On April 27, 2022, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Law Enforcement Knowledge Lab, a free training, technical assistance and resource hub for law enforcement designed to promote constitutional policing, improve public safety, and build trust in communities across the country.  Agencies will be able to turn to the Knowledge Lab for free, voluntary resources, including research summaries, profiles of best practices, training curricula, and a roster of constitutional policing experts to support their needs.  The Knowledge Lab is managed by the Bureau of Justice Assistance through a partnership with the National Policing Institute, in collaboration with 21st Century Policing Solutions and a diverse cohort of policing experts from across the country.  It is intended to grow and adapt over time to meet the needs of law enforcement agencies and communities.

Published by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), this publication discusses the Officer Safety and Wellness Group, which convened virtually in July 2021 to discuss law enforcement safety and wellness challenges during the global COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide civil unrest of summer 2020.  The meetings focused on functioning with limited resources, dealing simultaneously with multiple critical events, and lessons learned with respect to mitigating future crises.

Published by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, this report describes trends and patterns in fatal and nonfatal firearm violence from 1993 to 2018 and for the more recent period of 2014 to 2018.  The report includes data on the types of firearms; locations of the incidents; victim and offender demographic characteristics and relationships; types of violence, injury, and treatment; police notification; and victims’ self-protective behaviors.

Hosted by the Justice Clearinghouse, this webinar discusses how to use technologies to effectively offset low staffing and improve overall capabilities of law enforcement agencies.  The Chula Vista (California) Police Department (CVPD) has been nationally recognized for its game-changing Drone as a First Responder (DFR) program, as well as other innovative uses of emerging technology that provide enhanced, yet cost-effective response capability.  A key factor in CVPD’s successful deployment of technology is the out-of-the-box approach to law enforcement challenges and the fundamental principles of community engagement and transparency.  During this webinar, the presenters will focus on the Chula Vista Police Department’s successful Innovation Initiative and the different technologies developed and implemented in police operations.

When: Thursday, May 19, 2022
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m., ET

On April 11, 2022, the Department of Justice announced that it has submitted to the Federal Register the Frame or Receiver Final Rule, which modernizes the definition of a firearm.  Once implemented, this rule will clarify that parts kits that are readily convertible to firearms are subject to the same regulations as traditional firearms.  These regulatory updates will help curb the proliferation of “ghost guns,” which are often assembled from kits, do not contain serial numbers, and are sold without background checks, making them difficult to trace and easy to acquire by criminals.