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The Design, Delivery, and Evaluation of Police De-escalation Training Webinar

Registration is now open for the virtual webinar on the Design, Delivery, and Evaluation of Police De-escalation Training, presented by the Smart Policing Initiative and the Law Enforcement Knowledge Lab. The webinar will be held on January 16, 2025, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET.

De-escalation training has emerged as a strategy that many believe can improve outcomes and safety for law enforcement and community members. Despite the rapid adoption of de-escalation in policing, its evidence base is both limited and mixed. As a result, key questions about its impact remain unanswered. In 2017, the Tempe, Arizona Police Department (TPD) and researchers from Arizona State University (ASU) received funding through the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Smart Policing Initiative (SPI) to design, deliver, and evaluate a de-escalation training program. This webinar highlights the development, implementation, and evaluation of Tempe's efforts.

To ensure your registration, please complete by 10:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, January 16, 2025. If you encounter any issues during registration, please contact Tim Best at tbest@iir.com.

Register Here

IACP Officer Safety and Wellness Conference

Registration is now open for the IACP’s 2025 Officer Safety and Wellness Conference which will be held from March 11-13, 2025, in Anaheim, California. It will feature over 60 educational sessions covering the latest research, case studies, and promising practices, providing law enforcement professionals the opportunity to learn from experts in the field. More information can be found on IACP's website at https://www.theiacp.org/OSWConference

Register Here

New Report on Promotions in Law Enforcement

A new report from RAND, “Promotions in Law Enforcement - High-Priority Needs for Improving the Process to Identify and Select the Next Generation of Police Leaders,” presents 47 high-priority expert-identified needs to inform the development and implementation of valid, reliable, and fair promotion processes in police agencies. The report identifies needs and offers recommendations developed through a convening and conversations with police practitioners, researchers, and other stakeholders, to discuss how police agencies currently promote mid-level police leaders.

Read the Report

National Law Enforcement Accountability Database, 2018-2023

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), U.S. Department of Justice, has released its inaugural report on the National Law Enforcement Accountability Database (NLEAD), covering events from 2018 to 2023 that involve federal law enforcement officers and agencies. Established on December 18, 2023, under Executive Order 14074, NLEAD serves as a centralized repository documenting qualifying incidents involving federal law enforcement officers, including criminal convictions, suspension of an officer’s enforcement authorities related to misconduct, terminations related to misconduct, resignations or retirements while under investigation for serious misconduct, and sustained complaints or records of disciplinary action based on findings of serious misconduct. All federal law enforcement agencies reported during the period, with 57% reporting qualifying incidents to the NLEAD, and 43% submitted documentation that they had zero qualifying incidents for 2018–2023.

Read the Report

Pursuit Management Online Training for Executives Announced

A new 3-hour eLearning course, "Vehicular Pursuit Management: Balancing Risks and Enhancing Safety," developed by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) and the federal National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), has been made available on the Office on Community Oriented Policing Services' (COPS) Training Portal. This free resource is designed for law enforcement executives, decision-makers, and policymakers and addresses the challenges of managing vehicular pursuits effectively. The course emphasizes decision-making strategies, risk assessment, and public safety, providing tools to minimize dangers to officers and communities. Through practical insights and expert guidance, this training supports agencies in refining their pursuit policies and practices. Accessible online, it reflects the commitment to enhancing safety and accountability in law enforcement operations.

Learn More About the Training

New Survey Results on Recruitment and Retention

In the summer of 2024, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) conducted a survey of its member agencies to better understand the challenges police agencies are facing regarding recruitment and retention. The IACP received responses from 1,158 U.S. agencies across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The results presented in this report illustrate the current state of recruitment and retention while also providing success stories from several agencies and suggestions for customized solutions.

Access the Survey Results

New Checklists on Specialized Units

The National Law Enforcement Knowledge Lab and the National Policing Institute have released "Considerations for Specialized Units: Checklists for State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies to Ensure Appropriateness, Effectiveness, and Accountability." The checklists have been developed to assist law enforcement agencies in the process of considering and forming a specialized unit and are based on the COPS Office's report, "Considerations for Specialized Units, A Guide for State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies to Ensure Appropriateness, Effectiveness, and Accountability."

Download the Checklist

Resource Available: Operationalizing Proactive Community Engagement

The U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), in February 2024, released "Operationalizing Proactive Community Engagement: A Framework for Police Organizations." This publication offers a structured approach for law enforcement agencies to integrate proactive community engagement into their daily operations.

