Published by the Department of Justice, this report is designed to support federal law enforcement personnel as they ensure that fairness, equality, and impartiality are hallmarks of the American justice system.  It establishes imperatives for engaging in law enforcement activity in a manner that protects the rights guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States.  This Guidance supersedes the Department of Justice’s 2014 Guidance for Federal Law Enforcement Agencies Regarding the Use of Race, Ethnicity, Gender, National Origin, Religion, Sexual Orientation, or Gender Identity. It builds on and expands the framework of the 2014 Guidance, reaffirms the federal government’s deep commitment to ensuring that its law enforcement agencies gather and depend on information that is reliable and trustworthy, and promotes unbiased conduct during federal law enforcement and intelligence activities. 

On May 25, 2023, the White House released the inaugural U.S. National Plan to End Gender-Based Violence:  Strategies for Action. Gender-based violence (GBV) is a term used to collectively describe sexual violence, intimate partner violence, stalking, and other forms of gender-based violence.  It can be experienced by people from all walks of life at any age.  The risk of GBV is increased and its effects are exacerbated in times of disaster or crisis.  Data collection and reports related to the COVID-19 pandemic indicated an increase in GBV, particularly intimate partner violence where victims were forced to quarantine with abusive partners and faced increasing isolation.  Also revealed were the difficulties that victims experienced trying to access shelter, assistance, and legal and advocacy services amid a public health crisis.  The plan builds on existing federal initiatives and work by the White House Gender Policy Council, such as the 2021 National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality and the 2022 U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally. It asserts that ending GBV is, quite simply, a matter of human rights and justice.

Published by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), this publication is part of the three-part series called “Designing an Effective Law Enforcement Data Dashboard” produced by the SEARCH Group, Inc. and the Police Executive Research Forum.  It provides an introduction to data dashboards for law enforcement and public safety executives, as well as other integral stakeholders, describing the purposes of a data dashboard and the process for developing one.  Each publication in this series is based on research and consultation with law enforcement leaders and subject-matter experts and contains examples of real-world operational dashboards and tips for planning, designing, implementing, and sustaining data dashboards in a law enforcement agency.

Published by the Justice Clearinghouse, this webinar discusses the lessons learned by the Public Information Office (PIO) following the January 6, 2021, assault on the United States Capitol.  The mob’s sustained assault at the Capitol precipitated an equally unprecedented response, with an urgent request for the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to come defend the Capitol. Without hesitation, MPD officers responded to the grounds to restore order and defend our country’s democratic process.  The reality of emergencies is that they frequently come unannounced and can happen in any community.  The PIO office at MPD responded quickly and strategically to ensure that the tremendous obligation of keeping our community informed during the crisis was fulfilled.  Following the event, the story of MPD’s heroes was broadcast around the world, in part due to the strategic and planned actions of the PIO office. In this webinar, you will learn:

• Key approaches to quickly and effectively communicate with a local and national audience during a historical major city event.
• Internal communications strategies to connect with every member of your department (everyone is a spokesperson).
• How to utilize opportunities to change and shift the narrative of public opinion and the media.

When: Tuesday, June 13, 2023
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m., ET

Hosted by the Office of Community-Oriented Policing Services and the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), this in-person conference will discuss what the field has learned about body-worn cameras in the past ten years. We’ll address a range of issues, including:

• When should officers be required to turn cameras on and off?
• Which members of an agency should be required to wear cameras? Patrol? Specialized units?
• Should officers be allowed to review footage before writing reports?
• When should supervisors review camera footage
• When should body-worn camera footage be shared with the public?
• How long should footage be stored?
• How expensive are body-worn camera programs? Have agencies found ways to save money or operate these programs more efficiently?
• Have body-worn camera programs led to any changes in the number of lawsuits settled by municipalities or the value of those settlements?
• Can camera footage be part of an agency’s early-warning system?
• How have body-worn cameras benefitted your agency?
• How are agencies using cameras to support training?
• What unexpected challenges have you faced when equipping your officers with body-worn cameras?

Law enforcement officials and professional staff members directly involved with the development of body-worn camera policies are invited to Washington, DC, for a one-day meeting to discuss lessons learned from ten years of experience with body-worn cameras.

When: Thursday, June 29, 2023
Where: Washington, DC 
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., ET