In this issue: Around The Nation: A coast-to-coast roundup of police news. Singing a new tune: Taser issues safety warning. The price of principle: BJS director is sacked. Changes await: Preparing for an influx of rookies. Out with the old: FBI jettisons ballistics technique. Red flag: Border-state govs declare emergency. 411: Chiefs want real-time terrorism information. Getting noticed: Gay-crime unit is cited. Beast meets West: Is it bestiality or animal abuse in Washington? In a New York minute: Crime-data takes quantum leap. Introspection: Fraud crackdown begins at home. Time Capsules: 25 years ago in LEN. People & Places: The FBI beckons; called to serve; college gets its man; tweaking a well-oiled machine; the phone goes quiet; silencing the “Rant”; going out on top; comings & goings. 9/11 plus four: A roundup of homeland security developments. Can we talk? Seeing red over software snafu. Warming up: One city’s unique approach to cold cases. Criminal Justice Library: Stamper “kisses and tells”; lessons from Enron; connecting the dots. Forum: Sharing ideas & making a difference. Coming home: Police confront prisoner reentry. Image-building? Cops fight photo disclosure. On the record: Interrogation taping gains support. --top-- Note to Readers: The opinions expressed on the Forum page are those of the contributing writer or cartoonist, or of the original source newspaper, and do not represent an official position of Law Enforcement News. Readers are invited to voice their opinions on topical issues, in the form of letters or full-length commentaries. Please send all materials to the editor. --top--

Forum Stephens: Sharing ideas, making a difference      It is hard to believe that Law Enforcement News is celebrating its 30th anniversary with this issue — harder still to imagine that this anniversary will be its last.      I remember a conversation with Dr. Richard H. Ward over 30 years ago when he talked about his idea of a newspaper for law enforcement that would be published by John Jay College. I wasn’t sure the idea would work, but nonetheless put my name and address on a 3x5 card to commit to subscribing, and volunteered to be a correspondent from Kansas City, Mo. I have continued to subscribe and look forward to receiving each issue of LEN. For 30 years it has informed the police, challenged them and kept them abreast of new ideas and research they could use. LEN has also provided a forum for those in the field that wanted to share ideas, experience or points of view on current issues. That forum has proved to be invaluable to those in a constant search for better ways to make their communities safer. ... --top--