This page contains information from State Agencies and Others of an operational nature and also includes statistical data of general interest to law enforcement.
Mid-2024 Officers Killed Report According to preliminary data compiled by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), as of June 30, 2024, 71 federal, state, and local law enforcement officers died in the line-of-duty. This is an increase of approximately 15% from the 62 officers killed during the same period last year.
Amended Firearm Regulation Requiring Records Checks When Private Person Sells a Firearms for Profit ATF Rule Change redefining “Engaged in the Business” as a Dealer in Firearms, amending ATF’s regulations in title 27, Code of Federal Regulations (“CFR”), part 478. The final rule implements the provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (“BSCA,” effective June 25, 2022), which broadened the definition of when a person is considered “engaged in the business” as a dealer in firearms (other than a gunsmith or pawnbroker). The Final Rule became effective on May 20, 2024. NOTE: Several Attorneys General have filed a court action challenging the new rule, including AG Kobach. Read the ATF Explanation at this link. Read the Amended Regulation at this link (only 126 pages long).
2023 Internet Crime Report-FBI Posted 5/22/24 I0n 2023, IC3 received a record number of complaints from the American public: 880,418 complaints were registered, with potential losses exceeding $12.5 billion. This is a nearly 10% increase in complaints received, and it represents a 22% increase in losses suffered, compared to 2022. As impressive as these figures appear, we know they are conservative regarding cybercrime in 2023. Consider that when the FBI recently infiltrated the Hive ransomware group’s infrastructure, we found that only about 20% of Hive’s victims reported to law enforcement.
Emergency Services Sector Cybersecurity Best Practices Posted 3/16/24 The Emergency Services Sector Cybersecurity Best Practices factsheet can assist Emergency Services Sector (ESS) organizations and personnel to better protect themselves by implementing some simple, effective, low-cost measures. In addition to general cybersecurity practices, it also addresses best practices for social networking, email, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Direct Link to Fact Sheet
Federal Regulations Expand Background Checks 4/12/24 Text from 1440 Daily Briefing Article The Department of Justice expanded the definition of who counts as a firearms dealer and must conduct background checks in the US yesterday as part of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The legislation was passed in the aftermath of the 2022 Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
The country's 80,000 licensed dealers must conduct background checks on buyers to determine if they are prohibited from gun possession for past crimes and more (see restrictions). Previously, dealers were defined as those who earned their primary income from sales, while the new rule includes anyone who sells guns primarily to earn a profit, which will include an estimated 20,000 sellers dealing online, at gun shows, or privately. Gun rights groups are expected to challenge the law.
Researchers say there's moderate evidence background checks reduce gun homicide rates. Out of 40 million such checks in 2021, roughly 150,000 were denied. Nearly 68,000 illegally trafficked firearms were sold via unlicensed dealers between 2017 and 2021.
Related Data Source: The Rand Corporation Report: Effects of Background Checks on Violent Crime Updated January 2023 This report is a "study of studies" (they evaluate existing published research and identify those studies that are properly conducted and meet authenticity standards. (Ed's Note: I love these kind of reports because they weed our studies that you find in a google search to support one side of a cause that are not conducted well.) You will note in this study, the effects of increased background on violent crime is inconclusive to moderate by these studies.
Recruitment, Hiring and Retention of Law Enforcement Officers: Investigating the Rural-Urban Divide A study by Ft. Hays State University. 2023 Posted 3/30/24
The continuing crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and issues surrounding disparate policing practices have illuminated an underlying issue facing law enforcement agencies: how to recruit, hire, and retain qualified officers. Using survey data from over 200 rural and urban agencies across three states, this article explores the various issues agencies have with recruitment and retention, paying particular attention to the apparent differences between agency type and size, as well as the extent of urbanization in the jurisdiction. The implications of and potential policy solutions to these issues are then discussed.
