Last year was a rough one for law enforcement officers in America. Vilified and ranted against, the police have seen a tremendous shift in thought process across the country. While they have been forced to question and analyze their actions, they have also pondered how their work will be affected in future.

Will the "use of force" be forever dictated by fear of media and public opinion, or will there be a balance between justifiable force in the field and protecting the rights of citizens? Clearly, some changes are needed, and this has led law enforcement leaders to examine new use-of-force principles.

Last week, more than 200 law enforcement leaders gathered in Washington, D.C., to discuss these issues and rethink the ways they can use force in the field of action. On the table were 30 new guiding principles that focused on the various situations, ways and timings when the police should use force.

In the face of nationwide outrage and protests against questionable shootings and violent arrests, police training is set to see some major changes in the near future. Multiple training guidelines are being drafted, but all have the same focus: going beyond the Supreme Court-adopted basic legal standard to judge each situation logically and act as a "reasonable officer" would do.

For example, officer training in Dallas now includes moving backward and away from targets, not toward them. This along with the use of 100 blue-tipped sponge projectiles rather than guns will be one of the first efforts to de-escalate situations. In Camden, New Jersey, officer training and counseling focused on keeping cool, being patient and respecting the sanctity of life even in a hostile situation.

If the new guiding principles are adopted after review and enacted, more than 18,000 law enforcement agencies across the country could expect a complete re-haul of policing policies, which many view outdated in the 21st century. While the focus will be on preserving human lives in any situation, it will also aim at guiding officers to respond to a situation proportionally to a suspect.

Keeping in mind the public's perception of that response is also important in this age of instant social communication. Creating more distance will not just diffuse a situation but also allow officers to use cover and give themselves more time to respond.

Another major proposed change is more cooperation between the various law enforcement agencies, local as well as national. This will not only better benefit society but also overall police work.

More officers want an expansion of rules like Indiana Code 8-15.7-11-1, which allows law enforcement officers jurisdiction throughout the entire state. Since crime traverses borders, the least our rules can do is relax the regional demarcations and help our officers fight crime better.

In Wichita, Kansas, various departments like the U.S. Marshal Service, Sedgwick County Sheriff's Department, Kansas Department of Correction and ATF are teaming up with the Wichita Police Department on a new Offender Registration Warrant Project. Marion County, Florida, saw a similar team-up between various local law enforcement agencies in an effort to apprehend a fugitive last week.

Only time will tell if these new changes lead to more effective and safe police work.