatesnever attend, nor are given theopportunity to do so, any lead-ership training prior to testing.Some attributing factors may becost, shift coverage, availabilityof training, or simply not view-ing it as needed.

Assessment centers alsohave made their place in stan-dardized testing and often existin the government and publicsectors. Over 62 percent of the respondents in a recentsurvey of police and re chiefsreported that they use assess-ment centers, especially for

promotion. 16 Further ndingsshowed that centers are inap-

propriate for selection proce-dures which purport to measuretraits or constructs, such asintelligence, aptitude, personal-ity, common sense, judgment,leadership. 17 This study sug-gested an alternative to the writ-ten assessment. It used the termtask-specic centers , deningthis concept as exercises (work samples) and not performance

dimensions.18

Given the vari-ous differences among organiza-tions, each could design its owntask-specic assessment using

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the ofcers, administrators, andsubject-matter experts. Thiswould suggest better participa-

tion by ofcers at all levels.One downside to this concept isthat assessors...are not deter-mining how much leadership or

judgment a subject has; they areattempting to measure how wellthe subject handles a specic

job-related situation. 19 Interest-ingly, the study did not say thatleadership may not exist in the

behavior while completing thetask. Some situational leader-ship skills could emerge duringthe performance of the work. Itwould be appropriate, however,to have an exercise where thesubject was designated groupleader and there was an issueto address. 20 Then, it could beasked if this assessment mea-sures behavior. The answer is yes. The study included acomponent termed behavior observation in the assessment

process. When discussing theassessment of future leaders,leadership is observable, thusa behavior. Checklists caninclude a short 8-15 list of itemsconsidered important...a methodfor recording the subjectsactions. 21 Revisiting the de-sired leadership styles of of-cers, it is suggested this check-list be designed specically for

those behaviors sought by theofcers to be led. This wouldensure the right person is cho-sen to lead. Another researcher said it correctly, Leadership is

a behavioral quality which hasto be demonstrated in everydaycontexts. 22 That is the concept

that supports using behavior observations in task-speciccenter assessments.

By further investing timeinto creating a better testing

process to observe leadership behavior, law enforcementagencies would improve their organizational design. Ultimate-ly, they would provide those be-ing led with their chosen leader.It also would be a positive step

into planning for the future for many agencies because lawenforcement organizations oftendo not consider the concept of succession planning.

Planning for the FutureThe nal question to inves-

tigate is, How do police orga-

nizations plan and train futureleaders of their departments?Many do not invest time or money into sending ofcers toleadership training. This could

be at a federal, state, or locallevel. On a federal level, theFBI maintains the Leadership

Development Institute.23

Somestates also may have some typeof leadership seminars or class-es. For example, Pennsylvania,through the Penn State Justiceand Safety Institute, offers nineleadership development cours-es.24 Of these, seven require theofcer to hold the rank of lieu-tenant or higher, one requiresthe ofcer to be in the promo-tional process or promoted, andone has nothing noted aboutwho may attend. This concept inoffering leadership training doesnot appear to be in line with thatof succession planning. Insteadof supplying training to thosechoosing or aspiring to be lead-ers, the training occurs after theofcer is selected from a list of eligible candidates. Educatingin this manner appears to placethe cart before the horse. After all, ofcers seek certain stylesfrom those who lead them, butthese styles do not appear to bemeasured through the currentwritten assessment process.One researcher suggested, Thequality of police leadershipcould be improved by moreeffective methods to identifyofcers in the middle rankings

posts who had the potential

to become chief ofcers.25

He advised that succession planning can increase overall police leadership that can beaccomplished through training

When discussing the assessment

of future leaders,leadership is

observable, thus a behavior.


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October 2010 / 15

the right people. His researchsought to modernize the policeworkforce, enhancing training

and career progression to improve leadership and manage-ment skills at all levels of theservice. 26

Another issue in succes-sion planning might be that notenough individuals want to take

part. This could be for variousreasons, such as satisfactionwith the current assignment,monetary loss, lack of supportor motivation, poor test-takingability, or a disconnect withcurrent administration values.In one study, ofcers perceivedtheir promotional process asnot picking the best police of-cers and the testing and se-lection method. 27 Whatever thereason, this does not suggest alack of those who can lead giv-en the right tools. Sometimes, asstated in another study, ofcershave the perception that pro-motions are not based on meritand reect a hidden administra-tive agenda. 28 However, in thesame study, black test takersindicated leadership as a promi-nent concern. 29 While this is a

positive sign of those focusingon leadership, this notion needsto be permeated throughoutthe organization. Proper suc-cession planning can make

this possible with researchersagreeing on the importanceof creating a seamless continu-ity in leadership developmentand succession planning. 30

By law enforcement changingthe admission and availabilityof currently offered leadership

training simultaneously with thecurrent promotional processes, police organizations can beginto assure that they chose theright leaders.

ConclusionResearch has shown that the

current design of police organi-

zations does not support changeeasily. However, research alsohas demonstrated that ofcerswant improvements in howtheir future leaders are chosenand the styles these superiorsshould exhibit. Making leader-ship training available to thoseaspiring to become leaders andchanging written assessmentsto those that measure task

behavior could help bring

about these desired advances.Further research could focus onleadership training and how to

build it into an organizationssuccession planning, thereby

improving the overall leadershipthroughout.