Actionable research findings on emergency vehicle lighting and visibility at roadway incidents 3/8/24 The Federal Highway Administration’s National Operations Center of Excellence (NOCoE) hosted a webinar on Feb. 28, where a national expert presented actionable findings from research studies on emergency vehicle lighting and visibility at roadway incidents. These findings were presented by Dr. John Bullough, Program Director at the Light and Health Research Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The findings come from the results of many studies by Dr. Bullough and colleagues spanning more than a decade at the Light and Health Research Center.
A summary of the findings:
Reducing intensity at night will maintain alerting but allow responders to be seen more accurately.
Just a little steady illumination around the vehicle will make responders much easier to see at night.
Reflective vehicle markings can sometimes be “too bright” making emergency responders more difficult to see at night.
“High/low” flashing is better than “on/off” flashing for closure detection.
Synchronized lights help reduce visual chaos, and sequential lights provide visual information.
Blue and red lights are rated most visible; blue and white lights are most glaring.
Source: NOCoE From EMR-ISAC InfoGran March 7, 2024 Edition
New report presents statistics on capital punishment Capital Punishment, 2021 – 11/1//21 Statistical Tables presents statistics on prisoners under sentence of death in 2021, a summary of state and federal death penalty laws in 2021, and historical trends in executions. The report provides data on which jurisdictions carried out an execution in 2021 and which methods of execution were authorized in each jurisdiction. It includes the demographics and criminal histories of persons under sentence of death. The report also provides advance counts of 2022 executions. Read the Capital Punishment Report
KBI Releases Updated 2022 Kansas Crime Index Report Posted 11/17/23 The KBI has posted an updated Crime Index Report for 2022 after correcting for some data submission issues. The new data shows a 2.9% increase in violent crime in 2022 compared to 2021, instead of the decrease previously reported. See the updated report at this link. See the Media Release at this link.
Safety guidance for law enforcement on vehicular pursuits and tire deflation devices Office of Community Oriented Policing Services/PERF Posted 11-1-23 Each year, a significant number of law enforcement officer line-of-duty deaths are traffic-related. While routine traffic stops and other routine roadway operations carry some safety risks, one of the most dangerous activities a law enforcement officer may ever engage in is a vehicular pursuit of a fleeing suspect. The decision whether to pursue a suspect in a vehicle is a difficult one. It involves balancing the risk of the pursuit with the risk to public safety if the suspect is not apprehended. Two new reports provide safety guidance for law enforcement agencies related to vehicular pursuits. The reports suggest best practices for minimizing the danger to officers. Two new reports provide safety guidance for law enforcement agencies related to vehicular pursuits. The reports suggest best practices for minimizing the danger to officers.
The first report, Vehicular Pursuits: A Guide for Law Enforcement Executives on Managing the Associated Risks, was released in September 2023. It was authored by the Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) COPS Office and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in collaboration with the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). The report uses findings from NHTSA research and other credible institutions on crashes and collisions involving police pursuits. The study draws on focus group discussions and a review of 48 agencies’ policies to develop its 65 recommendations. Agencies of all sizes and circumstances can consider these recommendations when developing or refining their vehicular pursuit policies.
The second report, Tire Deflation Devices: Risk Versus Reward - A Ten-Year Examination of Law Enforcement Fatalities, was authored by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) in partnership with NHTSA and released in October 2023. Tire deflation devices (TDDs), often referred to as “stop sticks” or “spike strips,” are rows of spikes deployed by law enforcement across a roadway to safely deflate tires in a predictable and controlled manner in order to end a vehicular pursuit. However, deployment of TDDs carries its own risks to officers. NLEOMF researchers conducted a review of their Line-of-Duty Death database and found 42 line-of-duty deaths directly linked to the “Placing of Stop Sticks” between 1996 and 2022, which is nearly two deaths each year. The NLEOMF’s report closely examines 17 cases involving police agencies in 14 different states between 2013 and 2022, where a TDD was deployed and an officer was killed. The most common element in all the examined cases was the fact that officers were not adequately protected when they prepared to deploy the TTD and, in some cases, they were completely exposed when attempting to deploy or withdraw the TDDs.
