Justice Issues: Law Enforcement

Justice Issues

Law Enforcement

Law enforcement officers are our country's front line in the fight against crime, and they perform a difficult and dangerous job with skill and dedication. But the nation's law enforcement officers constantly face extraordinary new challenges with limited resources.

At BJA, we respect the choice of law enforcement officers to dedicate themselves to serving their communities. We believe that we must honor their service by doing everything possible to provide them with the support, resources, and training they need to meet the needs of their communities. It is critical that we help law enforcement officers spend their time as effectively as possible by increasing their technological capabilities, and we must redouble our efforts to help law enforcement agencies work with communities to prevent crime and build support for their enforcement activities.

The following are some of BJA's current law enforcement initiatives:

Discover Policing: In partnership with BJA, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) launched a new web site, www.DiscoverPolicing.org, designed to inform and inspire those who are interested in a career in law enforcement. The web site is the first phase in the IACP's Discover Policing Initiative, a national recruitment campaign designed to highlight the benefits of careers in law enforcement to a broad and diverse audience, from young applicants to those seeking a career change or completing military service. (Frequently Asked Questions)
Law Enforcement Leadership Initiative
Drug Market Intervention Initiative/High Point West End Initiative
Intelligence-Led Policing
Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) Program: The reliability of body armor is the most serious officer safety issue facing law enforcement today. In addition to its ongoing efforts, OJP allocated $33.6 million for vest purchase, replacement, and research. OJP also maintains the Body Armor Safety Initiative web site to keep the law enforcement community abreast of the most recent official statements and preliminary or interim research findings on vest reliability.
Addressing Gang Violence: BJA continues to meet the needs of communities and law enforcement for better information, policy, practice, and training to fight gangs. The BJA-funded MAGLOCLEN Regional Information Sharing System (RISS) Center recently held a conference co-sponsored by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that focused on multijurisdictional gang problems and investigations. BJA funding supports the production of material for law enforcement on issues such as the Mara Salvatrucha (MS)-13 gang. BJA works closely with the FBI on the development of its National Gang Intelligence Center and with the National Alliance of Gang Investigators Associations to ensure that local needs are met. In addition, in early 2005, BJA and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention launched the National Gang Center to serve as a comprehensive resource on criminal street gangs, including youth gang issues. BJA, in partnership with DOJ's COPS Office is currently developing a series of basic and advanced gang enforcement training programs for law enforcement agencies and communities. BJA also is planning a new publication on the issue of witness/victim intimidation related to gang prosecutions.
Addressing Methamphetamine: BJA is working closely with the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the COPS Office to support law enforcement and communities in addressing the methamphetamine problem. BJA efforts include the development of a comprehensive web resource center (www.MethResources.gov); promoting the use of drug courts to address methamphetamine users; exploring the utility of using BJA's Prescription Drug Monitoring Program to support states in monitoring pseudoephedrine (where supported by state law); providing methamphetamine task force training for law enforcement; providing expanded intelligence and information sharing resources through RISS; and providing training and technical assistance to states in addressing the problem through legislation. BJA also will provide training to tribal law enforcement agencies and officers on methamphetamine and associated investigations.
Anti-Human Trafficking Task Forces: BJA, in partnership with the Office for Victims of Crime and DOJ's Civil Rights Division, will continue to provide support for its 32 local law enforcement task forces that have been developed to identify and rescue victims of human trafficking. Each local task force includes law enforcement as well as victim service providers, reinforcing a victim-centered approach to addressing the problem.
Center for Task Force Training (CenTF): CenTF offers two training courses: (1) the Narcotics Task Force Workshop, a 3-day course designed for multijurisdictional narcotics task force commanders and supervisory personnel in the area of multiagency narcotics enforcement operations; and (2) the Methamphetamine Investigation Management Workshop has been developed to address the operational aspects of managing methamphetamine investigations, as well as problem areas specific to these types of investigations.
System Response to Missing Adults and Unidentified Dead: To address the issue of the missing and unidentified dead, BJA and OJP's Office for Victims of Crime are working with key organizations to establish services for families searching for missing relatives and to provide training and technical assistance programs for law enforcement officials. BJA will encourage the use of federal funds for cutting edge training programs for law enforcement officers.
Homicide Investigation Clearance Project: In response to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI's) Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) showing that homicide clearance rates have been falling over the past several decades, BJA is working with the International Homicide Investigators Association to develop model training standards for entry-level homicide investigators. These standards address-crime scene management, witness interviews, suspect interrogations, forensic techniques, and other important topics relating to death investigations.
National Forensic Science Institute: In partnership with BJA, the National Forensic Science Institute (NFSI) provides forensic and crime scene training, technical assistance, and alumni support to law enforcement personnel throughout the United States. The NFSI conducts a 10-week National Forensic Academy (NFA) at the University of Tennessee and advanced forensic courses throughout the country. The NFA program is offered in residence and uses curriculum developed by leading forensic practitioners from across the United States. NFSI offers forensic training to host agencies around the country through the delivery of courses on Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, Death Investigation, Forensic Investigations in Correctional Institutions, and Digital Crime Scene Photography.
Preventing Identity Theft: Recognizing that prevention is the best way to protect the public from identity theft, BJA is focusing its efforts on raising public awareness as well as training for prosecutors and other law enforcement officials. BJA and the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC), in partnership with the Ad Council and the National Association of Broadcasters, launched a television public service advertising campaign to provide the public with facts about effective protective measures and to encourage them to contact NCPC for more information.
Law Enforcement and Youth Partnerships for Crime Prevention: BJA enjoys a strong relationship with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) and has developed a partnership with BGCA and many other national and regional crime prevention and law enforcement organizations to develop local partnerships designed to engage communities, youth, and law enforcement in promising crime prevention strategies.
Less-Lethal Technology for Law Enforcement: BJA and the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), in partnership with DOJ's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), hosted a national symposium on less-lethal technology to identify key issues in shaping national policy. BJA also is working with NIJ and the International Association of Chiefs of Police to provide an interim model policy on electronic control weapons.
Improving Security LEITSC's Computer Aided Dispatch and Records Management Systems: BJA, with support from the Law Enforcement Information Technology Standards Council (LEITSC), is facilitating the definition and implementation of standards for the collection, recording, and storage of data. The goal is to meet the needs of the law enforcement community by providing nationally standardized functional requirements for computer aided dispatch (CAD) as well as for records management systems (RMS).
Law Enforcement/Mental Health Partnership Program: This program will provide training and technical assistance resources to state and local governments with the objective of building and expanding upon law enforcement-based initiatives that help law enforcement properly respond to people with mental illness who have become involved in the criminal justice system. Resources will include a training curriculum guide, a web-based database of initiatives, a train-the trainer conference, and other statewide initiatives to promote and enhance collaboration between law enforcement and mental health practitioners.
Smaller Police Department Technical Assistance Program: In collaboration with the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), BJA will continue its efforts to provide specialized training, technical assistance, and information resources to law enforcement executives in smaller departments. Such resources focus on issues such as budgeting, internal affairs, and strategic planning, which take on unique features in smaller agencies. Visit the IACP web site for more information on this program.