In this day and age of increas-

ingly complex challenges for thelaw enforcement profession, suchchanges seem warranted. Con-cerning policing in the 21st cen-tury, one researcher aptly stated,Our job now is to go out andgarner learning from wherever itexists and increase the richnessof our leadership culture.... Policeleadership is not essentially dif-ferent from all other forms of leadership. 31

Endnotes1 H. Toch, Police Ofcers as Change

Agents in Police Reform, Policing and Society 18, no. 1 (2008): 60-71.

2 J.M. Jermier and L.J. Berkes, Leader Behavior in a Police Command Bureau-cracy: A Closer Look at the Quasi-MilitaryModel, Administrative Science Quarterly 24, no. 1 (1979): 1-23.

3 Ibid.4 Ibid.5 H.A. Miller, R.J. Watkins, and D. Webb,

The Use of Psychological Testing to Evalu-ate Law Enforcement Leadership Competen-cies and Development, Police Practice and

Research 10, no. 1 (2009): 49-60.6 Ibid.7 R. Smith, Entrepreneurship, Police

Leadership, and the Investigation of Crimein Changing Times, Journal of Investigative

Psychology and Offender Proling 5 (2009):209-225, http://www.interscience.wiley.com (accessed May 28, 2009).

8 Ibid.9 L. Huberts, M. Kaptein, and K. Last-

huizen, A Study of the Impact of Three

Leadership Styles on Integrity ViolationsCommitted by Police Ofcers, Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategiesand Management 30, no. 4 (2007): 587-607; S.A. Murphy, The Role of Emotionsand Transformational Leadership on Police

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Culture: An Autoethnographic Account, International Journal of Police Scienceand Management 10, no. 2 (2007): 165-178; Jermier and Berkes; and Toch.

10Huberts et al.11 Murphy.

12 Toch.13 For example, Pennsylvania depart-

ments can administer this exam processfor various fees. As of October 15, 2008,self-scoring exams would cost $15 per test;those scored by the association, $24.50 per test; administrators guide, $10 per guide;study guide, $4 per guide; examinersmanual, $10 per manual; and proctors,$200. See, Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police,http://www.pachiefs.org/testing.aspx (ac-cessed on June 25, 2009).

14 P.E. Lowry, The Assessment Center Process: New Directions, Journal of

Social Behavior and Personality 12, no.5 (1997): 53-62; and Miller, Watkins, andWebb.

15 Miller, Watkins, and Webb.16

Lowry.17 Ibid.18 Ibid.19 Ibid.20 Ibid.21 Ibid.22 Smith.23 For additional information, access

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/td/academy/ldi.htm .24 For additional information, see Penn

State Justice and Safety Institute, http:// jasi.outreach.psu.edu/#index.php?lawenf/ Programs (accessed July 1, 2009).

25 M. Rowe, Following the Leader:

Frontline Narratives on Police Leader-ship, Policing 29, no. 4 (2006): 757-767.

26 Ibid.27 S.A. Murphy, Executive Develop-

ment and Succession Planning: QualitativeEvidence, International Journal of Police

Science and Management 8, no. 4 (2006):253-265.

28 T.S. Whetstone, Copping Out: WhyPolice Ofcers Decline to Participatein the Sergeants Promotional Process,

American Journal of Criminal Justice 25,no. 2 (2001): 147-159.

29 Ibid.30 Murphy.31 J.D. Ginger, review of Police

Leadership in the Twenty-First Century: Philosophy, Doctrine, and Developments , by R. Adlam and P. Villiers, eds., International Journal of Police Science

and Management 6, no. 2 (2003):112-114.

Missing Children Guide The fourth edition of When Your Child Is Missing: A Family Survival Guide by the Ofce of

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention provides parents with the most current informa-tion on and helpful insights into what families should do when a child is missing. It containswhat to expect when a child is missing, what needs to be done, and where to go for help.

Written by parents and family members who have experienced the disappearance of achild, the guide explains the role that various agencies and organizations play in the search anddiscusses some important issues that parents and family members of missing children shouldconsider. Beginning with a checklist summarizing the most critical steps to take when a childrst goes missing, the guide continues with seven chapters, each structured to allow readers tond information quickly and easily. Each chapter explains both the short- and long-term issuesand contains a checklist and chapter summary for later reference. Some recommended readingsand a list of public and private resources appear at the back of the guide.

To obtain a copy of When Your Child Is Missing: A Family Survival Guide (NCJ 228735),access the National Criminal Justice Reference Services Web site, http://www.ncjrs.gov .

Bulletin Reports



19/36

Family Abductions Authored by survivors of family abduction, Crime of Family Abduction: A Childs and

Parents Perspective by the Ofce of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention furnishesthe searching family, law enforcement, and mental health professionals with strategies to

build a comprehensive, child-centered approach to recovery and healing. According tothe U.S. Department of Justice, as many as 200,000 children are victims of family abduc-tion each year. Although the majority are taken not by a stranger but by a parent or familymember, the issue of family abduction remains laden with misconception and myth. Seriousmissing-child cases that have devastating effects on the child are too often seen as divorceand custody matters, something private that the public and law enforcement should not con-cern themselves with. The truth is that family abduction can be as physically dangerous andeven deadly for the child victims as any other form of child abduction. Most often, however,the worst damage is imperceptible to the eye, occurring deep within the child and leavingtraces that may last a lifetime.

