News | Police Foundation

8November
2018

Police Foundation Partners with CALEA to hold first law enforcement accreditation conference in Mexico

Members of the Mexican Federal Police Honor Guard present flags of the four countries (United States, Mexico, Canada, and Barbados) currently participating in CALEA accreditation during the Inaugural Ceremony of the 1st CALEA Commissioners Meeting in Mexico City, MX. (Photo: Erica Richardson/Police Foundation)

Mexico City, November 8, 2018 – Yesterday the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) inaugurated its first accreditation meeting in Mexico with the support of the Merida Initiative and the Police Foundation. The U.S. Department of State, together with the Police Foundation, supports the accreditation of Mexican law enforcement agencies by CALEA. There are currently more than 30 state, municipal, and federal law enforcement agencies pursuing CALEA accreditation in Mexico, including police departments, public safety training academies, and public safety communication centers.

Law enforcement agencies achieve accreditation following a multi-year self-assessment phase and a meticulous site-based assessment of community engagement, policy, procedures, equipment and facilities by CALEA assessors. Each agency then goes before CALEA’s Board of Commissioners, which reviews all findings and makes an independent determination regarding the agencies’ accreditation status.

On Friday, November 9, six Mexican criminal justice agencies will present at hearings in order to earn CALEA accreditation: Querétaro State Police and Communications Center, Sonora State Police and State Training Academy, Tabasco State Training Academy, and Metepec Municipal Police. CALEA Executive Director W. Craig Hartley Jr. will award accreditation to those agencies approved by the Commission, signifying excellence in public safety and commitment to the community.

Most of the agencies presenting at hearings this week have been supported by the Police Foundation with funding support from the State Department’s Merida Initiative.

At the conference, Tobin Bradley, director of the Merida Initiative office at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico noted, “Accreditation increases public trust in institutions; it gives citizens confidence that their complaints will be heard, that their police forces will do what they should, and if they don’t – that they will be held accountable.”

CALEA’s Executive Director W. Craig Hartley, Jr. added, “The process of CALEA accreditation is a proven model for success in public safety. CALEA’s partnership with the Police Foundation and the United States Department of State serves to further assist public safety leaders and practitioners in Mexico to achieve continuous organizational improvement.”

Jim Burch, Executive Vice President of the Police Foundation, and Virgil Young, International Program Manager at the Police Foundation, give a presentation during the conference on how the Foundation is helping Mexican law enforcement agencies achieve CALEA accreditation. (Photo: Erica Richardson/Police Foundation)

“We are honored to provide technical assistance and guidance to Mexican law enforcement agencies as they pursue international accreditation and we are grateful for the State Department’s critical support. This program has already resulted in the accreditation of multiple agencies across Mexico and has generated interest from dozens of others, demonstrating a strong desire to enhance professionalism and to advance Mexican policing,” said Jim Burch, Executive Vice President of the Police Foundation.

Background:
The Merida Initiative is a bilateral security cooperation agreement between Mexico and the United States of America. Through nearly ten years of implementation, the Merida Initiative has led to greater cooperation between the United States and Mexico. It provides tangible support to Mexico’s law enforcement and judicial institutions, strengthens border security, and helps to counteract the activities of transnational criminal organizations and the illegal trade in narcotics. To date, through the Mérida Initiative the United States has delivered USD 1.8 billion in equipment, training, and capacity building assistance to the government of Mexico.

The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., (CALEA®) was created in 1979 as a credentialing authority. The purpose of CALEA’s Accreditation Programs is to improve the delivery of public safety services, primarily by: maintaining a body of standards, developed by public safety practitioners, covering a wide range of up-to-date public safety initiatives; establishing and administering an accreditation process; and recognizing professional excellence. This accreditation program provides public safety agencies an opportunity to voluntarily demonstrate that they meet an established set of professional standards based on industry best practices and approved by an all-volunteer board of commissioners.

