Presents . . .

The PSP Impact

- A Quarterly Snapshot of the PSP Network -

July–September 2022

This quarter, the National Public Safety Partnership (PSP) began preparation for PSP's 2022 Violent Crime Reduction Summit. This year's Summit was held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on December 12–14, 2022.

Quarterly Site Highlights

IACA Conference

PSP provided the sites with an opportunity to attend the 2022 International Association of Crime Analysts (IACA) conference in Chicago, Illinois, on August 22–26. The National Training and Technical Assistance Center sponsored the PSP site analysts, and 47 analysts attended the event. The PSP Crime Analysis Community of Practice (CACoP) hosted an informal networking event during the conference so the PSP analysts could meet in-person, and the CACoP support team also held a virtual IACA debrief so the analysts could discuss what they learned at the conference and how they will implement what they learned at their sites as well as provide feedback on the conference.

Communities of Practice (CoPs) bring together those with common interests and/or professions to share lessons learned and promising practices, address today's challenges, refine skills through interactive engagements, and introduce members to new methods.

PSP has established CoPs in the areas of law enforcement leadership, crime analysis, prosecution, public information officers, and technology. Click here to learn more!

The PSP team encourages all active PSP sites to participate in the CoPs. Please contact info@pspartnership.org if you would like to join or learn more.

Communities of Practice
Events From July to September 2022

Crime Analysis Community of Practice (CACoP)

The CACoP promotes crime analysis as a core and integrated element of participating agencies. The CACoP provides opportunities to share strategies and work products and to discuss concepts to turn data into actionable information. The CACoP leverages the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) varied and customizable array of training and technical assistance (TTA) to support the crime analysis needs of PSP sites.

CACoP: IACA Conference Debrief
Wednesday, September 14, 2022

The CACoP hosted a debrief on the IACA conference. Ms. Annie Mitchell, lead subject-matter expert of CACoP, began the session with a recap video of the conference for any of the analysts that were not able to attend. Ms. Mitchell then asked participants to provide feedback regarding the conference. Attendees enjoyed the hands-on approach of the conference but did hope for more PSP-related presentations. The debrief ended with a discussion on a recommended course analysts could take following up on the conference.

Key Takeaway

PSP analysts enjoyed the hands-on sessions at the IACA conference.
Over 80 percent of the PSP analysts were able to connect and network with PSP analysts while at the IACA conference.

Law Enforcement Leadership Community of Practice (LELCoP)

The LELCoP provides PSP site leadership with opportunities to hear from other leaders and discuss the unique challenges and responsibilities they face daily. The LELCoP provides an environment for PSP site leaders to discuss issues, strategies, and solutions they are engaging in to drive positive change in their communities.

LELCoP Roundtable
Wednesday, August 17, 2022

Grit, Grace, and Resolve Wellness Solutions by Chief Executives: This LELCoP event focused on safety and wellness issues and how they affect all law enforcement professionals, regardless of their position, job duties, or tenure. Presenters included Chief Neil Gang, from the City of Pinole, California, Police Department; Dr. Robert Sobo, director of the Chicago, Illinois, Police Department Employee Assistance Program; and Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown (retired) from the City of Raleigh, North Carolina, Police Department. Mr. Brandon Post, senior research associate with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research, provided information on related Bureau of Justice Assistance programs, including the National Suicide Awareness for Law Enforcement Officers (SAFLEO) Program.

Key Takeaways

In order for officers to trust mental health professionals, there must be buy-in from the top. Chiefs themselves must be in a good place mentally/practicing self-care and be using the services.
Executives must address barriers to officers gaining access to resources.
It is important to build programs to improve resiliency.

Prosecution Community of Practice (PCoP)

The PCoP encourages outreach and relationship-building among all prosecutors and district attorneys throughout the PSP network. The PCoP shares best and promising practices and innovative strategies to reduce violent crime, supports collaboration with law enforcement and the community, and supports PSP’s efforts to drive evidence-based prosecution and enhance public safety.

PCoP Roundtable
Thursday, August 18, 2022

Recruitment and Retention of Staff: Historically, working as a prosecutor was a highly coveted position. A variety of factors (retirements, salary, workload, and culture) have caused high vacancy rates at many prosecutor offices. But there are solutions. PCoP’s panel of highly experienced practitioners provided ideas that could turn the tide and infuse offices with engaged prosecutors. PCoP members heard from District Attorney John Flynn, president of the National District Attorneys Association; Ms. Kimberly Spahos, executive director of the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys; and Assistant District Attorney Eric Snyder and Victim Service Officer Ms. Kierra Lott, both from Calhoun County, Alabama.