Written from the perspective of the child andthe searching parent, the publication is designedto help readers understand the unique character-istics of family abduction and the nightmare thatthese children and parents have experienced.Although the individual circumstances show themultifaceted diversity of family abduction, theone thing they have in common is that they wereall missing child cases. The child victims were

concealed by their abductor, hidden not justfrom their searching family, friends, schools,and community but also from the justice andchild protection systems.

Misperceptions about family abduction can potentially cause further trauma to the abductedchild. These misperceptions also can lead to anincrease in the incidence and duration of familyabductions.

Readers interested in obtaining this docu-ment (NCJ 229933) can visit the NationalCriminal Justice Reference Services Web site,http://www.ncjrs.gov .

October 2010 / 17

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A fter making the decision to begin a career in law enforcement, most of us entered the profession with a reasonably well-developed ideaof what we thought we were getting ourselvesinto. Some of us had idealistic goals centeredaround public service; some wanted to experiencethe thrill and challenge of catching crooks; otherscame seeking vocational stability and the camara-derie that the profession offers. Whatever attractedthose of us who took the oath to serve our commu-nities, it can be reasonably assumed that it did notinclude constant exposure to the toxic elements of

policing. Undoubtedly, we did not consider death,violence, threats, moral depravity, and a host of other social ills as motivators for entering the lawenforcement profession.

Major Mattos serves with the Kootenai County, Idaho,

Sheriffs Department.

Perspective The Need to Promote

Career-Long Vitality and Wellness in the

Police Profession By Daniel Mattos

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October 2010 / 19

What happens to those idealistic law enforce-ment professionals after they have become bat-tered with the reality that their service can take

different coursescourses that depend on whatthey learn along the way, how they are mentored,and how they personally choose to live their lives?To enjoy a fullling law enforcement career inconjunction with a personal life lled with vitalityand happiness should be the goal of all of us in the

profession. Unfortunately, this too often becomesa daunting task for many of-cers consistently exposedto the caustic elements of acareer in law enforcement.

CAREER STAGESAs a profession, we have

historically placed a high priority on tactical skills andequipment that increase our safety in the eld. Defensivedriving, rearms training,and hand-to-hand defensivetactics are heavily focusedon at the academy leveland throughout our careers.Moreover, we arm ourselves with handguns, ries,and shotguns; wear ballistic vests; and carry other equipment with us daily to keep us safe. Sadly,though, when we look at the amount of time spenttraining ofcers to defend themselves against the

psychological and emotional traumas they willface, our profession falls drastically short. We is-sue ballistic vests to protect our ofcers from bul-lets, but what armor do we give them to deect thecaustic events they face during their careers?

Realizing that the people we work with are our most valuable assets, we have a duty to provide

our employees with the necessary training, guid-ance, and resources throughout their careers toenable them to live full, healthy lives. This guid-ance and direction should take place at the onset

of our professional careers, continue through thoseyears between the beginning and end of our careersthat represent the zenith of our contribution to the

profession, and ultimately sustain us as we traveldown the road to retirement.

The BeginningWhen I think of the early years in a police of-

cers career, I cannot help but recall a saying Ionce heard. When I was 14 years old, I could not

believe how stupid my father was, and, when I turned 20, Icould not believe how muchhe had learned. This saysvolumes about how we learnas we age and has distinct

parallels as to how we growas police ofcers.

It seems to me that manyofcers in the early yearsof their career are fortunateenough to have good men-tors who try to steer themon a true and correct course.However, invariably, mostnew ofcers arrive at a point

when they actually think they have things guredout. Using myself as an example, it was aroundthe 2-year mark that I began to develop deniteopinions of how police work should be done. Infact, I was so impressed with my newfound logicand reasoning capabilities that I actually thoughtthat I had better ideas about how to do police work and run police organizations than those who had

been in the business for years. More than once atthree oclock in the morning, I found myself car to car with another young ofcer who had similar viewssomeone with 2 years on the job who also

actually had things gured out. That was over threedecades ago, and I dare say that my current obser-vations suggest that little has changed in terms of how ofcers grow professionally.

We issue ballistic

vests to protect ourofcers from bullets,but what armor do wegive them to deectthe caustic eventsthey face during

their careers?


