On November 23, 2021, the Department of Justice (DPS) announced that it is committing $800,000 to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) specifically to increase the program’s capacity to provide outreach, investigative support, and forensic services to cases involving American Indians and Alaska Natives.  The investment is in response to recommendations from the federal Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives, known as Operation Lady Justice.  It also supports the executive order issued by President Biden on November 15 “to reduce violence against Native American people, and to ensure swift and effective Federal action that responds to the problem of missing or murdered indigenous people.”

Published by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), this report discusses the grant awarded for a study of police-community relations.  This study used college students to help drive the discussion on diversity and inclusion and how best to transform recruitment strategies for law enforcement agencies in the 21st century.  Data for this study were collected through two methods: focus groups and convenings between college students and law enforcement managers and supervisors.  The focus groups were conducted in four regions of the United States—Midwest, East, South, and West Coast—during the summer and fall of 2016. The focus groups were conducted at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs) to ensure that most of the students included in the focus groups were African American.  In addition to the discussion, focus groups were given a demographic survey that included a few questions about their experience with police officers.  The focus groups provided insight into how college students perceive police officers and how they believe relations between police departments and the Black community can be improved.

To support communities in responding to domestic violence with firearms, the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) is offering competitive awards to support up to six sites to participate in its Domestic Violence Homicide Prevention Firearms Technical Assistance Project (FTAP). Abusers often use or threaten to use firearms against victims of domestic violence, and research demonstrates that when an abuser has access to a firearm, domestic violence is far more likely to be deadly.  In fact, an abuser’s access to firearms is the single greatest risk factor for intimate partner homicide. This funding will support selected communities in implementing domestic violence firearms laws and establishing a localized response that correlates to their distinct needs and incorporates comprehensive, culturally specific approaches to enhance victim and survivor safety by addressing the nexus of firearms and domestic violence.
 
Grants.gov Deadline:  January 18, 2022, at 11:59 p.m., ET

Published by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), this article discusses five components of school-based violence prevention and intervention programs.  Topics include cyberbullying, victimization, aggressive and disruptive behavior, dating and sexual violence, and selective school-based violence prevention programs.  The topics are based on practices rated by CrimeSolutions. 

Hosted by the VALOR Officer Safety and Wellness Program and the United States Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, and funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, this two-week self-paced training combines technology, relevant content, and a live roundtable event to maximize your training experience.  The first week is self-paced, and the second week is a live roundtable.  To attend this workshop, officers should have attended a VALOR Survive & Thrive officer safety and wellness training within the last two years.

When: Monday, December 6, 2021
Time: 10:00 a.m., ET