![]() Write about something you have a real passion for and your writing will reflect it.Write about a subject that is within your area of expertise.Find out what law enforcement needs and write about it-fill a void. What are the hot issues inciting national attention: terrorism, child abduction, ethics, identity theft, training, etc. Is there a demand for or widespread interest in your subject? Just because some officers might be fascinated in the dynamics of police boot selection, doesn’t mean this subject will spark the excitement of a national audience. Use the following list as a guide to assist in subject selection. Selecting a subject should not be difficult, as most police authors know exactly what they want to write about, however, subject selection is very important. At 10 cents per word, an article like this could yield about $245.00. Many commercial law enforcement publications pay an average of 10 to 25 cents per word and any new product or training courses highlighted through articles will have great exposure to the publication’s entire readership. Lastly, having articles published can be profitable. Additionally, officers who conduct research for their articles meet other officers and experts across the country and even if the contact is only by phone or email, this networking and development of national contacts is highly valuable. During promotion time, having a Professional Publications section on a resume is quite impressive and can distinguish such police authors from the rest of the crowd. Having published work can enhance an officer’s career development as well. ![]() Having an article published may reach a subscription audience of 30,000 to 50,000 police professionals, all having exposure to your words and learning from what you have provided. If you have ever done any training, ask yourself, what is the largest number of officers you have trained at one time? Twenty? Fifty? ![]() Published officers who are trainers can use their own written materials for handouts in their classes rather than rely on the written work of other experts. Officers who produce published work develop a higher level of subject matter expertise and this adds substantial credibility when testifying in court as an expert witness or while delivering training to others. Publication is a form of validation and this substantiation that the written work is acceptable for a mass audience is professionally rewarding.ĭespite the feel good part of writing, there are many other benefits as well. The completion of a quality manuscript can produce a high degree of satisfaction and even more so if the work is accepted for publication. Many police authors start writing as a hobby, usually initiated by a desire to share information that will be of some value to others. All four entities depend upon each other and this relationship would cease to exist if police officers did not share their valuable experience, opinions, and ideas to train and educate through the written word. These are the ABC’s of law enforcement publications. As subscribers read and benefit from the information, they are exposed to the advertising, and thus, become potential consumers. Authors fill the publication with information (articles) that subscribers want or need. In other words, the readers of the publication will be the most likely to purchase the advertiser’s products. Publishers exist because of advertising dollars and attract advertisers through a healthy circulation that targets a specific potential consumer base-like police officers. ![]() In the publication circle of life, there are four critical entities that must rely on each other for survival: publishers, authors, subscribers, and the advertisement of products and services. Nearly all of the authors who write for police publications are freelance writers-the professional men and women of law enforcement-and their stories, expertise, and opinions, once read, have the power to teach, influence, and enhance professional careers. The beneficiaries of this industry range from agency heads, who in developing strategic planning, use such resources to gain and benefit from a national perspective, to patrol officers who expose themselves to new safety techniques, training, or equipment that might save their lives. America’s law enforcement print media-magazines, newsletters, websites, and newspapers-is a strong and needed industry.
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