The Police Foundation is a U.S.-based, non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to advancing policing through innovation and science. For nearly 50 years, the Police Foundation has conducted research on all aspects of policing, provided training and technical assistance in all aspects of policing, and has led the way in promoting and sharing evidence-based practices and innovation among law enforcement in the U.S. and internationally. For more information on the Police Foundation, please visit www.policefoundation.org (www.fundacionpolicia.org.mx) or contact James Burch, Executive Vice President, at jburch@policefoundation.org.

26October
2018

National Police Foundation Publishes Best Practices Guide for Police Open Data

As more police departments are adopting open data practices within their jurisdictions, the National Police Foundation releases a five-part series to guide agencies through the process.

WASHINGTON — The National Police Foundation, a non-profit, non-partisan, policing research organization, is pleased to announce the publication of its five-part best practices guide series Open Data and Policing. Drawing from promising practices used by law enforcement agencies that take part in the Police Data Initiative, the guide series aims to guide executives and members of local law enforcement agencies as they develop and release open data.

WHAT IS THE POLICE OPEN DATA INITIATIVE (PDI)?

The Police Data Initiative, managed by the National Police Foundation through funding from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), promotes the use of open data to encourage joint problem-solving, innovation, enhanced understanding, and accountability between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve.

To date, more than 140 local law enforcement agencies have joined the Police Data Initiative, and as of October 2018, over 380 open data sets have been released with many more in development. These open data sets contain raw, incident-level data that can be accessed online in a digital machine-readable format. These data sets can be accessed, downloaded, and analyzed by community members, researchers, and others at no cost to the user.

THE BENEFITS OF OPEN DATA TO POLICE DEPARTMENTS & COMMUNITIES

According to the National Police Foundation’s Law Enforcement Executive’s Guide to Open Data, “with increased access to accurate information, police officers and community members alike are empowered to develop a fact-based perspective on community-police relations by understanding the actual public safety and crime problems within their jurisdictions and how the police are responding to those problems.”

Police departments can use open data sets to help them to better engage with their communities and identify and analyze local challenges, which can better inform responses to topics such as crime hot spots and specialized challenges such as hate crimes. Publishing data sets that address frequently-requested statistics can additionally help to streamline common media inquiries.

“The leaders involved in this community of practice have taken extraordinary steps to demonstrate transparency and to engage those they serve in a partnership for public safety,” said Chief (Ret.) Jim Bueermann, President of the National Police Foundation. “Open data is more accessible, timely, and provides a more accurate picture and allows for informed dialogue to take place between law enforcement and community members.”

BEST PRACTICES GUIDE

With funding from the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office, the National Police Foundation developed a five-part series Best Practices Guide, covering topics throughout the process of developing and releasing open data for the first time through real-word examples. Topics include creating a data plan and choosing types of data sets to release, creating new open data sets, sharing open data sets with the community, regularly updating data, and using open data as an opportunity for further community engagement.

5-part series:

“Open data can improve transparency and create an informed community, but it is important to take the time to make sure the data you share is accurate and ethical,” said Commander Mike Krantz of the Portland Police Bureau.

Portland PB is one of ten unique agency case studies within the Open Data and Policing series that provide first-hand accounts of open data development from interviews with “data champions” in each public safety agency. Case studies include comprehensive narratives from Austin (TX), Chapel Hill (NC), Ferndale (MI), Lincoln (NE), Long Branch (NJ), Norman (OK), Northampton (MA), Rochester (NY), South Bend (IN), as well as many other references to participating agencies in the Police Data Initiative community.

HOW TO VIEW THE GUIDE OR JOIN PDI

Agencies interested in viewing the guide or joining the Police Data Initiative can visit www.policedatainitiative.org or contact Garrett Johnson, Research Assistant at the National Police Foundation, at gjohnson@policefoundation.org. For a look at how police departments, as well as community members and cities, are using open data, please see this feature article on PoliceOne.com.

This project was supported by cooperative agreement number 2016CRWXK001, awarded by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions contained herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. References to specific agencies, companies, products, or services should not be considered an endorsement by the author(s) or the U.S. Department of Justice. Rather, the references are illustrations to supplement discussion of the issues. The Internet references cited in this publication were valid as of the date of this publication. Given that URLs and websites are in constant flux, neither the author(s) nor the COPS Office can vouch for their current validity.