The framework emphasizes three key components:

Defining Expectations: Establishing clear guidelines for proactive community engagement activities.
Leadership Involvement: Ensuring that agency leaders actively participate in and support engagement initiatives.
Accountability Measures: Implementing systems to monitor and assess the effectiveness of engagement efforts.

By adopting this framework, police organizations can build stronger relationships with the communities they serve, fostering trust and collaboration.

Access the full publication to explore strategies for enhancing community engagement in your agency.

Read the Publication

Law Enforcement's Use of Predictive Policing Strategies - Workshop Summary Released

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) has released the proceedings of a workshop examining law enforcement's use of predictive policing strategies. The workshop was held in June 2024 and included participants from academia and law enforcement. The workshop examined person- and place-based predictive policing strategies and was funded by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). Discussions covered definitions of what is "predictive," what is known about the effectiveness of the strategies and their use within law enforcement, and the risks and opportunities that may be associated with the strategies. Key observations include the importance of responding to a "prediction" with an appropriate intervention, the importance of transparent community engagement, and the need for an independent "FDA-like" body to conduct evaluations to determine the costs and benefits of the strategies.

View the Workshop Summary

GunStat Toolkit for Law Enforcement is Released

The National Resource and Technical Assistance Center for Improving Law Enforcement Investigations (NRTAC) has released a new toolkit for law enforcement agencies seeking to enhance their efforts to reduce violent crime through a data-driven strategy involving the identification, prosecution, and monitoring of gun offenders or GunStat. GunStat is based on the idea that a small number of offenders account for a disproportionate percentage of violent crimes, and strategies that identify and disrupt gun offending have been found effective in reducing violence. GunStat relies on the collaboration of local and federal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other stakeholders to track gun cases and offenders using collective benchmarks that promote data sharing. The GunStat Toolkit provides agencies with guidance and resources to support the implementation of a successful GunStat model. The toolkit describes the elements and processes required and how GunStat can complement a Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC).

Access the GunStat Toolkit

New Data on Training Academies and Recruits

The Bureau of Justice Statistics recently released summary statistic estimates and findings from the 2022 Census of Law Enforcement Training Academies (CLETA). CLETA periodically collects data from law enforcement training academies on recruits, staff, training curricula, equipment, and facilities. This report presents data on recruit demographics, types of training academies, training models, training completion rates, and training requirements.

Access the Survey Findings

Latest Resources

Visit the Knowledge Lab's full resource index

Guidebook/Tool | 2024

Preparing Law Enforcement Agencies for Embedded Clinicians

  • Community Trust and Partnerships
  • Mental Health and Crisis Response

Report | 2023

Dispatching Community Responders to 911 Calls

  • Crime and Violence Response
  • Community Trust and Partnerships
  • Mental Health and Crisis Response
  • Responding to Mass Critical Incidents

Guidebook/Tool | 2023

911 Dispatch Call Processing Protocols: Key Tools for Coordinating Effective Call Triage

  • Mental Health and Crisis Response

Guidebook/Tool, Webpage | 2023

Community-Driven Crisis Response: A Workbook for Coordinators

  • Community Trust and Partnerships
  • Mental Health and Crisis Response

Guidebook/Tool | 2023

Law Enforcement Response to People with Developmental Disabilities: Steps for Deflection or Pre-Arrest Diversion

  • Community Trust and Partnerships
  • Mental Health and Crisis Response

Guidebook/Tool | 2023

Rethinking the Police Response to Mental Health-Related Calls: Promising Models

  • Community Trust and Partnerships
  • Mental Health and Crisis Response

Report | 2023

Evaluating the Utility of Sobering Centers: Analyses of Police and Sobering Centers Across Five Jurisdictions

  • Crime and Violence Response
  • Community Trust and Partnerships
  • Mental Health and Crisis Response
  • Stops, Searches, and Arrests

Guidebook/Tool, Report, Research Brief | 2023

Assessing the Impact of Crisis Intervention Teams

  • Community Trust and Partnerships
  • Mental Health and Crisis Response
  • Use of Force

Empowering Law Enforcement Excellence

A Beacon of Guidance at the National Law Enforcement Knowledge Lab

Explore targeted areas such as evidence-based de-escalation, responses to mental illness, lawful procedures, and fostering just, fair, and impartial police practices. Elevate your agency's performance and legitimacy with our guidance and support.