National Police Academy

Police responses to psychosocial crises frequently unfold in ambiguous, emotionally charged situations. While many encounters are handled professionally, others escalate, sometimes fatally. This paper observes such outcomes through a systemic lens rather than isolated individual decisions. Drawing on systems theory, we argue that the dominant model of officer safety, what we term Officer Safety 1.0, relies on three core assumptions: that safety is a producible condition, that violence is an external threat, and that thinking is guided by a linear, input–output logic concerning police-citizen interaction. These assumptions shape how officers perceive and act in complex situations, often reinforcing rigid and reactive forms of engagement that may inadvertently escalate risk. Officer Safety 1.0, in this sense, is grounded in a logic of linear control. We introduce an alternative model—Officer Safety 2.0—which retains the functional goal of control but reconfigures its foundation through reflexivity. In this model, safety is understood as a socially constructed fiction, violence as an interactive risk, and thinking is guided by a nonlinear understanding of social interactions. Within this model, control emerges from insight: the reflexive capacity to observe one’s own assumptions and their effects on the unfolding situation. Officers are encouraged not only to observe events, but also to reflect on the interpretive frameworks guiding their perceptions and actions. This reflexive approach aims to expand the behavioral repertoire available to officers, enabling more adaptive and situationally attuned responses that reduce the likelihood of escalation. Officer Safety 2.0 is not a replacement for existing tactics, but an educational framework that reframes them within a broader understanding of system logic and human interaction. It shifts the foundation of safety thinking from the pursuit of linear control to the cultivation of insight as a form of reflexive control.

Abstract This paper asks whether police vetting decision-makers are influenced by ethnic characteristics of applicants. Using seven vignette scenarios and random allocation of applicant ethnicity and name ( n = 1,778 decisions), we were able to test whether applicant-stated ethnicity and name affected vetting decisions. We found that in five of seven scenarios ethnicity did not influence vetting approval. However, in two scenarios we found that ethnic minority group membership led to lower vetting approval rates compared to the reference group of White applicants. This study, the first to test vetting decision-makers experimentally, illustrates that ethnic group membership can affect vetting approval decisions in more complex situations. Implications for training, practice and policy are discussed and we set out some options for reducing the risk of bias and how this work has informed policy in this area.

Hypertension (HTN), a chronic inflammatory condition, is a major cardiovascular risk factor. Dysregulation of inflammatory cytokines and brain-gut peptides contributes to its progression. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a Tai Chi rehabilitation program on blood pressure, inflammatory cytokines [interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10)], and brain-gut peptides [neurotensin (NT), gastrin (GAS)] in patients with HTN, hypothesizing that Tai Chi would improve these parameters compared with Fitness exercise or no intervention. A randomized controlled trial enrolled 105 patients with HTN and coronary heart disease. Participants were randomized into the Tai Chi group (n = 35), Fitness group (n = 35), or Blank group (n = 35). The intervention lasted 24 weeks (3 sessions per week, 60min per session, 40-60% heart rate reserve). Blood pressure and serum levels of IL-6, IL-10, NT, and GAS were measured before and after the intervention using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS version 27, applying paired t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson correlation. Ninety participants completed the study (Tai Chi group: 31, Fitness group: 28, Blank group: 31). The Tai Chi group showed significant reductions in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and IL-6 (p < 0.001), along with increases in IL-10, NT, and GAS (p < 0.001) compared to baseline. Compared with the Fitness group, the Tai Chi group achieved greater increases in NT and GAS (p < 0.05). Compared with the Blank group, the Tai Chi group demonstrated superior reductions in SBP and IL-6 (p < 0.05). Reductions in IL-6 were negatively correlated with increases in NT and GAS (p < 0.001). Tai Chi rehabilitation lowered systolic blood pressure, reduced inflammation, and improved brain-gut peptides, supporting its role as a complementary therapy for hypertension. The modest sample size, 14.3% dropout rate, and recruitment from two hospitals may limit generalizability, and larger multi-center studies with longer follow-up are needed. The trial was registered with the International Traditional Medicine Clinical Trial Registry (Registration No. ITMCTR2024000813; registration date: 2024/12/13).

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have become an integral part of modern biotechnology. However, their increasing use has sparked complex debates. The controversy pertains to balancing the benefits of biotechnological improvements against potential risks to biodiversity and public health. The current study aims to critically evaluate the legal texts related to accountability and civil liability for damages caused by GMOs. It seeks to assess the adequacy of UAE legislation in establishing effective mechanisms for liability and compensation for environmental and health impacts, thus answering the central question to what extent does the current UAE law enhance accountability compared to international standards. It employs a descriptive-analytical and comparative legal approach based on the analysis and critique of relevant international and UAE legal documents. The findings reveal that the UAE has established an advanced regulatory system aligned with international standards; however, significant legal gaps remain in definitional clarity, sanctions framework, liability rules, and enforcement provisions. The study concludes with a synthesis table and figure mapping points of convergence and difference between national and international instruments. The study recommends further development of the rules related to compensation and penalties to ensure appropriate legal deterrence for GMO-related harm and calls for legislative amendments that enhance the clarity of texts and their integration with international frameworks.