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In truth, it takes years to fully grasp the reali-ties of being a police ofcer and appreciate that thework is uid, that change affects everything, and

that several different ways exist for approachingissues. In reality, new police ofcers face the samechallenges as those of us who have been doing the

job for years, yet they do not have the benet of the professional wisdom and understanding that onlyexperience teaches. In dealing with the emotionaland psychological hurdles faced by new ofcers,this lack of experience can have devastating andlong-lasting effects that impact all facets of their lives. It is with this thought in mind that policemanagers and leaders mustmove forward toward focusingon the overall health and vital-ity of new ofcers by engag-ing in practices that foster aninstitutional climate of health,wellness, and understanding.Moreover, wellness programsfor equipping new ofcers withemotional armor prior to re-leasing them from their respec-tive training programs should

be developed.Looking at the cultural and

professional evolution of newofcers in a somewhat clinical fashion, I notethat new police ofcers enter the profession after the traditional battery of applicant tests, academytraining, and eld instruction by experienced policeofcers. The premise of the testing is to assess of-cers tness for the career that lay ahead of them;typically, this includes some sort of psychologicaltesting designed to gauge how well they will beable to cope with the rigors of police work. Onceselected, new ofcers complete training and then

are essentially set free to perform their duties in arelatively loosely supervised atmosphereone inwhich they are forced to cope with many situationsas part of an ongoing learning experience.

It is during these early steps along their career path that new ofcers acclimate to the culture of their respective agencies, adapt to their cowork-

ers, and develop the professional personality theylikely will keep for their entire careers. Also duringthis initial part of new ofcers careers, the seedsof professional integrity, ethical hygiene, and per-sonal wellness are developed. At this vital stage,new ofcers are looking for guidance and rolemodels, essentially seeking to be like those theyadmire. During this impressionable period, policemanagers must concern themselves with imprint-ing upon these ofcers the need to develop skills

to enhance their emotional and psychological wellness equallyas much as the other profes-sional skills they have beentaught.

Wellness and vitality in theearly phases of their careersare not typically focused onheavily by these ofcers, par-ticularly those not only youngin professional years but inactual ones as well. For mostnew ofcers, the excitementand challenge of their new pro-fession is intoxicating. Few of

us in the profession for any amount of time wouldnot admit that we found it nearly impossible tostay away from the job in the early years of our careers. With this in mind, police managers mustmake the effort to get the attention of the new of-cers during the beginning of their careers andimpress upon them that staying emotionally t is

just as important as catching crooks and doing allthe fun stuff that new cops are drawn to. Again,while most agencies do a good job of taking care

of their personnel when a problem surfaces, manydo not have a developed program that addressesthe emotional welfare of their ofcers at the startof their careers.

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October 2010 / 21

Without a doubt, all law enforcement orga-nizations need to address the issue of emotionalwellness and vitality at the earliest phases of their

ofcers careers. Making it evident that emotionalhealth is directly tied to their professional prowessshould be one of the fundamentals incorporatedinto the orientation phases of new police ofcers.Approaching the issue of emotional well-being

by linking it to their professional success createsan interest that otherwise may go undeveloped.Simply put, new ofcers want to succeed in their careers, so tying their suc-cess to emotional wellnesscan go a long way towardhelping them understand theimportance of this issue.

Specific emphasis on programs addressing vitalityand wellness for new of-cers should be incorporatedat the academy level, duringeld training, and throughan ongoing interagency dis-cipline aimed at gaining andmaintaining emotional well-ness and career-long vitalityfor personnel. It is throughthe timely incorporation of

programs that address emotional well-being thatagencies will have the opportunity to provide their employees with the seeds of emotional tness thatwill help them survive the challenges of the career ahead.

The Primary YearsLooking at my career, I see that I spent the rst

5 years learning the basics of my job. During thistime, I chose those I wanted to emulate and learned

values that ultimately have stayed with me. Essen-tially, I forged my law enforcement character andformed my decision on how I would travel throughmy career. I believe that most of us in the profes-sion follow this pattern or a very similar one. It

also occurred to me that my most productive years professionally took place after the 5-year mark and continued at varying degrees throughout my

career, now spanning over three decades. Havingtalked to uncounted police ofcers over the years, Iagain nd that this is a pattern that seems to presentitself among career ofcers.

Unfortunately, the productivity and successalso comes with a price best exemplied by anexperience I had several years ago. While in an of-ce with several seasoned detectives, we discussed

who had been divorced andwho had not. After a rolecall of eight detectivesallsuccessful and dedicated tothe professionall but twohad been divorced at leastonce. Nationally, the divorcerate among police officersis shown to be as high as 70

percent in a society that hasa divorce rate of around 50

percent. Volumes have beenwritten on why the divorcerate is high among policeofcers; however, I use thisexample simply as a way of conveying that we constantly

walk in murky waters, which often devastates our personal lives.

The residue from these toxic waters createsthe perfect conditions for marital discourse, de-

pression, substance abuse, and other maladaptive behaviors that ultimately can wreak havoc on the physical and emotional vitality and wellness of police ofcers. It is during the primary years of our careeryears in which we have become commit-ted to the profession and have a vested stake in our

careersthat we are most consistently exposed tothe caustic elements of society. And, because of this consistent exposure to those harmful elementsof our jobs, our vitality and wellness becomeimperiled.

To ensure thewellness andemotional vitality

of our ofcers, policeorganizations need toadopt an institutional

character thatpromotes well-being.