Key Takeaways

In order to successfully recruit and retain prosecutors, offices must be able to adapt. We cannot continue to do things the same way.
Recruitment and retention strategies include robust internship programs, increase in recruitment at law schools, creating exceptional onboarding programs, concentrating organizational culture, and focusing on work/life balance.

Public Information Officer Community of Practice (PIOCoP)

(No events from July to September 2022)

Public information officers (PIOs) communicate critical information to the public and are frequently viewed as the “face” of an agency. To support the PIO’s critical role and responsibilities, the PIOCoP facilitates learning and networking opportunities among PSP site PIOs about community engagement strategies, proactive messaging, and media relations.

Technology Community of Practice (TCoP)

(No events from July to September 2022)

PSP established the TCoP to provide an opportunity for PSP site technology professionals to collaborate and discuss the increasingly critical and expansive role that technology plays in daily crime fighting. The TCoP shares promising practices and innovative methods to help address law enforcement’s technology-related challenges and needs in procuring, implementing, and leveraging technology to build capacities in areas that are critical to fighting crime.

-Training and Technical Assistance-

The PSP team is continuing to deliver on-site engagements, including peer exchanges and assessments, to support law enforcement agencies and PSP partners. The following engagements, held between July and September 2022, covered a variety of topics aimed at reducing violent crime and enhancing public safety.

-On-Site Peer Exchanges-

August 4, 2022—Anniston/Oxford (Calhoun County), Alabama, District Attorney's Office to Savannah, Georgia, District Attorney's Office

The Anniston/Oxford PSP site traveled to Savannah and visited with the Chatham County District Attorney's Office. During the peer learning event, the peer exchange attendees were exposed to the structure of Chatham County's Prosecutorial leadership team, their organizational structure, and their victim advocacy program and received an overview of their community-based crime strategy.

August 11, 2022—Wichita, Kansas, Group Peer Exchange

The Wichita Police Department (PD) hosted PSP sites Aurora, Colorado; Shreveport, Louisiana; and Davenport, Iowa, on numerous topics of interest to each agency. This network-wide peer event exposed PSP sites to the Wichita PD's Crime Gun Intelligence Process, Save-a-Casing Program, Crime Analysis Capacity, and much more. In addition, attendees were given a special tour of Wichita State University and were briefed on its fledgling partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to establish its second national correlation center in Wichita.

August 16, 2022—Davenport, Iowa, to Indianapolis, Indiana

The Davenport PD attended a two-day National Crime Gun Intelligence training session in Indianapolis. Indianapolis is a Crime Gun Intelligence Center site and hosted this training event, which was attended by personnel from across the United States. The event was funded by BJA through the National Crime Gun Intelligence Center Initiative, and PSP provided funding for the attendees to travel to the event utilizing allotted peer exchanges.

August 24, 2022—Amarillo, Texas, to Indianapolis

The Amarillo PD is in the process of establishing itself as a regional hub for Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) operations. The Indianapolis Metro PD is a nationally recognized leader in the utilization of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) and the associated partnership with ATF. The Amarillo PD was exposed to the Indianapolis Metro PD's Crime Gun Intelligence Operations and had the ability to see the workflow processes utilized by Indianapolis.

September 8, 2022—Amarillo, Texas, to San Antonio, Texas

The Amarillo PD sent its evidence room lead to the San Antonio PD to learn about its evidence recovery processes and the associated technology. The San Antonio PD has a high-functioning evidence room and has integrated that the technology Amarillo PD was considering procuring. This peer event provided the Amarillo PD the unique opportunity to learn from a high-functioning agency that was utilizing the technology it was hoping to utilize.

September 14, 2022—Louisville, Kentucky, to Austin, Texas

The Louisville Metro PD sent the director of victim services and the major over victim services to visit the Austin PD Victim Services team. The Austin PD team provided a diverse agenda with all the victim services units including case managers, supervisors, crisis response teams, and the training unit. The Louisville team was able to visit both the Austin PD headquarters building and the training academy.

