On Thursday, January 19, 2023, I delivered monthly remarks to 90 attendees of the Bergen County Police Chiefs Association in Wood-ridge, New Jersey.

“These monthly remarks (delivered for 21 consecutive years) address issues of ethical leadership, violence prevention, and public safety.

“At this event, my remarks focused on America’s active shooter and mass shooting crisis, and as follows:

“America’s culture of violence is inseparable from our emergence to a nation of trauma. The violence is horrifically illustrated by our active shooter and mass shooting pandemic.

“Some working definitions of each are in order.

“According to the FBI, an active shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area.” [i]

“The Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit research group that tracks gun violence using police reports, news coverage and other public sources, defines a mass shooting as one in which at least four people were killed or injured.

“The Gun Violence Archive (GVA) counted 648 mass shootings in 2022, with 36 having four or more fatalities.

“The GVA recorded 690 mass shootings in 2021, with 28 involving four or more fatalities.

“According to the GVA, there were 610 mass shootings in 2020 with 21 having four or more fatalities. [ii]

“As of today, January 19, 2023, there have been 33 mass shootings in America, 4 or more people shot in one incident, so far this year, an average of more than 1 per day.

“The latest, 2 days ago in Salt Lake City, Utah, with a man shooting to death his wife, her mother, and their 5 kids before killing himself. Records show warning signs were present years before with investigations of child abuse, but prosecution was declined.” [iii]

“Remain vigilant chiefs, as these are violent times here in America. Remember, your work is noble, necessary, and appreciated.”

Note Well: This abbreviated post has been crafted into a comprehensive article titled America's Head On Collision: A Culture of Violence and Crisis of Character. It will be published in a national publication in February 2023.

The expanded article will detail active shooter, mass shootings, and public corruption.

It will then shift from this atmosphere of darkness in America to hope with solutions to reawakening the nation.

Post Script:

Tragically, within days of this these remarks to the BCPCA, horrific incidents occurred throughout America including the following:

Jan. 23 – 12 injured in mass shooting at Baton Rouge, LA nightclub.

Jan. 23 – 2 students dead, employee in serious condition in Des Moines shooting.

Jan. 23 – 7 killed in two related shootings at farm and trucking firm in Half Moon Bay, CA, a coastal community south of San Francisco.

Jan. 21 – Mass shooting in Monterey Park, CA with eleven killed and nine injured at Lunar New Year celebration.

About the Author

Vincent J. Bove is a national speaker and author on issues critical to America with over 300 published works. His most recent books are “Reawakening America” and “Listen to Their Cries.”

Bove is recipient of the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award, former confidant of the New York Yankees, and served as spokesperson for a coalition of Virginia Tech tragedy victim’s families.

For 20 years, Vincent has been a Board Certified Protection Professional (CPP), Board Certified Crime Prevention Specialist, Certified Police Training Commission Instructor, Crime Prevention Practitioner, and USDOJ Certified Community Anti-Terrorism Instructor Trainer.

Bove is also a licensed State of New Jersey / Division of State Police SORA Instructor, owner of Reawakening America LLC, and co-founder of Global Security Resolutions LLC, an international investigative company.

Contact: vincent@vincentbove.com