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Hosted by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), this article discusses the unprecedented demands that the issue of human trafficking places on law enforcement.  While states and local communities have adopted legislation and regulations related to prevention, enforcement and intervention, enforcing these laws and combating trafficking requires widespread awareness of the issue, development of specialized investigation units, greater collaboration with prosecution, a focus on training for recruits, and enhanced training for veterans. A copy of the article can…

Published by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), this report is a result of the Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection Act which was passed to better understand the factors related to law enforcement officer suicides and attempted suicides. The Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection (LESDC), managed by the FBI, provides law enforcement agencies with a system to report data about officers who have died by or attempted suicide. For the FBI’s inaugural release of this information, as an infographic, 22…

Following the success of its first season, The Debrief with Jon Becker came back for season two which started February 1, 2023.The new season will feature interviews of Medal of Honor Recipient MSgt. Earl Plumlee debriefing his actions on August 28, 2013, in Afghanistan; RCMP Inspector Kevin Cyr discussing RCMP-ERT and tactical decision making; Chief Phil Hansen on the history of LASD-SEB and modern leadership challenges; as well as an operator from Brigade de Recherche et D’intervention (BRI) with a…

The COPS Office recently announced that the following grant funding opportunities are now open and accepting applications. The 2023 Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act program is a competitive grant program which provides funding to improve the delivery of, and access to, mental health and wellness services for law enforcement through the implementation of peer support, training, family resources, suicide prevention, and other promising practices for wellness programs. The 2023 LEMHWA program will include two open solicitations: The LEMHWA…

Published by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), this report is a complete assessment of firearms dealings in the United States and the diversion of firearms to illegal markets. Volume I, “Firearms in Commerce,” published in May 2022, focused specifically on the regulated firearms industry. According to the report, a crime gun is any firearm used or suspected to have been used in a crime. This NFCTA volume is the first all-inclusive report to include crime gun…

Published by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), this publication discusses peer support as an important part of an officer wellness strategy. Employees may feel more comfortable initially seeking support from a peer who understands the context and has experienced the same stressors. This guide provides a road map for small and rural law enforcement agencies implementing or enhancing peer support services. It highlights promising practices and provides brief case studies of peer support programs in three small…

Published by the National Suicide Awareness for Law Enforcement Officers Program (SAFLEO), this brief discusses the reluctance of some law enforcement officers to seek mental health treatment. The people closest to them often hold a special kind of influence when trying to convince their loved ones to seek help. This SAFLEO issue brief provides ways for family members, friends and others to support their law enforcement loved ones and shares practical strategies for helping officers in need.  The brief can…

Published by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), this publication discusses the importance of victim centered, trauma informed approaches to crime. These approaches enhance victim and community safety while helping law enforcement solve and prevent crime. The Agency Self-Assessment Tool for Law Enforcement Victim Support is designed to assist law enforcement agencies in reviewing practices related to victim response – specifically the integration of victim centered, trauma informed practices into the overall operating philosophy and culture of the…

Published by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), this report is part of PERF’s Critical Issues in Policing series. The report discusses the current state of recruitment training, with its demand that we rethink – and remake – the system for how new police officers are trained. We need national consensus and national standards on what the training contains, how it is delivered and by whom. While this report may present a grim picture of the current state of recruit…

Law enforcement have long used online escort advertisements to identify sex trafficking victims and investigate cases. Investigators have used and shared several indicators with each other in practice over the years, but these indicators have not been empirically tested for predictive power to support investigative decisions or the use of ads as evidence in court. This study has two objectives: Examine whether there are indicators which can differentiate escort ads related to sex trafficking from ads for consensual, non-trafficking sex…