KBI Report: 2022 Domestic Violence, Stalking, and Sexual Assault In Kansas Posted 10/18/23 2022 DV, stalking, and sexual assault crimes reported to law enforcement in Kansas in 2022. Download report at this link.
New BJS report presents findings from the redesigned 2021 Identity Theft Supplement posted 10/13/23 Victims of Identity Theft, 2021 presents statistics on U.S. residents age 16 or older who reported that they had been victims of identity theft in the 2021 Identity Theft Supplement (ITS) to the National Crime Victimization Survey. These statistics include the types of identity theft, the demographics of the victims, the ways victims discovered the theft, the financial losses incurred, and the steps taken after the theft. Read the Press Release Read the Summary Read the Full Report
New report describes BJS’s activities to collect data and report on human trafficking Posted 10/13/23 A new BJS report, Human Trafficking Data Collection Activities, 2023, details ongoing and completed efforts during 2022 and 2023 to measure and analyze the nationwide incidence of human trafficking, to describe characteristics of human trafficking victims and offenders, and to describe criminal justice responses to human trafficking offenses. The report also provides information on human trafficking suspects referred to and prosecuted by U.S. attorneys, human trafficking defendants convicted and sentenced to federal prison, and admissions to state prison for human trafficking. This annual report fulfills the requirement of the Combat Human Trafficking Act of 2015 (34 U.S.C. § 20709(e)). Read the Full Report
Campus Safety: OJP In Focus Special Feature Posted 10/1/23 Through program funding, research projects, and more, the Office of Justice Programs and its program offices are working to provide information and resources related to school safety. Following are some topical resources:
Bureau of Justice Statistics Releases 2022 School Crime and Safety Report Posted 10/1/23 The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) have released Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022.
CJIS Radio Encryption Requirements Posted 10/1/23 The FBI CJIS Security Policy requires all radio transmissions of Criminal Justice Information to be encrypted. For full information, contact the KHP CJIS Unit at 785-827-4437.
NIJ Article Discusses Findings of Teen Dating Violence Survey Posted 9/16/23 The article describes the results of the National Survey on Teen Relationships and Intimate Violence (STRiV), the first comprehensive national household survey focused on teen dating violence consisting of six waves of data collection conducted with a single sample of parents/caregivers and youth over seven years. Findings from the research reveal the prevalence, characteristics, contexts, and development of teen dating abuse perpetration and victimization. The article describes how the findings inform potential intervention and prevention strategies to reduce teen dating violence and sexual harassment. See Report at this Link.
BJS releases annual report, Criminal Victimization, 2022Posted 9/16/23 Provides statistics on nonfatal violent crimes (rape or sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault) and property crimes (burglary or trespassing, motor vehicle theft, and other types of household theft). It also describes the characteristics of crimes and victims.
Two Gallup Polls Containing Questions on Policing: Black Thriving in America 71% of black respondents who had contact with police in the last 12 months indicated they were treated fairly.75%d indicated they were treated with respect and 68% indicated it was an overall positive experience. Confidence in Institutions 43% of the respondents indicated a "great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in police. This is down slightly from 45% in 2022.18% indicated "very little" or "no confidence." Holding steady from 2022.This compares to only 17% of the respondents indicated a "great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in the criminal justice system in general with 45% indicating "very little" or "no confidence."
A total of 331 law enforcement officers were shot in the line of duty during calendar year 2022 in 267 separate shooting incidents, including 42 incidents where multiple officers were shot.
A total of 62 law enforcement officers died in 2022 as a result of being shot in the line of duty. Fifty-nine law enforcement officers died after being shot in 2022; 272 officers survived. In addition, in 2022, three officers succumbed to complications of gunshots wound that occurred during incidents that took place prior to 2022.
