Funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance and hosted by the National Center for School Safety, this webinar discusses key considerations for planning the sustainability of grant-funded programs and their institutionalization into routine practices. Information covered during the event will include data you need to collect to demonstrate impact, how to communicate that data persuasively to leadership and decision-makers, and how to leverage partnerships to make the most of available resources.

When: Wednesday, March 10, 2021 
Time: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., ET

Hosted by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, this webinar is the second in a six-part series that discusses the steps needed to understand what a wellness program incorporates, how to identify the necessary components (such as funding, support from higher-up and providers, etc.), and how to choose the best option for your team, as well as how to implement your chosen program and assess its success. Parts of the series will focus on specific programs such as embedding a mental health professional, chaplaincy, and peer support programs to give you a step-by-step guide to success. This webinar series can help you build a wellness program tailored to your people and agency to help mitigate the negative effects the work might have on them and maximize support for the mental health and wellness of your team. 

When: Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Time: 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., ET

Hosted by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, this symposium discusses improving officer safety and wellness to enhance the health and effectiveness of officers as well as the safety of the community. This symposium is designed to help law enforcement professionals learn from experts in the field about resources and best practices in developing comprehensive officer safety and wellness strategies. Participants will learn about building resilience, financial wellness, injury prevention, peer support programs, physical fitness, proper nutrition, sleep deprivation, stress, mindfulness, suicide prevention, and more. The deadline for individual registrations is March 16, 2021, at 5:00 p.m., PT.

When: Wednesday and Thursday, March 17–19, 2021

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) launched a comprehensive law enforcement and prevention support initiative aimed at reducing drug use, abuse, and overdose deaths. Operation Engage allows participating field divisions to focus on the biggest drug threat in their respective geographic areas. The initiative builds on and replaces DEA’s 360 Strategy, which aimed its resources specifically at opioids, and allows field divisions to customize plans and direct resources to target the drug that presents the greatest threat to public health and safety in their jurisdictions. The following 11 field divisions submitted proposals that were approved for the initial round of funding: Detroit, El Paso, Los Angeles, Miami, New England, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Washington, Seattle, and St. Louis.

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has released several new reports detailing topics related to policing. The first report, “Policing Reform Legislation: Conditions on Funding and New Grant Authorizations,” discusses the new police reform legislation, the George Floyd Justice Policing Act of 2021 (JIPA, H.R. 1280), as an omnibus measure that would address a variety of policing reform topics and approaches, including police funding. The second report, “Programs to Collect Data on Law Enforcement Activities: Overview and Issues,” discusses how JIPA would establish programs for law enforcement agencies to collect data on a variety of activities, such as the use of force, racial profiling, and in-custody deaths. The third report, “Proposals for Systems of Records on Decertified Officers and Police Misconduct," discusses how JIPA will attempt to curb so-called “wandering officers” (i.e., law enforcement officers who are fired or resign under threat of termination but are later hired by another law enforcement agency, often in another state).