In December 2014, the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing was established. The Task Force resolved to identify best practices and make recommendations on how policing practices can promote effective crime reduction while building public trust. They examined how to foster strong, collaborative relationships between local law enforcement and the communities they serve. Their… (read more)

The purpose of this report is to explore how campus public safety departments (CPSDs) staffing levels are actually determined, what agencies are able to achieve with the number of staff available to them, what challenges they face in this respect, and to explore whether there is any potential for developing a means of determining appropriate staffing levels for CPSDs. Most importantly, this… (read more)

This publication explores the benefits and risks of Early Intervention Systems and discusses successful systems all over the country, focusing on large agencies.

While the law enforcement community has progressed in advancing training in the tactical response to incidents, there are significant gaps in strategies aimed at preventing multiple casualty violence. To address this need, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers has collaborated with the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing… (read more)

Understanding the challenges that public perceptions of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) bring, the Police Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), developed this guidebook to help public safety agencies successfully assess the appropriateness of acquiring sUAS in their jurisdiction, all the while ensuring public… (read more)

The Community Policing Learning Portal provides, free of charge, community policing training and tools to law enforcement, citizens, COPS grantees and community policing instructors. The purpose of the portal is to encourage the advancement and institutionalization of community policing within law enforcement agencies and communities nationwide by providing easy-to-use, interactive online… (read more)

The first chapter of this publication discusses the key concepts for strengthening trust and collaboration between police executives and labor leaders. These key principles focus on finding common ground, engaging in open communication and seek input from one another, handling disagreements with respect and professionalism, understanding and respecting each other's roles and responsibilities, and… (read more)

The Campus-Community Policing Partnership (CCPP) model is a road map for historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) and law enforcement agencies to reduce violent crime and drug use on HBCU campuses and the surrounding communities by increasing community engagement and strengthening relations between police and community members. The model is designed to help HBCUs and law enforcement… (read more)

This training program, developed by noted campus safety and threat assessment experts, is the first ever national curriculum that focuses on a multidisciplinary approach to threat assessment. It has been specifically designed for higher education administrators involved in threat assessment on their campuses, including campus public safety and local law enforcement; faculty; staff; student… (read more)

This training program, developed by noted campus safety and threat assessment experts, is the first ever national curriculum that focuses on a multidisciplinary approach to threat assessment. It has been specifically designed for higher education administrators involved in threat assessment on their campuses, including campus public safety and local law enforcement; faculty; staff; student… (read more)

This guide will allow threat assessment team members to explore and practice threat assessment through small and large group exercises using pre-developed case studies. This guide will also strengthen team members' comprehension and application of the threat assessment principles proscribed in "Campus Threat Assessment Training: A Multidisciplinary Approach for Institutions of Higher Education,"… (read more)

The Campus Safety CD-ROM is free to order and includes more than 80 resources for public safety institutions, academic administrators, students, and communities on issues such as sexual assault and stalking, alcohol and substance abuse, property crime and nuisance violations, emergency preparedness and management, and crime prevention and community partners.

This document provides information about the BCOT initiative; highlights outreach efforts; and provides resources to include guidance documents for community leaders and law enforcement, and the If You See Something, Say Something campaign.

Law enforcement agencies around the country are recognizing the importance of monitoring and tending to employees physical and mental health and wellness. This publication discusses the establishment and operation of a dedicated unit at the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) with the goal of promoting a department-wide culture of wellness. Working toward this goal will also help the department… (read more)

On December 2, 2015, at 10:59 AM, the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California, came under attack. Many of the lessons learned during the response to the attack tie into the principles of community policing and continue to build on the body of knowledge that exists to assist law enforcement agencies in their mission to protect and strengthen relationships with their community. This… (read more)

In the wake of increasing racial tensions and intolerance at college campuses across the country, building trust between law enforcement and community members is as vital as ever. The Not In Our Town short film,A Bowling Green Legacy, shows how communities can come together to respond to incidents of hate, as well as to strengthen trust between community stakeholders to prevent hate from… (read more)

