Latest news with #InternationalAssociationofChiefsofPolice
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Days after backtracking on low budget for FBI remarks, Kash Patel chairs meet with police chiefs
Just days after retracting his call for a $1 billion boost to the FBI's budget, Director Kash Patel chaired a meeting with the International Association of Chiefs of Police , seeking to reinforce the Bureau's ties with local law enforcement . 'Starting off Police Week by spending time with the International Association of Chiefs of Police,' Patel wrote on X. 'We discussed how to strengthen our partnership and how the FBI can better serve them. .. This FBI will always Back the Blue.' — FBIDirectorKash (@FBIDirectorKash) The timing of the outreach comes amid intense scrutiny of Patel's leadership and a turbulent week in Washington. In testimony before a House committee, Patel warned that the White House's proposed budget cutting FBI funding by 5 per cent would force him to eliminate 1,100 vacancies and potentially lay off 1,300 more staff. Yet just a day later, before a Senate panel, he reversed course, saying the Bureau would 'make and agree with this budget as it stands. ' The abrupt turnaround fuelled speculation about Patel's independence, especially given his close ties to President Donald Trump. Some read the initial budget plea as a bid to signal distance from the administration, but his quick backpedal muddied that interpretation. Meanwhile, Patel faces growing controversy on multiple fronts. Former officials and media reports have accused him of being disengaged, claiming he spends more time in nightclubs and sporting events than at FBI headquarters. NBC News reported that daily 8:30 am director briefings have been cut to twice a week. An FBI spokesperson dismissed these claims, insisting Patel attends five meetings weekly, including smaller sessions not open to all staff. Allegations have also surfaced about misuse of FBI aircraft for personal travel and reduced field office engagement. Senate Democrats are now demanding an investigation into his jet usage, following reports that he used Bureau aircraft to visit his girlfriend. Ethics concerns have intensified after it was revealed Patel holds up to £4 million in shares in Elite Depot, parent company of fast-fashion giant Shein. Despite its China ties and allegations of forced labour denied by Shein the FBI has allowed Patel to retain the stake, saying it poses no conflict with his current duties.
The Star
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
TASER maker Axon raises annual revenue forecast, shares jump
People gathers at the Axon booth on the exhibit floor during the annual International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) conference in San Diego, California, U.S.,October 16, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Blake (Reuters) -TASER maker Axon Enterprise raised its full-year revenue forecast on Wednesday, banking on sustained demand for its software products and security devices, sending its shares up more than 7% after the bell. The Arizona-based company makes law enforcement technology such as body cameras, drones and sensors. Axon expects 2025 revenue to be between $2.60 billion and $2.70 billion, compared with its prior range of $2.55 billion to $2.65 billion. Analysts on average estimate of $2.62 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG. The company is the leading maker of police body cameras in the U.S. and supplies drones to law enforcement authorities across North America, Europe and Australia. Capital expenditure for the year is expected to be in the range of $160 million to $180 million, excluding costs related to investments in a new headquarters, the company said. On an adjusted basis, Axon earned $1.41 per share for the first quarter ended March 31, while analysts estimated $1.27 per share. Its quarterly revenue was $603.6 million, compared with the estimate of $583.8 million. (Reporting by Aatreyee Dasgupta and Abhinav Parmar in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Yahoo
Vermont trooper who saved 8-year-old girl from icy pond in 2023 honored for heroism
A Vermont State Police trooper who plunged into an icy pond in Cambridge to save an 8-year-old girl in 2023 has been once again recognized for her heroism that day. Vermont State Police Trooper Michelle Archer has received a Carnegie Medal for Heroism, one of 17 people in the U.S. and Canada who 'risked death or serious physical injury to an extraordinary degree saving or attempting to save the lives of others.' Archer was patrolling in Cambridge on December 17 when two children fell through thin ice into a private pond off of Eastview Road. The landowner rescued one child. When Archer arrived, she grabbed a life preserver from her cruiser, dove into the pond and rescued the eight-year-old girl from the icy water. VSP trooper credited with saving life of 8-year-old girl in Cambridge 'When I jumped into that frozen pond, the only thing I was thinking about was reaching that little girl and trying to save her life,' Archer said. 'You don't get into the profession of policing for accolades; you do it because you believe in serving your community and keeping people safe. As humbling as all the awards and attention are that followed what I did that day, nothing can overshadow the biggest reward of all: The little girl survived and fully recovered.' Last year, Archer received a Vermont State Police Lifesaving Award, among other honors. She was named a finalist for International Association of Chiefs of Police / Motorola Solutions Trooper of the Year. Vermont trooper involved in July 2024 shootout in Burke nominated for Trooper of the Year award ''This recognition, coupled with numerous others that members of the state police have received in recent weeks and months, reflects so highly on each and every person who works for this agency,' said Col. Matthew T. Birmingham, director of the Vermont State Police. 'Vermonters have much to be proud of when it comes to the state police, from these high-profile awards to the unsung, everyday acts of selflessness, bravery and heroism that people rarely hear about.' More information about the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission and the 17 newest recipients is available on the fund's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Yahoo
Vermont trooper involved in July 2024 shootout in Burke nominated for Trooper of the Year award
