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This report provides a brief overview of trends in vehicle ramming incidents. It also includes results from the 2016 Intercollegiate Athletics Safety and Security Best Practices Compliance Survey. The results of the survey provide information on the implementation rates (%) of perimeter protections. Specifically, this paper investigates the rise in vehicular-ramming attacks in large public… (read more)

This report contains the results of a comprehensive assessment of the challenges and promise of this strategic approach to preventing violent extremism. It is based on a nationwide survey of law enforcement agencies and hundreds of hours of interviews and site visits with police departments and community members around the country. Challenges and promising practices are included.

The RAND Center on Quality Policing convened a national summit on police recruitment and retention in the contemporary urban environment in June 2008. This summit, supported by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services and the National Institute of Justice, brought nearly 60 participants to the RAND Washington Office to discuss the challenges of recruiting and retention of officers.… (read more)

"The report describes a victim-centered response to sexual assault cases that positively impacts sexual assault response, the experiences of victims, and ultimately results in safer communities. An NIJ working group consisting of victims, victim advocates, sexual assault nurse and medical examiners, prosecutors, forensic scientists, and law enforcement officials, created the report in response… (read more)

This study analyzed the hiring and retention of police officers and found that many police recruiters and managers would need to assess the effectiveness of their recruiting methods and find ways to make working in their agencies more attractive. Strategies might include improving pay and benefits, recruiting officers with the right skills for community policing, changing job roles to enhance… (read more)

This study examines the prevalence, nature, and reporting of various types of sexual assault experienced by university students in an effort to inform the development of targeted intervention strategies.

In an effort to address ways in which law enforcement can successfully combat violent crime, the MCCA and BJA have released the Violent Crime Reduction Operations Guide. When it comes to crime, no one just lives in the United States everyone lives in a specific city, in a specific neighborhood. How violent crime is felt in communities, and how the policing executive is challenged to… (read more)

"In 2010, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) VALOR Program was created in response to the startling increase in felonious assaults that have taken the lives of many law enforcement officers. VALOR provides all levels of law enforcement with tools to help prevent violence against law enforcement officers and enhance officer safety, wellness, and resiliency.

VALOR is a comprehensive… (read more)

Formerly known as the Smart Policing Initiative, Strategies for Policing Innovation (SPI) is a collaborative effort among BJA, CNA, state and local law enforcement agencies, and researchers. It is designed to assist agencies with identifying innovative and evidence-based solutions to effectively and efficiently tackle chronic crime problems in their jurisdictions. In October 2017, SPI launched a… (read more)

This publication is one in a series that was developed by the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center, in partnership with Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) and supported by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), to address how law enforcement responds to people with mental illnesses. Specialized Policing Responses (SPR) to people with mental illnesses, which prioritize treatment… (read more)

In 2012 college and university law enforcement executives convened as part of a focus group to discuss the challenges and promising practices for managing public order events on campus. This report offers an array of proven concepts, ideas, and resources identified and discussed during the focus group meeting that campus law enforcement executives may choose from to maintain safety and security… (read more)

This publication is one in a series that was developed by the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center, in partnership with Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) and supported by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), to address how law enforcement responds to people with mental illnesses. This training resource guide is written for law enforcement personnel and staff at other agencies… (read more)

This VALOR training module was created in response to the ambush-style assaults that have led to the injuries or deaths of many law enforcement officers in recent years. This training is designed to give officers tools to help prevent and react to ambush attacks.

The Smart Policing Initiative (SPI) is a Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) sponsored initiative that supports law enforcement agencies in building evidence-based, data-driven law enforcement tactics and strategies that are effective, efficient, and economical. Smart Policing represents a strategic approach that brings more science into police operations by leveraging innovative applications of… (read more)

Spectator events at colleges and universities are symbolic of American life, and there is no event more iconic than college football games. The campus, the crowds, and the media are all elements that make campus events a target for a terrorist attack. In December 2011 a Campus Security Focus Group of experienced university police leaders convened to identify promising practices for providing… (read more)

This document is focused on identifying strategies that contribute to preventing, not predicting, incidents of targeted violence that result in mass casualty events. It is the result of a multi-agency collaborative conference held at Quantico, Virginia, in August of 2013. Seven promising avenues for prevention that emerged from this effort: 1) Prepare preparation is essential - a mass… (read more)

This guide is the culmination of nearly two years of work following a 2015 gathering of multidisciplinary experts and the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit. The purpose of this gathering was to discuss solutions to reduce attacks such as mass shootings and other forms of targeted violence including stalking, terrorism, or ambush attacks on law enforcement. This publication represents the results of… (read more)

This article offers threat assessment and management strategies to address the increased demands faced by campus law enforcement, mental health, and administration officials who assess and manage threats, perhaps several simultaneously.

The National Public Safety Partnership (PSP) was established in June 2017 under the direction of Attorney General Jeff Sessions in response to President Trump’s Executive Order on a Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety. The PSP provides an innovative framework for DOJ to enhance its support of state, tribal, and local law enforcement officers and prosecutors in the investigation,… (read more)

In December 2015, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission launched a research initiative, Advancing Diversity in Law Enforcement, both to identify barriers that undermine diversity in law enforcement and to highlight promising practices that help agencies better reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. The initiative focused on barriers and… (read more)

This webinar addresses the often overlooked link between stalking and sexual assault. Stalking is a crime that is often co-perpetrated with other crimes, such as domestic violence and sexual assault. Research supports a connection between stalking and sexual assault both pre- and post-assault. This webinar explores the nature and dynamics of stalking, focusing on its intersection with sexual… (read more)

The purpose of this policy is to emphasize that an effective response to the needs of crime victims is an integral part of the law enforcement mission. This essential function, performed by both sworn and civilian personnel, should address victims' needs by establishing a continuum of support as victims progress through the various phases of the criminal justice process. As first responders, law… (read more)

This paper is designed to accompany the Model Policy on Response to Victims of Crime established by the IACP National Law Enforcement Policy Center. It provides essential background material and supporting documentation on the developmental philosophy and implementation requirements of the model policy. This material will be of value to law enforcement executives in their efforts to tailor the… (read more)

Sexual violence perpetrated against individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and queer (LGBTQ+) warrants the full attention of law enforcement agencies. It is imperative that law enforcement agencies strive to build strong relationships with leaders and members of LGBTQ+ communities and implement effective strategies department wide through agency mission,… (read more)

This paper was designed to accompany the Model Policy on Responding to Persons Affected by Mental Illness or in Crisis developed by the IACP National Law Enforcement Policy Center. This paper provides essential background material and supporting documentation to provide greater understanding of the developmental philosophy and implementation requirements for the… (read more)

Though few officers will be directly involved in a hostile shooting situation during their careers, many more may experience the impact of one; the effects of such events touch not only the officer involved, but the department and the community as well. Because of the gravity of officer-involved shootings, it is vitally important to ensure that the agency and its officers are prepared in advance… (read more)

The model policy highlights the unique challenges that law enforcement agencies face in responding to or encountering situations involving persons displaying behaviors consistent with mental illness or crisis and provides guidance, techniques, and resources so that the situation can be resolved in a constructive manner. IACP's white paper, Responding to Persons Affected by… (read more)