PC-cover-September-2024

September 2024: Preparing for Contentious Elections

An election year often brings a higher propensity for violence, but an increase in political polarization has created a constant environment for extremist attacks. Policing personnel must be prepared to protect democracy by ensuring the safety of public officials and voters.

GUEST EDITORS: Patrick Stevens and Fabricio Kerber

Articles

  • Preparing for Contentious Elections

    By Kathleen M. O’Toole, Chief (Ret.), Seattle Police Department, Washington, Commissioner (Ret.), Boston Police Department, Massachusetts
    The U.S. presidential election process has become longer and more contentious, with major implications for U.S. police and sheriffs’ departments. The United States is not alone in this challenge. Ex...

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  • Interdicting and Investigating Political Violence

    By Christian Quinn, Deputy Chief (Ret.), Cyber & Forensics, Fairfax County Police Department, Virginia, and Julie Farnam, Former Assistant Director of Intelligence and Interagency Coordination, United States Capitol Police
    Examining the psychology of violence in today’s political landscape not only is inherently complex, but it also invites scrutiny. If one analyzes specific events or references incidents as examples,...

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  • Mitigating Threats to Public Officials

    By Bryan Fodor, Senior Advisor, Protective Policing, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
    Statistics compiled in 2023 by Élections Québec, and updated as of July 31, 2024, show that, since Quebec’s last municipal elections in 2021, 944 elected officials left their posts before their te...

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  • This Is Not Your Father’s Terrorism

    By Ray Guidetti, Police Director, Hackensack Police Department, New Jersey, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.), New Jersey State Police
    In 1988, well-known U.S. actor William Shatner starred in a commercial with the nifty jingle, “This is not your father’s Oldsmobile… This is the new generation of Olds.” It was not the presenc...

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  • SPECIAL FEATURE: IACP 40 Under 40

    The annual IACP 40 Under 40 award recognizes 40 law enforcement professionals under the age of 40 from around the world who demonstrate leadership, exemplify commitment to their profession, and have a...

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