Category: Miscellaneous

  • Happy Birthday, Edgar Allan Poe!

    Today, we wish America’s favorite dark romantic a happy 108th birthday! Born to two actors who died before he was three, Edgar Allan Poe was exposed to loss and sadness from an early age. He was left in the foster care of John and Frances Allen, proprietors of a successful…

  • Winnie the Pooh

    Happy Winnie the Pooh Day! Growing up, I loved A. A. Milne’s famous creation enough to have homemade stuffed versions of Pooh and several of his friends. I was not alone in my fascination. This iconic bear is widely appreciated among both children and adults all over the world. The…

  • Remembering King

    Martin Luther King Jr. was a revolutionary in the civil rights movement, and his speeches have touched and moved generations to continue the fight for individuals’ basic rights. But before he was leading peaceful protests, he was a young man following in his father’s footsteps, becoming a Baptist preacher. King…

  • Organization Communication and Development in a Time of Increased Scrutiny:  A Guide for Police Managers, Practitioners, and Scholars by Casey LaFrance

    The 2010s marked a noteworthy epoch for those interest in scholarship and practice related to police decision-making.  Media organizations and civic groups have devoted enhanced attention to officer involved use of force incidents, police equipment and tactics, law enforcement management of public crises, and a myriad of other facets of…

  • The Lit Gift: How to Pick the Perfect Book to Gift

    If you’re like me, it’s time to get moving on your last minute holiday shopping. And buying a gift for a friend is a balancing act; you want it to be a personalized and thoughtful nod to the history you have shared. It needs to demonstrate how intimately you know…

  • Town and Gown and Uniform

    Dahlonega, the city where I live, doesn’t have a police department. Instead, it depends on primary law enforcement services being provided by the Lumpkin County Sherriff’s Office through a Service Delivery Strategy agreement with Lumpkin County. Because the Sherriff’s Office is understaffed, additional support is provided by the Georgia State…

  • When Are Police Arrests Newsworthy?

    The Dahlonega Nugget, a weekly newspaper, gives prime space to a fixture feature: Arrest Reports. A visiting professor from England recently scoffed to me about this feature. He noted the bulleted crime events and the names of those arrested as “hokey,” low-grade, and low-brow. “Where’s the news here,” he asked.…

  • NaNoWriMo

    NaNoWriMo. I know it sounds catchy, but what does it actually stand for? It’s short for National Novel Writing Month, which is every November. NaNoWriMo seeks to bring a fun and spontaneous approach to novel writing. Presented by the National Novel Writing Month nonprofit, NaNoWriMo is free to enter and…