News

Law enforcement has increasingly become the primary point of contact for individuals living with mental illness and the presence of these individuals in jail populations has grown to crisis proportions. A new report, developed by the Major County Sheriffs of America, identifies innovative practices which have proven successful in reducing the arrest and incarceration of individuals living with mental illness in jurisdictions across the country. Copies of this report can be downloaded at: https://tinyurl.com/yx8oghrl

The Justice Technology Information Center recently released two new reports related to the ways in which law enforcement agencies use UAS to fulfill their missions. The Testing of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems for Law Enforcement Use in Indoor Tactical Missions summarizes testing done by three law enforcement agencies on using small unmanned aircraft systems for indoor tactical missions. Information on the effects and potential limitations imposed by maneuvering in tight, confined spaces and in environments where GPS, video and command/control…

The Justice Technology Information Center (JTIC), a National Institute of Justice program, has recently added a new model program to its school safety Web site (https://tinyurl.com/y3s967vd) which highlights the school safety educational program implemented by the City of Falls Church, Virginia. “The First 12 Minutes” is a multifaceted program which provides training to administrators, teachers and school staff, all within a three hour window, at no charge to the participating schools. This program includes active shooter response and Stop the Bleed®…

With support from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) conducted a multiyear project to assess homicide investigation practices in five cities: Baltimore, Cleveland, Houston, Miami, and Pittsburgh. A recent report, Promising Strategies for Strengthening Homicide Investigations, summarizes the lessons learned from those studies and serves as a roadmap to effective homicide investigations, based on policies, practices and strategies which police departments have found successful. A copy of the report can be found at https://tinyurl.com/yym8bjem

The National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) provides a nationwide support system for law enforcement and regulatory agencies tasked with the prevention, investigation and prosecution of economic and high-tech crime. With assistance from the Indiana State Police, NW3C has developed a Seizure of Virtual and Crypto Currencies Model Policy. The model policy, which outlines the recommended steps to seize cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, was reviewed by the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s Computer Crime and Digital Evidence Committee and the…

In August 2017, the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) convened a meeting of 40 rank-and-file officers as part of a roundtable discussion regarding their roles in implementing their agencies’ community policing policies and operations. The officers came from departments across the country and explored a wide range of issues from the viewpoint of those who work on the ground. The meeting provided insights and recommendations for ways in which officers, law enforcement leaders and…

One of the biggest challenges in policing is anticipating where, and when, crime will occur in order to efficiently deploy police resources. The near repeat phenomenon is a known crime pattern which can inform police intervention and deployment strategies. The near repeat pattern for burglary can be used to inform the testing of different intervention strategies to prevent additional burglaries. This project was funded by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Researchers worked with the…

The Federal Commission on School Safety recently released its final report with recommendations on how schools can prevent, protect and mitigate, and respond to a school shooting or other significant threat. The report contains nearly 100 recommendations, including doing more to address mental health issues and ensuring interoperability of local law enforcement and school communications equipment. To download a copy of the full report, visit https://tinyurl.com/y8qez3xs

Several new resources are now available to help emergency responders and healthcare workers develop specific guidance and training to protect themselves and save lives during incidents involving fourth generation nerve agents, also known as Novichoks or A-series nerve agents.  Following the incidents in the United Kingdom in 2018 involving a fourth generation agent, the White House National Security Council convened a federal interagency working group to identify and develop resources to help the emergency response community prepare for, and respond…

Witmer Public Safety Group, Inc. (WPSG), the nation’s leading multi-channel distributor of public safety equipment, supplies, training,  and service, is excited to announce their recent acquisition of Interstate Arms, the nation’s oldest wholesaler of firearms, weapon accessories and ammunition, headquartered in Billerica, MA. “We are pleased to bring Interstate Arms into our family of public safety brands,” said James Witmer, CEO of WPSG.  “In addition to serving the wholesale commercial firearms industry for over four decades, Interstate Arms has also…