9October
2018

Congresswoman Val Demings Delivers Keynote Address at the National Police Foundation Annual Dinner & Meeting at IACP 2018

Representative Demings, Former Orlando Police Chief, delivers inspiring message about policing; says it is a higher calling

ORLANDO — On Sunday, October 7, 2018, more than two hundred law enforcement and public safety leaders from the United States and abroad joined together for the National Police Foundation Annual Dinner & Meeting at the IACP Conference.

Amongst the leaders in the room was Congresswoman Val Demings, who previously served as the 36th Chief of Police of the Orlando Police Department. Congresswoman Demings represents Florida’s 10th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Congresswoman delivered the keynote address, “A Higher Calling,” to a room full of police executives and public safety leaders, after being introduced by Foundation executives and recognized for her long career in law enforcement and for “working across the aisle” to obtain bipartisan support for legislation related to protecting law enforcement officers, which was met with applause from the audience. .

While Demings addressed the current challenging state of law enforcement in America, she says she prefers to talk about policing as a “higher calling.”

As a police officer, police chief, and Congresswoman — while each are different positions with different assignments — Demings has taken the oath three separate times to “protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”

Demings then said police work is a higher calling.

The constitution, that document that was written for, “we the people.” That document that is the guiding light for everything that we do in our official and sometimes unofficial capacity as public servants and community leaders.

Although I retired from police work seven years ago, I am still in awe at the men and women who are willing to do the job. Brothers and sisters who go to work every day, not knowing if they will survive the night; make it back home; kiss their spouse again; hug their children again. I am still amazed at the willingness to live and die to protect and defend, ‘we the people.’

It must be a higher calling. I am still amazed at the thousands of young men and women who press their way to sign up and join the ranks of the men and women in blue. In spite of all the negative stories; in spite of the generalizations; the dangerous streets; being outgunned and still outmanned.

It must be a higher calling.

We thank God for them, but how do we protect the integrity of the profession that we hold dear; how do we maintain and in some instances restore public trust and take care of the men and women who risk their lives to take care of us?

Let’s go back to basics. We must still hire those with the highest ethical and moral standards. we must be careful about who we let in the door. It’s a lot easier to hire than to fire.

We must continue to recruit a diverse workforce, a force that reflects the community you serve. And then we must work with local, state, and federal governments, to make sure that communities have the resources to handle issues that should not require a police response.

In other words, we must stop calling the police for everything.

I believe former Dallas Police Chief David Brown, after five Dallas police officers were shot and killed, said it best:

“We’re asking cops to do too much in this country. Every societal failure, we put it off on the cops to solve. Not enough mental health funding, let the cops handle it. Here in Dallas, we got a loose dog problem; let’s have the cops chase loose dogs. Schools fail; let’s give it to the cops. That’s too much to ask. Policing was never meant to solve all those problems.”

We must work hard to give each officer the best chance to survive physically, emotionally, and mentally. We must make sure they understand that we are just as concerned about their invisible wounds as we are about their visible wounds.

That’s why I was proud to sponsor, along with Representative Susan Brooks from Indiana, the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act, which directs the Department of Justice to work with the Department of Veteran Affairs to identify mental health programs that can be adopted by police agencies, including funding through the COPS program for mentoring, hotlines, and services from mental health professionals specially trained to work with law enforcement officers.

We can never talk enough about the importance of training, especially when mass shootings are all too familiar in all too familiar places: church, movie theatre, concert, at the mall, at a nightclub, in our schools. And let me say this regardless of your politics, we have got to work harder to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill, felons, and terrorists.

So, when we accept a higher calling, when we raise our hand and talk the oath of office, we must always remember that everybody counts but everybody is accountable–including us.

We must practice what we preach by holding ourselves to the highest ethical and moral standards.

We must fall in love again with the community we serve.

Law enforcement officers must work hard to be the best, most inspiring role models for our youth.

We must not let the naysayers control the narrative. We must tell our own story.

When we mess up; we must fess up.

There is no job quite like that of a law enforcement officer because when people are alone, afraid, in crisis, they call the cops believing that things will get better.

