March is Women’s History Month. Nearly 600 state and local police officers in the Untied States have written books. And, twenty-one of those police officers are women. Like their male counterparts, they have written fiction, autobiographies, academic texts and even poetry. Interestingly enough, the most successful writer of romantic fiction is a retired male motorcop. Put the motorcop aside for the moment and let’s take a brief tour of the history of women police officers as writers.

There is some disagreement about who should be thought of as the first women police officer in the United States. In 1910, Alice Stebbin Wells joined the Los Angeles Police Department and was the first woman to be called a “Policewoman.” However, in 1905, Lola Baldwin was hired by Portland Police Department(Oregon), given somewhat limited police powers and put in charge of group of social workers.

When the first aircraft struck the World Trade Center what were your thoughts? Was terrorism your first thought? Or, was your first thought more like “How could that happen?” The first crash caught most people trying to figure out what human or mechanical error could have caused the crash. However, a little over 15 minutes later and the instant Flight 175 came into view we knew we were under attack. As the jet slammed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center our view changed and the response of police and fire personnel to the WTC and the other incidents changed.

Our response changed because the additional information of the second aircraft changed our perception regarding the first. Our perceptions moved closer to the reality because additional information gave meaning and enhanced our comprehension of what we were observing. By gaining additional information we became aware of the true nature of the situation.

The BJA Law Enforcement Training Database is a catalog of all federally funded and supported training available to state and local law enforcement officials. Each database listing includes the training provider, a course description, eligibility criteria, and contact information

The State and Local Anti-Terrorism Training (SLATT) Program, a joint effort with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is funded by the United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, through a grant to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research. The Program provides specialized training for law enforcement personnel in combating terrorism and extremist criminal activity. In order to ensure that SLATT training always delivers the most up-to-date information, terrorism-related topics are constantly researched and reviewed, and timely information is offered regarding pre-incident preparation, investigation, prevention, and interdiction training.

The International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA) will conduct its 2007 International Training Conference and Expo, at the new Westin Chicago North Shore, located at 601 North Milwaukee Avenue, in Wheeling, Illinois (in the Greater Chicago Area), April 17 through April 21, 2007. Developed for criminal justice instructors, this conference has a two-pronged focus; keeping officers alive and safe from harm, and improving instructional delivery to criminal justice professionals.

The ILEETA Expo will offer a forum where criminal justice professionals can interact with manufacturers and distributors to gain information and learn about cutting edge technology affecting the products and programs used in the criminal justice training field.

Stay on top of training opportunities with this Yahoo Group. It is a professionally moderated group on police and law enforcement training opportunities both within the United States and internationally.

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Consultant Information System is a comprehensive online resource that provides contact and expertise information on criminal justice researchers and practitioners who have expertise in a variety of areas. It is a portal for new consultants to register and update their information. Produced by NIJ and updated regularly, this database is an invaluable resource for NIJ staff to identify consultants to serve in a variety of capacities.

The FLETC serves as an interagency law enforcement training organization for more than 80 Federal agencies. The Center also provides services to state, local, and international law enforcement agencies. Did you know FLETC provides low or no cost training such as:

1. Domestic Violence Instructor
2. Anti-Terrorism Intelligence Awareness
3. Drug Enforcement
4. Drug Task Force Supervisor School
5. Drug Law Enforcement School for Patrol Officers
6. Introductory Intelligence Analyst
7. Domestic Terrorism and Hate Crimes
8. And, a lot more