News

Published by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), this article argues that written and spoken communications authored and leaked by lone perpetrators who actively plan and prepare targeted violence can be utilized to prevent destructive attacks. Targeted violence refers to intended attacks by an offender who preselects one or more targets, such as people at a specific location in a public setting (e.g., school, workplace, concert). A copy of the article can be found at https://tinyurl.com/bdaxkw78

39th Annual Law Enforcement Operations Conference & Trade Show The National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA) is proud to announce registration is now open for its 39th Annual Law Enforcement Operations Conference & Trade Show. The Wisconsin Center is the location for this six-day event featuring more than 100 seminars and incident debriefs that will provide high-quality training to help enhance tactics, leadership and professionalism. Hundreds of vendors will also present the latest in law enforcement technology at a two-day trade…

Published by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), this publication discusses the Officer Safety and Wellness Group which convened virtually in July 2021 to discuss law enforcement safety and wellness challenges during the global COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide civil unrest of summer 2020. The meetings focused on functioning with limited resources, dealing simultaneously with multiple critical events, and lessons learned with respect to mitigating future crises. A copy of the full publication can be downloaded at https://tinyurl.com/5f4px9pf

NIJ-funded researchers created a toolkit to help reduce the likelihood of mass shootings and other public attacks, and reduce the casualties of completed attacks.    After studying 600 mass attack events and plots, interviewing dozens of experts and reviewing hundreds of references, the team identified the Mass Attacks Defense Chain, a series of defenses which work together to reduce the probability of mass attacks and their impacts. In this toolkit, researchers describe the most important tips they found to help…

On April 27, 2022, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Law Enforcement Knowledge Lab, a free training, technical assistance and resource hub for law enforcement designed to promote constitutional policing, improve public safety, and build trust in communities across the country. Agencies will be able to turn to the Knowledge Lab for free, voluntary resources, including research summaries, profiles of best practices, training curricula, and a roster of constitutional policing experts to support their needs. The…

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) funded the development of a cloud-based capability which enables first responders to review and analyze indoor floor plans in real-time when responding to incidents. Mappedin Response was developed in collaboration with Mappedin Inc. of Waterloo, Ontario, and is available to first responders and local governments as a licensed cloud-based service.       “It has been a major challenge for first responders to quickly determine the layouts of structures, hindering them from…

Published by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), this report discusses the causes and consequences of school violence and how to improve strategies for protecting against school violence and its detrimental effects. The report offers one of the most comprehensive reviews of school violence research to date, helping identify several important implications for strategies to reduce school violence and suggestions for future research. It will also shed light on which factors are strongly or weakly associated with school violence which…

A newly released report details research focused on measuring key fire-related properties to better understand not only the properties of the material, but also the difficulty and cost in measuring those properties. This research effectively created a more accurate methodology for predicting how things burn to aid in arson investigations. In the report, “Determination of Material Property Input Data for Fire Modeling,” researcher Brian Lattimer noted that the results, “will not only provide a more standardized approach for material property…

Published by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the 2022 Annual Threat Assessment report focuses on the worldwide threats to US national security for the upcoming year and specifically provides the Intelligence Community’s baseline assessments of the most pressing threats to US national interests, while emphasizing the United States’ key adversaries and competitors. The report details the objectives, activities and capabilities of four adversarial nations: China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Additionally, it examines conflicts and instability taking…

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, has published online trainings titled “Responding to First Amendment-Protected Events – The Role of State and Local Law Enforcement Officers.”  This Web site provides training videos to assist law enforcement personnel in understanding their roles and responsibilities as they prepare for, and respond to, First Amendment-protected events; protecting the privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties of persons and groups participating in these events; and reinforcing fundamental…