How do we get better? How do we bring much needed change? Everybody in this room has a role to play. I leave you with this quote from the 44th President of the United States (President Obama):

“Change will not come, waiting for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change we seek.”

Again, thank you and may God continue to bless the work of the Foundation.

“It was an honor to have Congresswoman Demings deliver the keynote address at this year’s dinner,” said Chief (Ret.) Jim Bueermann, President of the National Police Foundation. “Her speech was inspiring and moving. We commend Congresswoman Demings for her leadership, service, and commitment to law enforcement for the betterment of our country.” Having Demings as the keynote speaker provided an opportunity for the National Police Foundation to also recognize and applaud all women in law enforcement and public safety, including those who work in non-sworn capacities and places like academia.

In addition to Demings’ remarks, The National Police Foundation announced its partnership with Mark43 to improve near-miss reporting through Mark43’s Records Management System. Officers who experience a near miss, an incident in which they are almost seriously injured or killed while on duty, will now be able to seamlessly submit these reports to the National Police Foundation LEO Near Miss database, which collects and analyzes these reports to provide officer safety insights to departments which can be used to inform training and policy. For more information, please see the article featured on GovTech.

8October
2018

National Police Foundation and Mark43 Announce Officer Safety Partnership with the Law Enforcement Officer Near Miss Initiative

October 8, 2018

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–As protecting our nation’s law enforcement officers remains paramount, the National Police Foundation and Mark43 are announcing a new partnership in support of the Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) Near Miss initiative. The new partnership will help officers and agencies more easily and efficiently share “near misses” – situations where officers were almost seriously injured or killed. This partnership will improve safety for officers who experience near misses – a common occurrence within law enforcement, where officers put their lives on the line every day.

Near misses are usually very similar in characteristics to situations in which law enforcement officers were seriously injured or killed, so increasing the systematic reporting and analysis of these events will enable law enforcement to more proactively identify risks to officer safety and take the necessary action to prevent tragedy.

Through the partnership, Mark43 will now offer its customers the ability to seamlessly integrate near-miss reporting into their existing records management system (RMS) to enable officers and supervisors to, at the simple click of a button, automatically submit anonymized data to the LEO Near Miss reporting system (www.LEOnearmiss.org). This efficiency ensures that data critical to improving officer safety is systematically reported, captured, and analyzed, while also acknowledging the multitude of competing priorities and time constraints our officers face on a daily basis. The Mark43 integration also ensures that each participating agency has access to real-time data on the risks its officers are encountering, bolstering the agency’s capability to quickly and proactively address emerging threats to officer safety.

“This outstanding partnership will make the LEO Near Miss initiative far more effective and will allow us to make significant gains in officer safety by improving participation and reporting,” said Chief Jim Bueermann (Ret.), President of the National Police Foundation. Chief Richard Myers (Ret.), Executive Director of the Major Cities Chiefs Association, notes, “We applaud this new officer safety partnership that will create lessons learned from lessons that are ordinarily only observed. This development will support continuous improvement in policing – something we must embrace and commit to in order to continue to advance policing, protect our officers, and serve our community members.”

“This outstanding partnership will make the LEO Near Miss initiative far more effective and will allow us to make significant gains in officer safety by improving participation and reporting,” — Chief Jim Bueermann (Ret.), President of the NPF.

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“We are continuously innovating our technology to best meet the needs of the brave men and women who serve and protect us every day,” said Scott Crouch, Mark43 Co-Founder and CEO. “It was a privilege for our team to work alongside the National Police Foundation to develop this integration. With a simplified near-miss reporting process, officers will be able to help prevent future incidents without ever leaving the Mark43 platform.”

The Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) Near Miss Reporting System is managed by the National Police Foundation, with funding support from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, U.S. Department of Justice, in partnership with eight other law enforcement organizations like Below 100, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. For more information about how your agency can become involved in this critical officer safety initiative, please visit www.LEOnearmiss.org. Attendees at the IACP Annual Conference & Expo (October 6-9) in Orlando, Florida can also visit Mark43’s booth #1829 to learn more.