This study examined the barriers to family planning (FP) service delivery as perceived by health workers in selected health centers in District 2, Marikina City. The study is anchored on the WHO Health Systems Framework (WHO, 2007) and the Socio-Ecological Model (Bronfenbrenner, 1979), which explain how systemic, organizational, and socio-cultural factors interact to influence health service delivery. Specifically, it identified organizational, technical, resource-related, and socio-cultural factors that influence the implementation of FP programs and explored strategies to improve service delivery. A descriptive quantitative research design was employed, utilizing a structured self-administered questionnaire distributed to health workers involved in FP service provision. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, and weighted mean, with limited qualitative inputs from respondents’ perspectives used to support interpretation of the results. Findings revealed that organizational challenges such as staffing shortages, high workload, and policy-related issues significantly affected FP service delivery. Technical and resource-related barriers included inconsistent supply of contraceptives, limited training opportunities, and inadequate infrastructure. Socio-cultural factors, particularly misconceptions about FP methods, cultural beliefs, and religious influences, were also perceived as major barriers to FP utilization among clients. Despite these challenges, health workers identified capacity-building activities, improved supply chain management, strengthened community education, and sustained policy support as key strategies for enhancing FP service delivery.

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine the effects of eccentric resistance training (ERT) versus traditional resistance training (TRT) on muscle strength, power, hypertrophy, and functional capacity in healthy older adults. Eleven randomized-controlled-trials were included. Between-group analysis for strength demonstrated a small but significant effect in favour of ERT over TRT (standardized-mean-difference [SMD]=0.27). No significant differences were found for functional capacity (SMD=0.12), muscle power (SMD=0.20), or hypertrophy (SMD=-0.03). Within-group analyses for ERT indicated large, significant effects for strength (SMD=0.96) and functional capacity (SMD=1.09) with no significant effects for power and hypertrophy. For TRT, large and moderate significant effects were found for functional capacity (SMD=0.94) and strength (SMD=0.59), respectively, with no significant effects for power and hypertrophy. Meta-regression analysis indicated that longer intervention durations were approaching-significance in their association with greater muscle strength gains with ERT than TRT (p = 0.09). With ERT, increasing age was significantly associated with greater muscle power gains (p = 0.04) and more sessions were approaching-significance in their association with hypertrophy (p = 0.08). Regarding TRT, a higher proportion of female participants was approaching-significance in its association with greater functional capacity gains (p = 0.09). In summary, ERT yields slightly greater muscle strength gains than TRT in older adults, while both produced comparable effects on functional capacity, muscle power, and hypertrophy. The two training modalities elicit moderate-to-large within-group improvements in strength and functional capacity but not in power or hypertrophy. ERT outcomes appear to be moderated by training duration, session number, and age, whereas TRT effects relate to female proportion. Overall, both modalities are effective for older adults, with a slight strength advantage for ERT.

Purpose. This study explores the impact of Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) and Muay-Thai (Thai) training on police use-of-force (PUF) performance in a simulated call using a sample of Latin American police. Methods. Thirty-four police cadets from a southern Brazilian state were split into three groups based on martial arts experience: BJJ, Thai, and control (no experience). Their performance was evaluated in a simulated use-of-force scenario in terms of tactics, decision-making, de-escalation, team safety, and movement execution accuracy. Findings. There were large differences in favor of the trained groups for movement execution, effectiveness, final grade, and collective scores, but no significant differences between BJJ and Thai groups. Practical implications. Police departments should provide (or, at least, incentivize) supplemental BJJ or Thai training for their officers to increase or maintain PUF performance. The results also suggest that officers can achieve high-performance levels in PUF with proper reality-based departmental use-of-force training alone. Originality. This study examined the relationship between supplemental martial arts training and officers' performance in a highly ethnically diverse and mixed Latin American law enforcement population, addressing several key limitations in the existing literature. Specifically, it evaluated participants' performance in a simulated high-stress police scenario, enabling an assessment of both decision-making and tactical execution. Furthermore, the study compared officers who received supplemental training in sparring and reality-based modalities with those who relied exclusively on departmental arrest and control training, incorporating a novel, highly reality-based approach.

Law no. 206/2025 on aquaculture, which entered into force on December 7, 2025, is an extremely useful legal instrument in the reference field because it establishes the legal framework for the development of this economic sector in our country, while ensuring the possibility of sustainable development in the rural environment. Like any other normative act regulating a specific field, this law also contains the chapter on liability and sanctions, which also includes the part of incrimination norms. These incrimination norms are part, according to art. 173 of the Criminal Code, of the scope of the concept of "criminal law". In this context, it is necessary to analyse the legal content of the offenses in this law, emphasizing the norms of legislative technique.

Traditional physical education often lacks personalization and fails to optimize training efficiency. To address this, this study proposes a three-layer VR-based framework integrating data acquisition, algorithmic analysis, and immersive content delivery to support personalized and adaptive sports training. The framework enables real-time feedback and dynamic course adjustment based on individual performance and interest. Empirical results show that the VR-enhanced training improves basketball shooting efficiency by 1.79 times, reduces fatigue through a 23% improvement in blood lactate threshold, and achieves high movement consistency across scenarios (ρ=0.92). These findings demonstrate the framework's effectiveness in enhancing both skill acquisition and transfer. This research provides a replicable model for intelligent physical education systems, contributing to the integration of knowledge management and experiential learning in sports training.

In this paper, anodization of aluminum strips was carried out in a mixed electrolyte of oxalic acid and ammonium hypophosphite, and a unique porous anodic alumina (PAA) with cavity structures was discovered. By dividing the current–time curve during its anodizing process into five stages and conducting anodization step by step, the growth process of PAA with cavity structures was restored. The samples obtained from the above experiments were characterized by FESEM and analyzed by EDS. The FADT cannot effectively analyze the formation process and causes of PAA with cavity structures. By analyzing it with the help of the viscous flow model, the electronic current theory and the oxygen bubble model effect, the formation mechanism of this special structure can be well explained. The complex anodizing current–time curve was explained by the electron current theory rather than the field-assisted dissolution theory. We have discovered that the main reason for the formation of this structure is that the balance between the electronic current and the ionic current is disrupted, leading to the rate of oxygen generation being much higher than the rate of oxide growth.