Police officers' day-to-day effectiveness relies on responding to the world around them. Today, that task includes understanding and working with technology.

Social media's growing role in community communications is too important to ignore, and tech-savvy police departments can even receive tips from the public and distribute public safety information via Facebook, Twitter or other platforms.

In the wake of tragedies such as the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, communities and police departments often review school resource officer programs. The organizational policies behind these strategies are sometimes complicated. For instance, state government agencies are often involved in planning and funding the deployments alongside local police departments.

Police, Fire, EMS: The divisions between first responder departments are distinct in most communities. In small-town settings, however, combining duties could increase the percentage of full-time emergency personnel on staff and reduce response times.

Body-worn camera initiatives in correctional facilities may fail to get off the ground unless the program includes well-defined policies. These typically include recording protocols, data storage and user access.

Law enforcement agencies across the country are facing unprecedented recruitment challenges. While all differ in size and the communities they serve, each could benefit by following a few best practices.

Department leaders hoping to keep their best and brightest officers for years to come should consider whether they're on the same page as their personnel when it comes to benefits and opportunities for advancement. If officers don't see a chance to learn new skills and move up in the ranks, they may begin looking for employment elsewhere.

Today's law enforcement officers face unprecedented challenges with expanding responsibilities.  In addition to responding to calls for service and deterring crime, they are now charged with protecting their communities against domestic and foreign threats on a daily basis. Add to that the increase in cultural tensions and civil hostilities from community members they are sworn to protect.

Today's law enforcement recruiters are in a difficult position. The demand for qualified, responsible police officers is high - yet finding qualified candidates for this dangerous and demanding job is slow going. Some municipalities in collaboration with local police unions are making unprecedented changes to contractual agreements in order to attract qualified officers.

Drones armed with cameras and sensor payloads have been used by military and border control agencies for decades to improve situational awareness. Today's unmanned aerial vehicles have been brought to market - making them an invaluable tool for law enforcement.Police and fire departments around the country have a new equipment category to consider: drone aircraft. 

When asked which types of video technologies are most important to law enforcement over the next few years, officers overwhelmingly named body-worn cameras. This raises the question: Are departments ready to handle these devices?

When it comes to skills such as making high-risk traffic stops or pursuing a suspect's vehicle in hazardous driving conditions, police officers need training to feel as close to the real thing as possible.

Training sessions that accurately reflect extreme conditions can help officers react effectively. To this end, agencies have a variety of options at their disposal, including driving practice in cars that simulate dangerous weather, as well as scenarios that combine driving and shoot-out elements.