About the National Police Foundation:

The National Police Foundation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing policing through innovation and science. For over 45 years, the Foundation has conducted research on all aspects of policing and has led the way in promoting and sharing evidence-based practices and innovation among law enforcement.

About Mark43:

Mark43 is the modern platform built for wherever your service takes you. With cloud-native, intuitive software designed to let you focus on what matters most, Mark43 gives agencies a technology foundation to build from — smart, open, and extensible — growing and innovating with you as your needs evolve. Developed by a team that spans five offices in North America, Mark43 is proven, tested, and supported in over 60 public safety agencies of all sizes. For more information, visit www.mark43.com.

Contacts
National Police Foundation
James Burch, Executive Vice President
202-833-1460
jburch@policefoundation.org

Mark43, Inc.
212-651-9154
press@mark43.com

5October
2018

Police Foundation Announces New Name

The Police Foundation will be rebranding itself as the National Police Foundation.

October 5, 2018

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today, after nearly 50 years, the Police Foundation is pleased to announce it will be rebranding itself as the National Police Foundation. You’ll soon see the new name and look in public, such as the Foundation’s website, social media, and conferences. You’ll also see it in written publications, such as reports, essays, and press releases. The National Police Foundation believes the new name and look better represents and matches what it has grown to become over the past 48 years: a national, non-profit organization committed to advancing democratic policing through innovation and science.

“We are proud of the work we do with agencies across the country, as well as internationally. Our goal with rebranding is to make clear our national focus & commitment to support law enforcement officers.” – NPF President Chief (Ret.) Jim Bueermann

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Since the Foundation’s founding in 1970, its name has been the Police Foundation; however, it was not the only Police Foundation using that name. There are now many, many local police foundations, none of which are affiliated with the NPF.

“We are unique in our independence, our work, and our people,” says National Police Foundation President, Chief (Ret.) Jim Bueermann. “We feel it is important to make the distinction that we are an independent, national research organization, proud of the work we do with agencies across the country, as well as internationally. Our goal is to make clear our national focus and our commitment to support law enforcement officers and agencies by advancing policing as America’s most noble profession.”

The new name was approved by the Foundation’s Board of Directors, led by Chairman Bernard Melekian, who has nearly 40 years of law enforcement experience and understands the importance of branding. Melekian, who is the current Assistant County Executive Officer over Public Safety for Santa Barbara County, CA, has previously served as the Undersheriff for Santa Barbara, Police Chief for the city of Pasadena, an officer with the Santa Monica Police Department, the Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), and a member of the United States Army and Coast Guard Reserves.

“These rebranding changes are not just important to us, but to law enforcement agencies,” says Melekian. “By branding ourselves as the National Police Foundation we hope more policing organizations, policy makers and community members will recognize our name and know that we are here to serve them.”

For more information, please visit the National Police Foundation website. For media inquiries, please contact Erica Richardson, Communications Specialist at the National Police Foundation, at erichardson@policefoundation.org or at 202-833-1460.

Contacts

National Police Foundation
Erica Richardson, 202-833-1460
Communications Specialist
erichardson@policefoundation.org

21September
2018

National Police Foundation to Attend International Summit in India on Countering Violence and Extremism

The National Police Foundation and From India with Love, an initiative of the International Association for Human Values, to collaborate and explore opportunities to counter violence and extremism through Ghandi’s principals of nonviolence and compassion.

MUMBAI, India–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dr. Frank Straub, Director of Center for Mass Violence Response Studies at the National Police Foundation, and Chief (Ret.) Dean Esserman, Senior Counselor at the National Police Foundation, will travel to India to attend a global summit, organized by Mandar Apte, the Founder and Executive Director of From India with Love, on countering violence and extremism.

Our participation in the world summit and collaboration with From India with Love will create new opportunities to work with police leaders to identify innovative responses to violence & extremism. #NonViolenceSummit2018

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The international summit will bring together police officials, political and community leaders from across the United States and India to study Mahatma Ghandi’s principles of nonviolence. The summit coincides with the 149^thanniversary of Ghandi’s birth and a year of celebration and reflection in India.

At the summit, the National Police Foundation, through its recently formed Center for Mass Violence Response Studies, will collaborate with From India with Love, to identify opportunities to reduce violence and improve policing through India’s ancient culture and the wisdom of nonviolence and compassion.