The 2011 Electronic Control Weapon Guidelines is based on information gathered from workshops, interviews, and a national survey that examined the use of Electronic Control Weapons (ECW). In August 2010, an executive session comprising police, medical, and legal professionals convened in Philadelphia to focus on ECW policy and practice. Afterward, a concentrated working group spent a second day… (read more)

This guide describes the problem of acquaintance rape of college students, addressing its scope, causes, and contributing factors; methods for analyzing it on a particular campus; tested responses; and measures for assessing response effectiveness. With this information, police and public safety officers can more effectively prevent the problem. This guide is part of the Problem-Specific Guides… (read more)

Alcohol-related riots among university students pose a significant problem for police agencies that serve college communities. The intensity of the disturbances may vary. However, the possible outcomes include property destruction and physical violence—a serious threat to community and officer safety. This guide provides a framework for understanding student gatherings. You can use this framework… (read more)

Drug-impaired driving demands police, legislative, and community attention because of the harms it may cause. Many of the problems associated with drug-impaired driving are similar to those associated with drunk driving. However, recent evidence suggests that the prevalence of drug-impaired driving may be equal to, or perhaps higher than, that of drunk driving. This guide begins by describing the… (read more)

This publication is part of a series of reports on emerging issues that are being examined by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) with support from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). The goal of this project is to examine social media in policing from two tactical points of view: 1) The use of social media by criminal offenders to organize or facilitate… (read more)

This survey is one piece of the broader Building Relationships of Trust Toolkit. A police department should distribute this survey to community members pre- and post-implementation of a building relationships of trust initiative.

This in-service orientation course assists officers in building relationships of trust. The approximate teaching time is three hours. This module incorporates three general learning goals: 1) educating students on the concepts of building relationships of trust and their importance for police legitimacy and crime reduction in the community, 2) informing students about best practices for building… (read more)

A key component of successful policing is building collaborative, trusting relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve, particularly immigrant and minority communities. Developing these relationships allows law enforcement to more successfully address the challenges of crime control and terrorism prevention. The knowledge and insight that come from trust-based… (read more)

The Building Relationships of Trust Toolkit includes detailed information police officers and community members should consider when trying to build trusting relationships between the two. Components of the toolkit include: moving to implementation, recommended steps for chief executives, an interactive video overview, commonly used terms, community perception survey, and curriculum training… (read more)

This publication provides guidance to federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies; fusion centers; community members; civic groups; and other interested parties on developing relationships of trust, particularly with minority and immigrant communities. It also expands on the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) publication,… (read more)

The 2012 Arthur J. Gallagher Think Tank for Higher Education Risk Management addressed the challenges of managing the risks of minors on college campuses. The intended audience for this publication includes higher education risk managers, administrators, and anyone responsible for minors on campus, whether in an advisory or supervisory capacity. Think Tank participants included leaders in higher… (read more)

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)

The sport of running, including marathons, traditional distance races, and other non-traditional race events, attracts annual participation from millions of race runners across the U.S. These events draw even larger numbers of spectators, making safety and security a top priority for race organizers, public safety, and host communities. This guide is intended to assist event operators and their… (read more)

Interscholastic athletic events are an important part of American culture and include participation from millions of students and spectators. Due to the large crowds in attendance, there are a host of potential risks and threats that must be addressed to ensure the safety and security of people, property, and infrastructure. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of important planning… (read more)

The purpose of this guide is to recommend polices, practices, and technologies aimed at identifying vulnerabilities, mitigating risk, and protecting critical assets. It may be used as a reference for those responsible for the design and development of safety and security plans and procedures. The guide outlines key issues and implementation strategies for nine topical areas, including: game/event… (read more)

