The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is seeking applications for funding under the Violent Gang and Gun Crime Reduction Program, also known as Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  The PSN Program is designed to create and foster safe neighborhoods through a sustained reduction in violent crime, including, but not limited to, addressing criminal gangs and the felonious possession of firearms.  The program’s effectiveness depends on the ongoing coordination, cooperation, and partnerships of local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies—and the communities they serve—engaged in a unified approach led by the U.S. Attorney in all 94 districts.  Acting decisively in a coordinated manner at all levels will help reverse the rise in violent crime and keep American citizens safe.  PSN provides the crucial funding, resources, and training for law enforcement, prosecutors, and their PSN teams to combat violent crime and make their communities safe through a comprehensive approach to public safety that marries targeted law enforcement efforts with community engagement, prevention, and reentry efforts.

The challenges facing police officers today require evidence-based research that will advance police operations and practices.  Through this strategic policing plan, we are focusing on promoting research that will provide the police with knowledge and tools that will support their workforce; promote better policing practices; protect officers; and support effective strategies designed and implemented to fight crime. 

~Howard Spivak, M.D., Principal Deputy Director, National Institute of Justice (NIJ)

NIJ has developed the Policing Strategic Research Plan to describe the current and projected efforts of NIJ to advance policing practices in the United States.  The strategic goals outlined in the plan should be viewed as both interrelated and vital to better understanding and finding solutions to the challenges of policing.  This document should be of interest to researchers (academic, governmental, and industrial); federal, state, local, and international government partners; and justice policymakers and practitioner communities.  Findings from the activities that fall within this strategic plan will be disseminated among these constituents and partners in ways designed to achieve the greatest impact.

The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) annually recognizes individuals, teams, programs, and organizations that demonstrate outstanding service in supporting victims and victim services. On April 13, 2018, an awards ceremony was held in Washington, DC, to honor individuals, organizations, teams, and programs for their outstanding efforts on behalf of crime victims.

Individuals may nominate one or more worthy candidates, including individuals, programs, organizations, teams, or a coalition of individuals and programs.  Nominees can include, but are not limited to, federal, state, local, or tribal professionals and volunteers in direct victim services and allied professions. Victims and survivors of crime are eligible for the Special Courage Award.  Previous award recipients, regardless of award category, are not eligible for subsequent awards. View past recipients in the OVC Gallery.  Elected officials are not eligible for consideration.  Candidates nominated but not selected in previous years are eligible for consideration.

Data can provide a community with a clearer picture of the true nature of policing and a better understanding of how and why agencies do what they do. Focusing on the type of data the community wants to see is one way to keep residents engaged in the law enforcement agency.

The Ferndale, Michigan, Police Department (FPD) was approached by the University of Michigan with a proposal for collaboration regarding the publication of “open data.”  Open data is a term for any form of data that can be downloaded and manipulated by members of the public.  As part of the agreement, the university would provide students to work on the cleaning and publishing of data and the FPD would provide the data, along with the mechanism to publish it. FPD saw this as an opportunity to leverage the skills of these students, build relationships, and benefit the community.

FPD convened a community task force that included residents, community groups, representatives from academia, and other key stakeholders to recommend which data set topics would be made publicly available. The community was most interested in community engagement metrics and data about the FPD officers.

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) blog is posting a series of articles highlighting community understanding of and respect for law enforcement. This project is funded through the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

For additional information regarding open data sharing, visit the Police Data Initiative, a law enforcement community of practice that includes leading law enforcement agencies, technologists, and researchers committed to engaging their communities in a partnership to improve public safety built on a foundation of trust, accountability, and innovation.

The House Homeland Security Committee’s Terror Threat Snapshot is an assessment of the growing threat that America, the West, and the world face from ISIS and other Islamist terrorists.

The most recent Snapshot included a remembrance of the Manchester Arena bombing, which left 22 dead and 116 injured.  Prince William and Prime Minister Theresa May joined families of victims at the Manchester Cathedral service.  The Dean of Manchester said it was for "those whose lives were lost and those whose lives have been changed forever.”

The Snapshot outlined France’s warning of the risk posed by 40 radicalized prisoners who are due to be released over the next 18 months. There are 20 scheduled for release in 2018 and another 20 in 2019. Authorities remain concerned over prison radicalization and taken bold steps to reduce the issue.

Addressing cases of homegrown Islamist extremism in the United States, the Snapshot continued to identify such cases and indicated that since 2013, there have been 153 homegrown jihadist cases in the United States.