“The collaboration we are developing with From India with Love presents a unique and important opportunity to explore Ghandi’s principles of nonviolence and work with police and community leaders to counter violence and extremism,” said Chief (Ret.) Jim Bueermann, President of the National Police Foundation. “We continue to collaborate with law enforcement leaders in the United States and abroad, including Mexico, Canada and beyond to share ideas to advance policing and safety through science and innovation. We believe that our participation in the world summit and collaboration with From India with Love will create new opportunities to work with law enforcement leaders and to draw from their unique perspectives to identify responses to violence and extremism.”

The Center for Mass Violence Response Studies (CMVRS) draws on the National Police Foundation’s knowledge and experience to provide objective, thorough and actionable research; training; and, technical assistance regarding the prevention, response and recovery from mass violence events.

“As evidenced by this week’s attacks in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Maryland, we must endeavor to identify innovative and collaborative responses to the vexing challenge of mass violence,” said Dr. Frank Straub, Director of CMVRS. “Participation in the Summit presents a unique opportunity to learn from our international colleagues and to identify responses to violence and extremism built on the principals of non-violence and compassion.”

Ultimately, the two groups hope to strengthen connections between U.S. law enforcement and the From India with Love initiative through research and practice as they relate to preventing, responding and recovering from mass violence events.

Established in 1970, the National Police Foundation is a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to improving policing through innovation and science. For nearly 50 years, the Foundation has conducted research on all aspects of policing and is leading the way in promoting and sharing evidence-based practices and innovation among law enforcement. The Foundation is currently working with hundreds of police agencies nationwide, as well as internationally, providing research and translation, training, technical assistance, and modern technology implementation.

From India with Love, an initiative of the International Association for Human Values, is a social advocacy group whose mission is to support leaders to reinvigorate the conversation about nonviolence in America from inspiration to implementation. The group offers customized leadership development programs for civic leaders to experience and study India’s ancient culture and wisdom of nonviolence and supports leaders to design solutions that will promote safer and more peaceful communities & neighborhoods. The group was founded by Mandar Apte after producing a documentary film about victims of violence from across America who embarked on a journey to India, inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who had also visited India to study nonviolence.

For media inquiries, please contact Dr. Frank Straub, Director of Center for Mass Violence Response Studies at the National Police Foundation, at fstraub@policefoundation.org or at 202-833-1460.

26July
2018

Police Foundation Launches New Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Public Safety

New Police Foundation Center provides information and resources for law enforcement and communities on the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in public safety

WASHINGTON — Ensuring the safety of the public is a core mission for all professional law enforcement agencies. In pursuit of this mission, law enforcement leverages many different types of tools, including new and emerging technologies. One of these latest technologies is the small-unmanned aircraft system (sUAS).

The Police Foundation is launching a new Center for law enforcement agencies considering the use of small unmanned aircraft systems. As sUAS technology continues to advance and its use becomes increasingly widespread, the goal of the Police Foundation Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Public Safety is to help law enforcement navigate the equally important community policing aspects of adopting the technology, including community concerns related to privacy and civil rights, transparency and accountability, the development of policy and procedure, and operational safety. We conduct scientific research to examine the real-world challenges of policing and public safety, and work closely with policy staff in the translation of scientific findings and development of evidence-based recommendations for the field.

The website is intended as a resource to help law enforcement agencies make an informed decision on whether to acquire sUAS, and if they do, how to develop policies and procedures that will help garner public support, avoid pitfalls, and build community trust. The website is also intended to provide insight for the public on the advantages of sUAS for public safety, and the many considerations that go into sUAS program implementation.

While this type of technology has significant potential to improve operational efficiency as well as officer and community safety, there are understandable and legitimate concerns about privacy risks. To address these concerns and to improve sUAS programs, law enforcement agencies considering adopting sUAS technology are encouraged to follow the principles of community policing in their adoption and to engage their communities early on in the decision to implement a program.

