I get this question in almost every class: what's with all the goats? It started as a way to say thank you — cartoon GOAT stickers and a handwritten note for detectives who did great work. It ended up teaching me something about science-based interviewing. One good opening question once got 14 minutes of lies from a man now serving 30 years for murder. Every one of those lies was information. Statements are evidence. Here's why that changes how you interview — and how you lea

Spies gather intelligence, but someone still has to decide—usually without certainty. From the Prussian war game to the Catholic Church's Devil's Advocate, Israel's "Tenth Man," and the red teams that stress-tested the bin Laden raid, history shows that the most dangerous moment in any investigation isn't when the file is thin and everyone's arguing. It's when the file feels complete and everyone agrees. Are you red teaming your case—or one unchallenged assumption from disast

Most active listening training teaches performance, not the real skill. After years in hostage negotiation and homicide investigations, I can tell you — nobody in those rooms cared whether I was nodding. What actually determines whether someone talks or shuts down has nothing to do with what any listening module ever taught. Here's what real active listening costs, why dismissing it as a soft skill is a dangerous mistake, and what it actually looks like when the stakes are hi

Workplace violence prevention starts with better communication, such as active listening and rapport building, skills used by police hostage negotiators during crisis negotiations.

Peer review can keep homicide investigations from going stale by bringing fresh eyes, diverse disciplines, and red-team thinking into major case reviews. This article explains how multidisciplinary case reviews help challenge assumptions, identify missed leads, strengthen evidence, improve interview planning, and keep investigative momentum alive before time, workload, and competing priorities weaken a case.

Science-Based Interviewing (SBI) must come before Artificial Intelligence (AI) in policing. Pseudoscientific lie detection and accusatory tactics feed garbage into investigations, and AI will only amplify those errors. Evidence-based SBI—rapport, active listening, open-ended questions—produces reliable, information-rich statements. That’s the data AI can actually use to strengthen cases and build trust in the information age of policing.

Red teaming is a structured approach investigators use to challenge assumptions, counter confirmation bias, and strengthen investigative decision-making. Rather than reinforcing early conclusions, red teaming introduces disciplined skepticism, helping teams test working theories, evaluate evidence more critically, and explore alternative explanations. When applied intentionally, red teaming improves accuracy, reduces risk, and supports more defensible investigative outcomes.

National Police Week is a time to pause and recognize the service, sacrifice, and commitment of law enforcement officers across the United States. Observed each May and anchored by Peace Officers Memorial Day on May 15th, the week brings together officers, families, and communities to honor those who lost their lives in the line of duty. Police Week also serves as a moment of reflection—acknowledging the risks of policing, supporting survivors, and reinforcing the shared reme

Enhancing leadership skills through active listening is paramount for fostering better team dynamics and collaboration. By diving into three key active listening techniques— Active listening at a team meeting emotional labeling, summarizing, and reflecting meaning—leaders can cultivate rapport, trust, and understanding within their teams. We will explore how implementing these critical skills can elevate leadership abilities, improve communication, and build stronger, more co

Instructor-Led, Participant-Centered (ILPC) instruction is at the core of Insight & Integrity (IXI) workshops because it drives meaningful learning and long-term retention. Rather than relying on passive, lecture-based delivery, ILPC methods actively engage participants through discussion, practice, and real-world application. This approach aligns with learning science, strengthens listening and memory, and ensures skills are not just taught but retained, applied, and carried

Active listening skills improve communication by helping people gather better information, build rapport, and reduce misunderstandings. Learn how open-ended questions, effective pauses, paraphrasing, emotional labels, and summaries help uncover the information beneath the surface in workplace conversations, interviews, and investigations.