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Communication Skills Every FTO Should Teach By Jon Rappa Most officers graduate the academy with just enough training to survive a conversation — not enough to own it. But in policing, communication isn’t a soft skill — it’s a tactical…

Building Trust with the F-Word In any investigative interview, it is essential to build rapport with the victim, witness, or suspect.  This video blog will explain a great method for building connection, using the F-word (it’s not what you think).

The Funnel Method for Police Interviews By Jon Rappa The funnel method is a communication technique that can guide your investigative interview from broad topics to specific details. Think of your conversation as a funnel—starting wide with open-ended questions that…

10 Tips To Avoid False Confessions by Jon Rappa When I was young, my stepfather was murdered during a robbery. Two men were ultimately arrested, charged, and convicted for his murder. Growing up, I naturally assumed these guys paid the…

The Power of Keeping Quiet: Crafting Better Timelines By Jon Rappa When constructing a timeline during an investigation, one of the most critical rules is to avoid revealing what you already know. Whether the case involves murder, robbery, sexual harassment,…

Obtaining The Truth Without Coercion Mistakes offer valuable opportunities for growth. But what happens when well-intentioned officers cross the line? Instead of merely criticizing these actions, could we use them as a catalyst for improvement? In the complex realm of…

The Slippery Slope of Police Deception in Interrogations In the world of law enforcement, the tactics used during interviews have long been a subject of scrutiny and debate. One such tactic—lying to suspects about evidence—has been a controversial tool in…