“sUAS technologies provide law enforcement agencies with unique capabilities for rapid, safe, economical and effective responses to a wide variety of public safety tactical challenges,” said Jim Bueermann, President of the Police Foundation and former Chief of Police in Redlands, California. “Harnessing these capabilities requires not only the skills to operate the technology, but the input and understanding of the community and a pledge to operate the technology in a transparent manner. Taking the time to engage the community, address concerns and gain input from the community is exactly what community policing is all about.”

“Harnessing UAS capabilities requires not only the skills to operate the technology, but the input and understanding of the community and a pledge to operate the technology in a transparent manner.” – @PoliceFound President Jim Bueermann on #PFUASCenter

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The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, U.S. Department of Justice, supported the development of this website and numerous other resources including an infographic, Five Things You Need to Know about sUAS in Law Enforcement publication, and guidebook.

Established in 1970, the Police Foundation is a national, non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to improving policing through innovation and science. For 48 years, the Foundation has conducted research on all aspects of policing and is leading the way in promoting and sharing evidence-based practices and innovation among law enforcement. The Foundation is currently working with hundreds of police agencies nationwide, as well as internationally, providing research and translation, training, technical assistance, and modern technology implementation. The Foundation is a leader in officer safety and wellness, community policing, open-data, investigations, and law-enforcement technology. The Foundation’s main goal is to improve the way police do their work and the delivery of police services, in order to benefit officers and the communities they serve, as well as reduce crime.

For media-related questions and inquiries related to this website, the Center and the Police Foundation’s sUAS work, please contact James Burch, Executive Vice President, at jburch@policefoundation.org or at 202-833-1460. For non-media questions and inquiries, please contact Maria Valdovinos, Senior Research Associate, at mvaldovinos@policefoundation.org. You may also visit the Police Foundation website at www.policefoundation.org for more information.

24July
2018

Police Foundation Concludes 5-year Study on “Near Repeat” Burglary Prevention Strategies

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 24, 2018 — The Police Foundation recently concluded a research study examining the phenomenon of near-repeat burglary patterns — which suggests that once a burglary occurs on a street, the homes on that street and on nearby streets are at a much higher risk of being burglarized over a relatively short time period (usually the next one to two weeks) — and to use the knowledge surrounding near repeat burglaries to develop and test a crime prevention strategy for police departments and communities to see if the patterns could be interrupted.

With funding from the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, the Police Foundation conducted the study in two police departments — Redlands, CA, and Baltimore County, MD, in cooperation with the two principal investigators: Dr. Elizabeth Groff from Temple University and Dr. Travis Taniguchi of RTI International.

The research team sought to determine if knowledge about near repeat patterns of burglary can actually be used for crime prevention purposes. Within this framework, the Foundation attempted to determine if raising awareness about crime issues and crime prevention techniques amongst residents in the vicinity of the primary burglary locations could further reduce burglary in the area.

The project was designed to test whether quickly notifying community residents that they are at an increased risk for a burglary and sending patrol, auxiliary officers, and/or volunteers to provide residents with burglary prevention tips could interrupt the phenomena of near repeat burglaries.

The Police Foundation recently published the results of the study, including a “5 Things You Need to Know” document, research summary, strategy brief, and a technical report. These resources and other authored reports can be found by visiting the Police Foundation website or by clicking here.

20July
2018

Police Foundation Launches Law Enforcement Alexa Skills Quiz!

July 20, 2018, WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Police Foundation — a national, non-profit, independent, non-partisan, research organization dedicated to improving policing through innovation and science — is pleased to announce it recently launched its very own Amazon Alexa Skills Quiz, a cloud-based, voice-activated quiz.

“How Well Do You Know 5-O?” is a short 10-question multiple-choice quiz to test your knowledge about police officers in America (sometimes referred to in slang as “5-O” or “Five-Oh”) and the work they do. All questions are based on facts and data from national research and statistics that cover topics including average police salaries, hiring requirements, assaults and line of duty deaths, use of force, and body worn cameras.

The Police Foundation developed the quiz in an effort to improve education on law enforcement by providing factual information in a fun and interactive format that can be easily accessed.