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How many of us who have been in the lawenforcement profession can honestly say we havenot been touched by grief, sadness, shock, and the

countless other emotions that we have experiencedas a result of being exposed to the multitude of situations we are called upon to deal with? Bythinking of what we are continually exposed to,it is not difcult to realize that most people in our society rarely, if ever, see or experience even onehorric event in a lifetimelet alone be exposedto these events sometimes daily.With this in mind, it is certainlynot difcult to understand why

police ofcers often struggle tolive with some degree of nor-malcy. The reality of what we dois this: we live daily in a vastlydifferent world than the rest of our society and are exposedto a constant barrage of forcesthat challenge our ability to livehappy, healthy lives. And, thisconcept applies most heavily tothose in the in-between years,those who represent the most

productive and visible years of our careers.Taking all of this into account, police admin-

istrators need to accept the fact that the days of telling seasoned ofcers with work-related emo-tional difculty to buck up and get to work arelong gone. In an era in which our ranks are beinglled with employees who have been raised in agenerational atmosphere where mental and physi-cal health are routinely focused upon as a priority,

police administrators must take a leading role inassuring that those needs are not only addressed

but also for the right reasons because the welfareof our employees is singularly the most vital issue

that we are responsible for.To ensure the wellness and emotional vitalityof our ofcers, police organizations need to adoptan institutional character that promotes well-

being. To begin with, this culture is fostered by

the basic tenets of managing human beings: treatthem with dignity and respect. Then, the charac-ter of the organization is further built upon by its

leaders demonstrating a genuine, consistent, and permeating attitude of care and concern for thosewho work there; this character is built mostly bydeeds and actions and not by wordspolice of-cers, as a whole, often are suspicious and noteasily disposed to what may be regarded as a pass-ing fad. Finally, once these organizational char-

acteristics are melded together whereby they are understoodto be the actual culture of theinstitution, employees will feelcomfortable and safe whenrealizing they need to address

personal issues that could af-fect their emotional or physicalwell-being.

Most important, institu-tional programs and safeguardsmust encourage employeesto seek help for issues theymay face. These programs or safeguards can simply ensure

ofcers that they can talk to a supervisor about anissue troubling them and perhaps, to seek profes-sional assistance through programs sponsored bytheir agency.

The seeds of employee wellness are directlylinked to an organizational atmosphere that clearlyvalues employees and promotes their vitality andwellness. This mind-set creates an imperativefor police managers to set a tone for their orga-nizations that will promote overall health andwellness.

The Finish Line

Without a doubt, unique stressors in the law en-forcement profession make it necessary to monitor how ofcers live their professional and personallives and to ensure their emotional and physicalhealth are not being adversely impacted. But, what

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October 2010 / 23

happens when our career is nearing its end andeventually comes to a conclusion?

Muchif not mostof the transition to retire-

ment is dictated by the mind-set of the retiringofcers. Are they still happy in their careers? Arethey miserable and just want out at all costs? Dothey have outside interests developed? Are their families and marriages intact? Are their careerstheir lives? Ofcers approaching retirement mustexamine such questions.

One idea should permeate any discussionabout police retirement: the thoughtful consid-eration of how retirementaffects officers when oneday they are an active partof a viable law enforcementcommunity and the next areout the door. This mayseem like a relatively simplethought to grapple with, butwhether retiring ofcers arehappy or sad about their re-tirement and whether theyhave a life planned for whenthey are no longer a cop, thefact remains that what theyhave done day after day for decades has just come to ahalt. This means the commander who had respon-sibility for dozens or hundreds of employees is nolonger the commander; the ofcer who was lookedto for guidance at the scene of a tragedy is no lon-ger looked at in this light; the daily meetings for coffee and conversation with coworkers no longer take place.

In the nal analysis, career ofcers who makethe transition into retirement must face the factthat much of life as they have come to know it will

change. And, like it or not, they have to changewith it. In the spirit of promoting wellness and vi-tality within our soon-to-retire personnel, we musttake organized steps in preparing these employeesfor the reality of retirement. In accomplishing this,

Experience, aswell as common

sense, suggests thattransparency withinpolice organizations

leads to thedevelopment of

trust.

agencies should develop and monitor a systemthat tracks those who are within 2 to 3 years of retirement and implement programs that address

what these ofcers should expect.1

These types of programs are not new by any means; however, theconcept of instituting them as a viable part of anagencys overall personnel policy is not routinely

practiced. The programs should be tailored to lawenforcement and should include an oral presenta-tion by retired ofcers who can address issues thatthey faced upon retiring. Experience has shownthat cops will listen to other copseven more so

when they know each other.In addition, the programs

should include financial planning and information on physical tness and health.Agencies should seek theguidance and direction of

professionals within their community when puttingtogether these programs. Anoverall view toward retire-ment that includes the retir-ing ofcers mind-set, emo-tional and physical health,and nancial future should

be at the core of any in-house program that seeks to make the transition toretirement successful.

As a nal thought, I note that those ofcerswho are retiring have in one form or another men-tored many new recruits and experienced ofcersalong the way. With this in mind, who mentorsthose who have retired and left their extended lawenforcement family? An observation that I believeholds true throughout our law enforcement com-munity is the fact that once many ofcers retire,

they fall off the radar screen and are forgottenabout. Instead, why not institute reverse mentor-ing? Keeping the names of retired ofcers onan active list that agencies can monitor to ensurethose ofcers receive invitations to social events


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and periodic contact from others in the organi-zation could work wonders for those who maystruggle with retirement.