The purpose of this living guide is to document, through professional collaboration, a collection of vetted best practices to assist those responsible for safety and security at collegiate sports events. The National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) at the University of Southern Mississippi hosted the second annual National Intercollegiate Athletics Safety and Security… (read more)

The purpose of this living guide is to document, through professional collaboration, a collection of vetted best practices to assist those responsible for safety and security at marathon and endurance events. The National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) at the University of Southern Mississippi hosted the first annual National Marathon/Endurance Events Safety and Security… (read more)

The National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) at the University of Southern Mississippi hosted the first annual National Intercollegiate Athletics Safety and Security Summit on January 28-30, 2014. Representatives from university and college athletic administrations, athletic conferences, Bowls, and public safety agencies addressed current safety and security issues facing… (read more)

The Journal of Venue and Event Management is a peer-reviewed professional publication dedicated to the reporting and dissemination of knowledge gained from theoretical and applied research studies. In Volume 2, Issue 2 the article" Essential Components of a Best Practice Model for Tailgating Events" the authors use information gleaned from previous research to recommend components for developing… (read more)

In this New Perspectives in Policing paper, Anthony A. Braga and Rod K. Brunson explain that while the term black-on-black violence is statistically correct, it is a simplistic view of urban violence. They explain how media coverage sometimes distorts racial issues and argue that a more careful analysis can reveal urban violence patterns that can support police executives in communicating the… (read more)

Sexual assault has a substantial impact on both victims and society. Victims of sexual assault may suffer both immediate and long-term physical and mental health consequences, including injury, sexually transmitted diseases, and pregnancy. This technical research report explores the prevalence, context, response, reactions and reporting of various forms of sexual violence on historically black… (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)

This study looked at injuries that occur to law enforcement officers and citizens during use-of-force events. This NIJ-sponsored study included six police departments and evaluated the results of 962 real world CED uses. Policymakers and law enforcement officials want to know whether Tasers are safe and effective, and how (if at all) they should be used to match police use-of-force choices with… (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)

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has invested in research on violence against women, and their research touches on a wide variety of public safety concerns, including intimate partner violence, teen dating violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking, as well as criminal justice challenges, including the availability of legal and victim support services, the effectiveness of prevention… (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.

This report examined whether any differences exist between lone actor terrorists and mass murderers. Using a series of bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses, researchers compared demographic, psychological and offense-related behavioral variables across and between 71 lone actor terrorists and 115 solo mass murderers. The fundamental distinction between the two groups, motivation,… (read more)

This report provides background context for body-worn cameras (BWCs); methodology for developing the market survey; compiled results from the market survey; and a summary of the information found in A Market Survey on Body Worn Camera Technologies. It also includes policy, training, and other considerations for implementing BWCs.

This guide is designed to provide a comprehensive view of less-lethal technologies, their evolutionary role in criminal justice, and considerations when acquiring such devices to meet operational needs. It is segregated into six self-contained chapters which provide information and insight into specific areas of inquiry. The first three chapters provide background information on less-lethal… (read more)

"The National Institutes of Justice (NIJ) sought to collect information on existing body-worn camera (BWC) technologies. This paper provides the methodology for developing the market survey and results from the market survey. From this market survey, the following was uncovered: 1) there are many more vendors now that sell BWC products as compared to a previous market survey from 2014; 2) the… (read more)

At the core of the NLECTC System is the notion of "translational technology," or linking research with practice. As a program of the National Institute of Justice, the NLECTC System is the conduit between researchers and criminal justice professionals in the field for technology issues. NLECTC works with criminal justice professionals to identify urgent and emerging technology needs. NIJ sponsors… (read more)

In 2011, after a competitive selection process, NIJ awarded grants to the Wayne County (Detroit), Michigan Prosecutor's Office and to the Houston Police Department to look at the issue of sexual assault kits (SAKs) that had not previously been sent to a crime laboratory for DNA testing. The overarching goal of this project was to identify effective, sustainable responses regarding previously… (read more)