“There is, particularly amongst the general public, uncertainty about various topics in law enforcement,” said Jim Bueermann, Police Foundation President. “That inspired us to create a police-related quiz using the Amazon Alexa platform.”

The Police Foundation is encouraging community members, friends, and family to gather around their Amazon Echo or other Alexa-enabled devices and ask Alexa how much they know about the 5-O. The Foundation also announced a social media contest in which five winners will be randomly selected to receive an exclusive custom-made Police Foundation 5-O T-Shirt. Details about the contest can be found here.

“Our goal is to share information based on research and facts, not opinions, with the public to enhance education around law enforcement in America, but in a more fun and interactive way.”

Individuals who want to take the quiz need to sign in to their Amazon account and enable the quiz through the Amazon Alexa app or website. Detailed instructions can be found here.

For media inquiries, please contact Erica Richardson at erichardson@policefoundation.org.

20July
2018

Police Foundation Director of Strategic Studies, Chief (Ret.) Frank Straub, Ph.D., Delivers Keynote Address at Campus Safety Conference East 2018

Chief (Ret.) Frank Straub, Ph.D., of the Police Foundation, delivers the keynote address at the Campus Safety Conference East. (Photo by: Police Foundation)

Hundreds of school administrators and public safety officials, including law enforcement and security professionals, convene for a 2-day conference to discuss solutions to campus safety.

July 19, 2018, WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a speech titled, “Ripples of Hope: Building Multi-Discipline Collaboration to Prevent School Violence,” Dr. Frank Straub of the Police Foundation spoke to a room full of public safety professionals and others responsible for the safety of campuses across the United States. Chief (Ret.) Straub, a 30-year veteran of local and federal law enforcement and survivor of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, has “seen things people aren’t supposed to see” and can relate to the pain of those who have been affected by mass violence.

Straub’s moving keynote address commenced the Campus Safety Conference East, a 2-day intensive conference and trainings for administrators and public safety officials, technology directors, risk managers, security professionals, and law enforcement executives from all over the country looking for solutions to campus safety, security, emergency management and technology challenges.

At the conference, attendees hear from leading safety and security experts, learn strategies and tactics to reduce risk and improve incident response, learn about best practices and procedures for emergency response, receive actionable items that can be implemented immediately on campus, discover how to be better prepared for emergency situations, and make campuses safer by protecting students and faculty by preventing a crisis before it occurs.

Dr. Straub drew attention to the importance of school officials, law enforcement, policy makers, government leaders, public safety, security, and community members working together to help improve school safety.

“Protecting our nation’s schools and managing and responding to acts of violence is a shared responsibility,” said Straub. “We have to work together and collaborate to find solutions. Our children deserve to learn in safe environments.”

Straub advocated for intervening and providing more mental health services and resources to children who may be at risk of carrying out acts of violence.

Straub also highlighted several initiatives he is leading at the Police Foundation — a national non-profit, independent, non-partisan research organization dedicated to improving policing through innovation and science — and how these initiatives relate to enhancing safety at schools. These initiatives include the Averted School Violence Database, Center for Mass Violence Response Studies, After Action Assessments/Critical Incident Reviews, and a state-by-state legislative review of school facility security policies.

“By working together to improve security measures, I am optimistic we can restore a sense of safety in our schools.”

Frank G. Straub, Ph.D., is Director of Strategic Studies at the Police Foundation, a non-profit organization that studies ways to improve policing in the United States. Dr. Straub, leads the newly established Center for Mass Violence Response Studies, and has directed in-depth studies of the San Bernardino terrorist attack, the Kalamazoo mass shooting, and the Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting. He is currently leading a review of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.

He is a 30-year veteran of federal and local law enforcement, having served as the police chief in Spokane, Washington; the Public Safety Director in Indianapolis; the Public Safety Commissioner in White Plains, New York; and the New York City Police Department’s Deputy Commissioner of Training and Assistant Commissioner for Counterterrorism. He also served as a member of the FBI-NYPD Joint Terrorism Task Force during his tenure with the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security and the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

Dr. Straub is a non-resident fellow at West Point’s Center for Combatting Terrorism providing expert advice regarding the domestic law enforcement response to terrorism and acts of mass public violence.