COMMUNICATION STRATEGIESPolice ofcers do not come completely formed

and ready to deal with the host of issues inherent inthe law enforcement profession. Rather, they comefrom the civilian world and are soon exposed toevents that necessarily harden them into what theymust become to function in their role as a policeofcer. This conditioning results from exposure tohorric events and constant contact with peoplewho routinely choose not toconform to accepted rulesand standards. Not surpris-ingly, police ofcers becomenaturally suspicious, cynical,and often uncompromising insome of their views. There-fore, police managers mustrealize that to effectivelyrelate to their ofcers, a levelof trust that promotes com-munication and safety withinthe organization has to exist.

How then should policeagencies develop trust andcomfort that will allow for the development of

programs that promote ofcer wellness? No doubt,the idea of promoting trust within law enforcementorganizations has been a subject of conversationssince the days of the Roman Legions. However,with the idea in mind that the goal behind programsthat will enhance ofcer wellness is to create atransition between unhealthy habits that ofcershave developed or fallen into at various stages of their careers into those that promote emotional and

physical wellness, some clear-cut paths can lead totrust and cohesion within police organizations.Experience, as well as common sense, sug-

gests that transparency within police organizationsleads to the development of trust. Because of their

very nature, police ofcers become suspiciousabout what they do not know about. For instance,I can recall several discussions that took place

between myself and other ofcers during my earlyyears about my departments budget. The budget process and the actual information regarding the budget never was made available to the rank andle, hence immediate suspicion arose. When the

budget came out with no raises or needed equip-ment, suspicion grew stronger. The bottom line onthe issue of transparency is to share what you canand be up front about it. Although police managersare not obliged to share everything with the rank

and le, they can benetfrom keeping their ofcersinformed.

Leaders also can buildmany trust-related bridgesthrough the willingness toshare some of their per-sonal experiences. What thismeans is not being afraidto discuss mistakes youhave made to show thoseyou work with that you arehuman and certainly not

perfect. What managers or supervisors choose to share

is up to themobviously, it is not necessary todiscuss intrinsically personal issues. However, byallowing others to know what you have learnedthrough your mistakes promotes an underlyingtone of humilitywhich, in turn, promotes trustand understanding.

Openness, good communication skills, sincer-ity, and frankness all work together to form a gen-eral sense of trust and comfort in police organiza-tions. It is within the context of these traits that the

road is paved for police ofcers to willingly cometo the table and learn about themselves and thefact that they must develop skills throughout their careers that will allow them to remain healthy andultimately transition to retirement.

Openness, goodcommunication skills,

sincerity, and franknessall work together to forma general sense of trust

and comfort in policeorganizations.


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October 2010 / 25

CONCLUSIONBy the very nature of what we do as police

ofcers, we are unavoidably exposed to a host

of toxic elements that can be likened to grains of emotional sand that ever so gradually are placedon our psychological backs. As time goes on, thesand increases in volume. Without the proper tools to remove it, the weight can become unbear-able. In fact, in some cases, the sand becomesso heavy that it can collapse ofcers. The resultof the sands weight takes a heavy toll on us;substance abuse, anxiety, depression, failed mar-riages, and other emotional and physical ailmentsthat rise well above societal averages plague our

profession.Law enforcement managers in modern law

enforcement are faced with the challenge of ac-knowledging that because ofcers are exposed tothe caustic elements in our society, they run therisk of becoming victims themselvesvictimswhose lives can lack wholeness and vitality

because of what they deal with. Acknowledg-ing this to be the case, police agencies need totake a proactive role in promoting physical andemotional wellness within their organizations.The benets are many and can be looked at clini-

cally in terms of increased productivity, enhancedinteraction with the public, reduced use of sick time, and many other bottom-line factors. How-ever, in the end, the best reason for sponsoring anorganizational atmosphere that promotes physi-cal and emotional hygiene, as well as a clearlyrecognizable attitude of institutional care andconcern, is that it is the right thing to do and whatwe owe to those who help us form the thin blueline.

Endnotes1 For additional information, see Carl B. Caudill and Kenneth

J. Peak, Retiring from the Thin Blue Line: A Need for FormalPreretirement Training, FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin , October 2009, 1-7; and Part Two, November 2009, 12-18.

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2,000 to 3,500 words (8 to 14 pages, double-spaced) for feature articles and 1,200to 2,000 words (5 to 8 pages, double-spaced) for specialized departments, suchas Police Practice.

Format: Authors should submit threecopies of their articles typed and double-spaced on 8 - by 11-inch white paper with all pages numbered, along with anelectronic version saved on computer disk. Articles also can be e-mailed.

Criteria : The Bulletin judges articleson relevance to the audience, factual accu-racy, analysis of the information, structureand logical ow, style and ease of reading,and length. It generally does not publisharticles on similar topics within a 12-month period or accept those previously

published or currently under consider-ation by other magazines. Because it is agovernment publication, the Bulletin can-not accept articles that advertise a productor service. To ensure that their writingstyle meets the Bulletins requirements,authors should study several issues of themagazine and contact the staff or accesshttp://www.fbi.gov/publications/leb/leb.htm for the expanded author guidelines,which contain additional specications,detailed examples, and effective writ-ing techniques. The Bulletin will adviseauthors of acceptance or rejection butcannot guarantee a publication date for accepted articles, which the staff edits for length, clarity, format, and style.