National Law Enforcement Policy Center: BJA, in partnership with the International Association of Chiefs of Police, will continue to support the National Law Enforcement Policy Center, which provides "model" policies for law enforcement agencies on cutting edge and traditional issues of concern for local law enforcement. Examples include policies on less-lethal force and electronic control weapons, handling juvenile offenders, and firearms. The project may also produce policy discussion papers on various issues such as "Quarantines: The Reality for Law Enforcement."

New Chief Mentoring Program: Congratulations, you are now the Chief! The beginning of any new police chief's administration can be crucial to achieving a successful transition and building important relationships within the new agency and the community. To assist in making this transition as successful as possible, BJA has partnered with the International Association of Chiefs of Police to provide resources and a mentoring program for new Chiefs.

National Forensic Science Technology Center: In partnership with the BJA, the National Forensic Science Technology Center (NFSTC) will provide training and technical assistance to a broad community of stakeholders. For example, the NFSTC (with support from the National Association of Medical Examiners) will develop training for pathologists that will introduce concepts of forensic science that can be used to enhance their medical examinations.

Related Publications/Information
Police Executive Fellowship Program (PEFP)
As a state or local law enforcement official, are you looking for a professional management and leadership opportunity at the Department of Justice? BJA and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are seeking leaders from state and local law enforcement to serve on rotational assignments at both BJA and ATF to assist with federal law enforcement policy, operations, and training that will subsequently benefit state and/or local agencies. (PEFP Fact Sheet, PEFP Nomination and Selection Process, PEFP Nomination Form, and PEFP Application Form)

Gang Member Reentry Assistance Project
2005 National Gang Threat Assessment
Assessing and Managing the Terrorism Threat
Center for Task Force Training Program
Developing a Strategy for a Multiagency Response to Clandestine Drug Laboratories
Cold Case Squads: Leaving No Stone Unturned
Engaging the Private Sector To Promote Homeland Security: Law Enforcement-Private Security Partnerships
Guidelines for Public Video Surveillance: A Guide to Protecting Communities and Preserving Civil Liberties
Intelligence-Led Policing: The New Intelligence Architecture
Managing a Multijurisdictional Case: Identifying the Lessons Learned From the Sniper Investigation
Mutual Aid: Multijurisdictional Partnerships for Meeting Regional Threats
Violent Crime Impact Teams: Best Practices

For more links, search our Related Web Sites database.

For statistical information, go to the Bureau of Justice Statistics web site.

For research and evaluation information, go to the National Institute of Justice web site.

Training and Technical Assistance
Law Enforcement Training Opportunities

With BJA funding, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) provides training and technical assistance in the following areas: firearms interdiction, model law enforcement policies, special needs of small police departments, and antidrug activities involving illegal aliens.

The Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR) provides support to several national law enforcement programs, including the Center for Task Force Training (CenTF), the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), the Regional Information Sharing Systems (RISS), and the State and Local Anti-Terrorism Training (SLATT) Program.

The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), a partnership of federal law enforcement organizations, provides quality, cost-effective training for law enforcement professionals.

For more information on federally sponsored law enforcement training, search BJA's Law Enforcement Training database.

For detailed information on all BJA-sponsored training and technical assistance, go to BJA's Training and Technical Assistance page.