As part of a governmentwide effort to address the opioid epidemic, the U.S. Department of Justice created the Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) team in 2018 to leverage the power of federal and international partnerships to combat the complex and deadly threat of online drug sales. 

The J-CODE is delivering results through coordinated efforts and the commitment of the nation’s law enforcement agencies to address opioid sales on the Darknet.  Building on the success of last year’s Operation Disarray, the J-CODE team led Operation SaboTor between January and March 2019.  These concentrated operations in the United States and abroad led to 61 arrests and shut down 50 Darknet accounts used for illegal activity.  Agents executed 65 search warrants, seizing more than 299 kilograms of drugs, 51 firearms, and more than $7 million ($4.504 million in cryptocurrency, $2.485 million in cash, and $40,000 in gold).

The March 20, 2019, edition of the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) blog, Human Trafficking:  Hidden in Plain Sight, authored by Matt M. Dummermuth, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, OJP, discusses OJP’s commitment to fighting human trafficking.  For example, in fiscal year 2018, OJP granted more than $67 million to fight trafficking at the national, state, local, and tribal levels.

In addition, from mid-2017 to mid-2018, grantees through the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) reported serving a record number of nearly 9,000 human trafficking clients and training more than 76,000 professionals who can assist in identifying victims and helping them on their path to recovery.  

OVC offers a nine-part video series, Faces of Human Trafficking, to raise awareness of human trafficking.  The series is intended to support the outreach and education efforts of service providers, law enforcement, prosecutors, and others in the community.

The 2019 School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) is a competitive grant program, offered through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), which provides funding directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (including school districts and local law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds.  Awards may include funding for measures that may provide a significant improvement in security, such as training for local law enforcement officers to prevent school violence against others and self; and acquisition and installation of technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency.

Applications are due by May 31, 2019, at 7:59 p.m., ET. 

In addition, both the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the COPS Office offer grants to improve security within our nation’s schools and on school grounds through evidence-based programs of the Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Program.

The VALOR Program, with support from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, has launched a new video series on Social Media Officer Safety.  The series is intended to help officers protect their digital footprints.

• Part One covers foundational information on how personally identifiable information (PII) is discovered on the internet.
• Part Two explores relevant law enforcement examples of how PII has been found and used against law enforcement officers.
• Part Three looks at best practices for sanitizing your online presence to protect your digital footprint. 

To view the series, users must have a valid VALOR account, which is restricted to law enforcement professionals. 

Since 2015, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has used the National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin to highlight the continuing terror threat to the U.S. homeland, examples of the U.S. government’s counterterrorism efforts, and recommendations on how to help, be prepared, and stay informed.  An informed, vigilant, and engaged public remains one of the greatest assets to identify potential terrorists and prevent attacks.