Submit to: Editor, FBI Law En- forcement Bullet in , FBI Acade-my, Outreach and CommunicationsUnit, Quantico, VA 22135; telephone:703-632-1460; fax: 703-632-1968;e-mail: [email protected] .

FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin

Author Guidelines


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T he trafcking of illegaldrugs can be viewedwithin the paradigmof legally traded commodities,such as televisions or automo-

biles, which follow a similar processmanufacture, ship-ment to wholesalers, transfer to

retailers, and sale to consumers.In the world of illegal narcot-ics, the progression from drugcreation to drug use is known asthe chain of distribution .

Beyond the sale to a cus-tomer, many other and, unfortu-nately, often ignored activitiesaid or assist this illegal activity.These can include diverting

precursor chemicals to manu-facture drugs, renting hotelrooms to conduct transactions,

or laundering drug proceeds tolegitimatize prots. Althoughthe synthesis of drugs can be alengthy process, they spend themajority of their lifespan (i.e.,

the time between manufactureand use) being transferred alongthe chain of distribution. For ex-ample, after their manufacturein foreign countries, heroin andcocaine are transported to theU.S. border, smuggled across,transferred from wholesale to

retail dealers, and then soldto customers. Even domesti-cally produced drugs, such as

pharmaceuticals, marijuana,and methamphetamine, must be

Legal Digest

Investigating and Prosecuting

Hidden-Compartment Cases By TODD F. PROUGH, M.A., and ROBERT VEIGA, J.D.

Photos courtesy DEA


29/36

October 2010 / 27

Assistant U.S. Attorney Veiga is the deputy criminal chief for the U.S. Attorney's Ofce for the District of New Hampshire.

Special Agent Prough is assigned to the DEA's New England eld division.

transported among various linksin the distribution chain.

Drugs as commodities

possess two specic charac-teristics: they are illegal andexpensive. These characteristics

pose special transportation problems for drug trafckers.Because they are illegal, drugsmust be transported in a man-ner that avoids detection bylaw enforcement. And, as theyare valuable, drugs must betransported securely to ensurethat they will not be lost, stolen,or seized. How can trafckerssatisfy these requirements?

Trafckers can smuggledrugs in numerous ways. Hu-man couriers move drugs byconcealing them with their

bodies either by hiding themin or under their clothing or byinserting or ingesting them intotheir persons. Some trafck-ers use go-fast boats or small

planes to smuggle drugs into thecountry. Others simply ship thedrugs in parcels via the postalservice or retail shippers andhope law enforcement will notinterdict the packages.

Another popular techniqueis to store the drugs withina hidden or concealed com-

partment in a vehicle. Thesecompartments, also knownas hides , traps , or clavos , are

designed to disguise their existence by blending into thenormal elements found in manymeans of transportation, suchas cars, trucks, vans, boats, or

airplanes. 1 Such compartmentscan be built into almost any partof a vehicle, including seats, gas

tanks, trunks, spare tires, anddashboards.

Hidden CompartmentsHidden compartments can

vary in size and complexity.Some are designed to hold asingle handgun while others cancontain hundreds of pounds of drugs. In addition, the sophisti-cation of a hide is only limited

by the creativity and technicalknowledge of its designer or installer. Rudimentary compart-ments consist of a very basicdesign with little or no altera-tion of the vehicle. Examplesinclude using the space behindthe center of the steering wheelor cutting away part of the rear

bumper and adding a lid withhinges. More elaborate hides

appear as part of the vehicleto inhibit the ability of lawenforcement to discover them.

Upon a cursory or even thor-ough examination, ofcers mayoverlook the hidden compart-ment because of its disguise asan unaltered component of thevehicle. However, the actualcompartment is covered by a lidor built as a drawer. The lid or drawer is powered open by anelectronic or pneumatic motor that can be triggered by activat-ing a complex series of switch-es, such as turn signals, power windows, or the defroster.Beyond the difculty of actuallydetecting the hide, ofcers oftencannot determine the proper series of switches needed toopen it. This provides an addedlevel of protection for the illegalcontents hidden inside thecompartment. 2


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TechniquesUnlike drug transactions,

which can transpire in hotel

rooms, alleys, or parking lots,the installation of hides almostalways occurs in some type of garage. Depending on the so-

phistication of the hide, equip-ment, such as acetylene torchesto cut metal and hydraulic liftsto get access to the undercar-riage of the vehicle, may benecessary. Because hide install-ers use specic work spaces,tools, and mediums (i.e., vehi-cles), investigators can employseveral techniques to investigatehidden compartment cases.

Ofcers can use typicaltechniques employed in tradi-tional drug investigations. Lawenforcement ofcers can pri-marily identify those engagedin installing hides through theuse of cooperating defendants

perhaps arrested in possessionof such a hide, from establishedcondential sources, or fromanonymous tipsters. Investiga-tors can employ an undercover operation to inltrate the busi-ness and gather intelligence or evidence. For example, a con-dential source or undercover agent may solicit the installer tosell a vehicle already equippedwith a hide or to install a hidein a vehicle provided by law en-

forcement. Investigators shouldattempt to elicit statements thatclearly demonstrate the in-staller knows the compartmentwill be used for illegal items.