September 21, 2022—Cleveland, Ohio, to Kansas City, Missouri

The Cleveland Division of Police (DP) traveled to Kansas City and visited with the Kansas City PD's Career Criminal Unit. The Career Criminal Unit is a high-functioning collaboration designed to respond to violent crime and apprehend high-risk violent offenders. This unit is unique in that it is PD-based with involvement from ATF; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Independence, Missouri, PD; the Kansas City PD; the Missouri State Patrol; the Overland Park, Kansas, PD; the U.S. Marshals Service; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and many other entities, all working in the same room, with a singular mission.

- On-Site Nonfatal Shooting (NFS) Assessments-

Part of PSP’s comprehensive approach is to offer a series of assessments related to PSP’s focus areas. The objective of each assessment is to provide an understanding of challenges and opportunities for growth within the participating departments and agencies. The PSP site team will use the assessment results to help develop a PSP Strategic Plan to address violent crime and public safety priorities, supported by all local and federal partners.

July 2022—Chattanooga, Tennessee, On-Site NFS Assessment

August 2022—Phoenix, Arizona, On-Site NFS Assessment

September 2022—Richmond, Virginia, On-Site NFS Assessment

-Virtual Academy-

PSP, in collaboration with leading law enforcement experts and practitioners, has developed interactive, virtual courses on law enforcement topics identified to be of great importance and shared interest to PSP network-wide and beyond.

These courses are available nationwide to requesting law enforcement professionals as part of the PSP Virtual Academy. All the courses within the Virtual Academy are self-paced, and students can access the platform using computers, smartphones, and tablets. Upon completion, students are given an opportunity to print and save a completion certificate. This can then be shared with their training staff or placed in their training records.

Click here to learn more: Virtual Academy (nationalpublicsafetypartnership.org).

Now Available!

The Bureau of Justice Assistance, a division of the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives recently announced the release of a new training module on privately made firearms as part of the Virtual Academy. The training supports DOJ's comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and President Biden’s commitment to reducing gun violence in communities across the country. We invite you to check out this no-cost, self-paced training, as well as the other courses offered through the Virtual Academy.

View the DOJ press release about the new Ghost Guns course here.

Welcome Back to School!

It’s back-to-school season, and the National Public Safety Partnership (PSP) Virtual Academy is here to meet your law enforcement training needs.

Crime Guns Training Suite

The PSP Virtual Academy’s Crime Guns Training Suite offers law enforcement officers, detectives, executives, and other key public safety partners and stakeholders interactive training courses developed by national law enforcement experts on how to effectively combat gun violence from the enforcement, analytical, and strategic perspectives.

Law Enforcement Guide to Crime Guns
Navigating NIBIN Leads via the GETS System
GunStat: A Data Driven Approach to Address Gun Violence
Ghost Guns: Identifying and Tracing Privately Made Firearms

Learn more about the PSP Virtual Academy.

Trauma-Informed, Resilience-Oriented Schools Toolkit

Educators and their students need strong compassion resilience skills to balance the stress and trauma they may experience in their lives. These skills include the ability to maintain physical, emotional, and mental well-being while responding compassionately to one another’s needs. Learn how you can improve your school’s understanding of trauma and enhance the compassion resilience of both staff and students: Trauma-Informed, Resilience-Oriented Schools Toolkit.

The Public Safety Clearinghouse is a public online tool that serves as a one-stop shop for violence reduction and public safety resources from DOJ program components and other federal entities. The Clearinghouse functions as an online catalog for users to browse, search, and ultimately build a custom toolkit of resources that can be downloaded in one package and shared with others.

Designed for maximum functionality on your smartphone or tablet, the Public Safety Clearinghouse mobile app offers a convenient, single point of access to DOJ violence reduction and public safety resources for the criminal justice field. Download the Public Safety Clearinghouse mobile app today by scanning the QR code, clicking on the Apple or Android link, or visiting your mobile app store.

If you have questions or would like to recommend any DOJ-sponsored resources to the Clearinghouse, please contact info@pspartnership.org.

Get It on Google Play

Download on the Apple Store

-Contact Us-

We want to hear from you! Do you have a success story or information that you would like to feature in future editions of The PSP Impact?

Please contact info@pspartnership.org for suggestions on items to spotlight.

This project was supported by Grant No. 2019-DG-BX-K006 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART). Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S Department of Justice.

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