Training gaps, legal risks and decontamination lessons in protest policing
From Policing Matters by Police1.com
May 13, 2026 · 48 min · Episode 556
About this episode
This episode discusses the challenges of protest policing, including training gaps and legal risks, featuring insights from Robert Sorensen.
As agencies prepare for protests, demonstrations and civil unrest, police leaders face mounting pressure to balance public safety, constitutional rights and officer protection under constant public scrutiny. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley speaks with Robert Sorensen, director of strategic partnerships and agency liaison for SoRite and a longtime less lethal instructor, about the evolving challenges surrounding chemical agents, crowd control tactics and public order policing. Their conversation explores training shortcomings, leadership decision-making, legal liability, decontamination practices and the growing debate over restricting less lethal tools. About our sponsor This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is sponsored by OfficerStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting OfficerStore.com.
People in this episode
Host: Jim Dudley
Guest: Robert Sorensen
Topics covered
- protest policing
- public safety
- legal risks
- training gaps
- decontamination practices
- crowd control tactics
Keywords
- protest
- policing
- chemical agents
- crowd control
- decontamination
- less lethal tools
- public order
Sponsors
OfficerStore
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: SoRite
More episodes of Policing Matters
- What cops forget, families remember · June 10, 2026 · 41 min
- Dallas PD’s World Cup playbook: Plan in pencil, not pen · June 9, 2026 · 34 min
- Why proactive policing remains policing’s toughest balancing act · June 3, 2026 · 34 min
- How AI is reshaping police investigations — and why human oversight still matters · May 20, 2026 · 50 min
- Why new police supervisors struggle — and how to fix it · May 6, 2026 · 48 min
- The new frontline is above you — are you ready for drone threats? · April 29, 2026 · 28 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Policing Matters podcast page.