For instance, the undercover operative could negotiate withthe installer and specify that

the hide should hold kilos of adrug, provide easy access to arearm, or ensure that it will not

be discovered by law enforce-ment. The undercover operativealso could request referencesfrom satised customers of the installer, thereby gathering

its components for serial numbers. By researching those numbers through the manufacturer,

auto parts dealer, or junkyard,investigators may identify who purchased the components usedin the construction of the hide.These steps could yield evidencecrucial to the identication or

prosecution of installers.In addition, an often un-

derused technique is to exploitthe benets of an off-line Na-tional Crime Information Center (NCIC) query. This is a specialsearch conducted by certied

personnel for information notavailable in online queries,such as those using incom-

plete information, like a partiallicense plate number or VIN.Investigators also can requesta search of transaction logs todetermine if another agency hasqueried the person or vehicle. 3 Ofcers should request off-line

NCIC searches on license platesor VINs from vehicles contain-ing hides. The results will showwhat police agencies, if any,queried the vehicle, therebycreating a travel timeline for thevehicle, which may create newleads. For example, the hidesmay be installed in one state,

but the vehicles may be used inother states to transport drugs.In addition, further research into

the results of off-line searches by contacting the inquiringagencies may identify the driv-ers or passengers of vehicles.Off-line searches can provide

more evidence and identify-ing other drug trafckers. Theundercover operation should becoupled with surveillance thatcould identify coconspirators, aswell as other drug trafckers or vehicles containing hides.

Investigators also may seizea vehicle containing a hide. Inthose instances, they shouldresearch the ownership records.Ofcers may nd a pattern of

straw owners, thereby provid-ing leads to other vehicles of interest owned by the same per-son. Upon dismantling the hide,investigators should check all of

Law enforcement agencies should

investigate individuals or organizations

constructing hides for numerous reasons.


31/36

October 2010 / 29

a much broader picture of theillegal activity and uncover actionable leads or valuable

intelligence that investigatorsmay not otherwise possess.

Legal ToolsUnfortunately, the legal

tools available in charging casesinvolving hidden compartmentsare fairly limited. There is nofederal statute specically ad-dressing the design, manufac-ture, or use of a trap, or, in theslang, clavo. Instead, charges at

the federal level must be ad-dressed through a statute deal-ing with drug paraphernalia.

That statute, Title 21,U.S. Code, Section 863(a)(1), provides in pertinent

part:a) It is unlawful for any

person1) To sell or offer for sale

drug paraphernalia.

The term drug parapher-nalia is further dened inSection 863(d) to mean:

Any equipment, product,or material of any kind whichis primarily intended or designed for use in manufac-turing, compounding, con-verting, concealing, produc-ing, processing, preparing,injecting, ingesting, inhaling,

or otherwise introducing intothe human body a controlledsubstance, possession of which is unlawful under thissubchapter. 4

An analysis of the federalstatute demonstrates at leasttwo signicant drawbacks to

its effective use in cases in-volving hidden compartments.First, as set forth in the overall

prohibition of Section 863(a),the statute only applies in thoseinstances where a person sellsor offers for sale an item of drug paraphernalia. Second, thedrug paraphernalia denitioncontains only one reference to acategory that could be construedas covering a hidden trap: Anyequipment...which is primarilyintended or designed for usein...concealing ...a controlledsubstance, the possession of which is unlawful. (Emphasisadded.)

Therefore, to establish aviolation of Section 863 in a

hidden trap case, the followingelements must be established

beyond a reasonable doubt:

1) The perpetrator sold or of-fered drug paraphernaliafor sale.

2) The hidden trap was equip-ment or a product primarilyintended or designed for usein concealing a controlledsubstance.

3) The perpetrator actedknowingly.As a result, Section 863

cases are limited to situationswhere an undercover ofcer or informant solicits a suspect to

build a hidden trap for a fee.This type of investigation wouldnecessarily involve not only thedevelopment of evidence as toconstruction of the device but


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also the collection of recordedconversations between the lawenforcement agent and the tar-

get in which the target is placedon notice that the device will beused for concealing a controlledsubstance. Unfortunately, thisappears to be the only way thatthe required elements may be

proven.A recent case in the U.S.

District Court for the District of New Hampshire is illustrative.In United States v. DeLeon , thedefendants were charged withconspiracy to sell drug para-

phernalia, aiding and abettingthe sale of drug paraphernalia,and substantive drug offenses.The charges arose from an un-dercover investigation in whichan informant solicited DeLeonand others to construct a hiddencompartment in two separatevehicles, which were supplied

by law enforcement. During theinvestigation, the informant en-gaged in several conversationsin which he made clear that he

planned to use the clavos totransport controlled substances.Despite these assertions, thetargets nevertheless agreed toconstruct the devices, therebydemonstrating the necessaryintent to prove a violation of the statute. 5

Surprisingly, in light of the

absence of an effective federalresponse for criminalizing the possession or use of a hide, asurve

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