A Vermont State Trooper involved in a July 2024 shoot-out in Burke with a wanted man from Rhode Island is a finalist for a prestigious law enforcement award. Richard Berlandy is one of four finalists from the United States and Canada for the International Association of Chiefs of Police / Motorola Solutions Trooper of the Year Award. The award recognizes state troopers and provincial officers who have demonstrated bravery, courage, leadership and professionalism in the line of duty. It's the second year in a row a Vermont trooper has been nominated for the award. Last year, Michelle Archer of the Williston Barracks was nominated for diving into a frozen pond in December 2023 in Cambridge to save a young girl from drowning. Berlandy has been assigned to the Derby Barracks since joining the Vermont State Police in 2019. He and two other troopers were on duty on July 14, 2024, when they were advised that a man wanted in Rhode Island for possessing altered firearms with large capacity magazines was in the area. According to police at the time, US Border Patrol agents saw the man's pickup truck in Pittsburg, New Hampshire, and followed him into Vermont. Agents attempted to stop the man, identified as Brendan Sackal, with a tire-deflation device, but he continued to try to flee. Berlandy joined the pursuit northbound on VT 114 and attempted to box in Sackal's truck. Sackal then rammed the cruiser and got ou of his truck firing what prosecutors later described as a privately manufactured 5.56 caliber AR-type pistol. Berlandy and Mikola returned fire, wounding Sackal, who surrendered. They then tended Sackal's wounds until emergency medical care arrived. Sackal was taken to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in critical, but stable condition. 'The selection of Trooper Berlandy as a finalist is a recognition of the courage, professionalism and determination he and his fellow troopers demonstrated that July day,' Vermont State Police Director Col. Matthew T. Birmingham said, noting that agencies can submit only one name for award consideration. Berlandy said his experience and training, as well as the presence of other law enforcem,ent officers, prepared him to handle the dangerous encounter. 'Once everything started to happen, I didn't have to think about what I needed to do. Everything was reactionary, and I was able to focus on the task at hand. All of my training just instinctually kicked in, helping me and eventually saving my life,' he said. Finalists for the Trooper of the Year Award are chosen by members of the International Association of Chiefs of Police State and Provincial Police Trooper Berlandy represents the North Atlantic Region. One of the four finalists will be named the overall IACP / Motorola Solutions Trooper of the Year at a banquet Friday in Orlando, Florida. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Yahoo
Indiana has a chance to prevent wrongful convictions
For 25 years, Leon Benson remained locked up in an Indiana state prison — including 11 in solitary confinement — for a murder he didn't commit while his young children grew up without a father and the real killer remained at large. Half his life was stolen largely because of a case of mistaken identity in the 1998 execution-style shooting of a 25-year-old white man in Indianapolis. Benson, who is Black, did not meet the vague description of a dark-skinned, clean-shaven man provided by a white woman after witnessing the slaying from 150 feet away in the dark. Despite his light skin and facial hair, Benson was later erroneously identified by the woman as the shooter in a police lineup — which could have been prevented if the proper eyewitness identification procedures had been in place. As the director of the Notre Dame Exoneration Justice Clinic, I've represented clients like Benson, who had their liberty stolen from them due to a wrongful conviction. Mistaken eyewitness identifications have been a contributing factor in approximately 3,600 (or 70%) wrongful convictions in the U.S. overturned by post-conviction DNA evidence. When we look more granularly in Indiana, more than a third of wrongful convictions – 36% – involved a mistaken eyewitness identification. So far, this equates to innocent Hoosiers, including Benson, losing a combined 245 years of freedom for crimes they did not commit. As EJC director and throughout my career as a federal and state prosecutor, I've seen firsthand how erroneous identifications occur. Eyewitnesses sometimes see things incorrectly in suboptimal circumstances or have lapses in memory. Unscientific police procedures can also play a role, improperly pressuring or influencing witnesses into identifying a suspect in a police lineup or photo spread, or inadvertently implying through comments or body language about someone's guilt. Indiana lawmakers can pass legislation that improves eyewitness identification procedures, joining 30 other jurisdictions nationwide that have put into place guardrails to protect the innocent and ensure that the actual perpetrator is held accountable. Senators Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne, and Sue Glick, R-LaGrange, have authored legislation establishing standard procedures for conducting police lineups and photo spreads. These procedures, which are corroborated by over 30 years of peer-reviewed research and recognized by groups like the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, the National Academy of Sciences, and the U.S. Department of Justice, include: Double-blind administration of a lineup where neither the witness nor the person administering the lineup, usually a law enforcement officer, knows the identity of the suspect, effectively preventing any unintentional cues or biases from influencing the witness's identification decision. Witness instructions that include telling the witness the perpetrator may not be present in the lineup, that they are not required to identify a suspect and the investigation will continue with or without an identification. Proper fillers, meaning non-suspect photos and lineup participants are selected based on their resemblance to the description of the suspect provided by the witness. The suspect should not noticeably stand out from among others in the lineup. Witness confidence statements should be made immediately following the lineup that articulates the witness' level of confidence in the identification. These are not only good practices; they are necessary and easy-to-implement procedures that will go a long way toward protecting innocent people and minimizing wrongful convictions. Had these procedures been in place, there's little doubt that Benson would not have been deprived of decades of his freedom. His conviction primarily relied on erroneous eyewitness identification that violated the Core Four principles. Thankfully, Benson was exonerated in 2023 after the Marion County Conviction Integrity Unit reviewed his case and discovered not only evidence of his innocence, but also the identity of the real perpetrator. Now, Indiana must do the right thing so no other Hoosier will ever lose a day of their freedom due to mistaken identity. Wouldn't it be better if we could prevent wrongful convictions such as these from happening in the first place rather than robbing anyone of precious time? Jimmy Gurulé is the Director of the Exoneration Justice Clinic and Professor of Law at Notre Dame. A career prosecutor, he also previously served as under secretary for enforcement in the U.S. Treasury Department during the George W. Bush administration. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Leon Benson's wrongful conviction should not be repeated | Opinion
