2020

Jurisdictions around the country are exploring strategies to improve the outcomes of encounters between law enforcement and people who have mental health needs. In an effort to expand the knowledge base for law enforcement agencies interested in starting or enhancing a comprehensive police/mental health collaboration, the Council of State Governments Justice Center, with assistance from a team of national experts and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, selected ten law enforcement agencies to serve as national law…

Law enforcement agencies across the country are facing the challenge of how to efficiently respond to people their officers frequently encounter and spending an enormous amount of time and resources ineffectively responding to these individuals. Often known as “high utilizers,” these individuals are typically well known to law enforcement agencies and many times have serious mental health concerns, substance use disorders and other significant health and social service needs. Developed with funding support from the US Department of Justice’s Bureau…

Local leaders face plenty of hurdles in funding and sustaining their efforts to reduce the number of people in jails who have mental illnesses or substance use disorders. They might struggle to work across sectors to leverage available resources or encounter difficulties interpreting complex regulations about federal funding eligibility and usage. Meanwhile, the sheer number of available federal funding opportunities can be overwhelming. To respond to this need, The Council of State Governments Justice Center created “Financing the Future of…

It is with great sadness that we mark the passing of P&SN’s Technology Editor, William D. Siuru, Jr. Bill passed away on July 12, 2020, in Banning, California. He was born on January 29, 1938, in Detroit, Michigan, to William B. Siuru and Bertha Siuru. Like most kids who grew up in Detroit during the golden age of the American automobile, Bill loved cars – not just driving them, but taking them apart and putting them back together. His fascination…

Recently, the NRA and the Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs filed an amicus brief in support of retired, federal law enforcement officers, who brought suit against the state of New Jersey under the Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act (“LEOSA”). LEOSA allows current and retired qualified officers with identification issued by their agency to carry a concealed firearm nationwide, regardless of state law. The plaintiffs here meet those qualifications. Yet the state of New Jersey, in violation of…