City or municipal law enforcement officers accounted for nearly two-thirds (60.7 percent) of all shooting incidents in 2022.
Disturbance calls (49 incidents) and traffic stops (43 incidents) accounted for 35 percent of all shooting incidents and resulted in 111 officers shot.
A total of 126 law enforcement officers were shot in 89 separate ambushes. Thirty-two of those officers died.
At least 34 officers were known to have been protected from gunshots that struck a protective ballistic vest.
Shootings occurred in 39 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Texas had the highest number of officers shot with 29, followed by Arizona with 21 and Georgia with 18.
February and June saw the highest number of officers shot in 2022 with 37 each, followed by March seeing 34 officers shot. The day of the week that experienced the highest number of officers shot was Thursday, which saw a total of 72 officers shot in 2022.
New report reveals 9-1-1 profession stressed and stretched to its limits Posted 8/5/23 NENA and Carbyne have now published the results of this first-of-its-kind survey in a report, Pulse of 9-1-1 State of the Industry Survey. The respondents included dispatchers and telecommunicators, managers and shift supervisors, Assistant Directors and Directors, as well as Deputy and Sheriff titles. Respondents answered a wide range of questions related to their call centers, their role, and their personal responses to the challenges of their mission. They were also asked about the changing influence of technology on their workplace and associated challenges. The report reveals that the 9-1-1 industry is comprised of a seasoned, overstressed workforce grappling with surging call volumes, complex compounded emergencies, outdated technologies, and insufficient support. Key findings from the Pulse of 9-1-1 Survey include:
A staggering 82% of centers reported being understaffed and struggling with hiring and retention, with respondents citing stress and low pay as the top obstacles to attracting and keeping staff.
83% of participants say their centers experience high call volumes on multiple days each week. Fewer than half can gain accurate location information from mobile callers, and fewer than 20% are able to accept video calls.
74% of respondents revealed that their 9-1-1 centers are plagued by staff burnout, with many others exhibiting mental health warning signs such as anxiety, fatigue, and low energy levels.
NIJ Podcast: Driving Down Gun Violence with Data Posted 6/14/23 2-Part Podcast. Three LEADS Scholars serving in different law enforcement agencies and positions discuss their experiences with identifying and implementing evidence-based interventions to reduce gun violence.
Survival Guide for Families with Missing Child OJJPD Posted 6/2/23 This guide was designed to help parents of missing children through the process of working with law enforcement, the media, search and rescue professionals, and other volunteers and individuals whose role it is to help with aspects of the missing persons search. Download PDF
Criminal Victimization in the 22 Largest U.S. States, 2017–2019 BJS 3/6/23 This report presents selected state-level estimates of violent and property victimization for the 3-year aggregate period of 2017-19 in the 22 most populous U.S. states. It offers the first picture of victimization rates across states and how their reported and unreported crime levels vary.
FBI Releases Preliminary Data on Law Enforcement Officer Deaths from January through December 2022 - Posted 1/13/23 The 60 law enforcement officers feloniously killed in 2022 represent a 17.8% decrease compared to the 73 officers killed during 2021. Firearms were used in 81.7% of the felonious deaths in 2022, with 59.2% of the type of firearm used not currently reported. The leading circumstances surrounding officers’ felonious killings included activities related to ambushes on officers, investigative/enforcement activity, unprovoked attacks on officers, and response to disorderly/disturbance calls. The 12 ambush attacks in 2022 are a 50% increase compared to the 8 ambush attacks in 2021. Conversely, unprovoked attacks in 2022 (6) decreased 75% compared to 2021 (22). Fifty-eight 2022 accidental law enforcement deaths increased 3.6% 52 in 2021. The accidental deaths in 2022 were due primarily to motor vehicle accidents, pedestrian officers being struck by vehicles, and airplane crashes. The southern region had the most law enforcement deaths in 2022, with 65 deaths total (31 felonious, 34 accidental). Eighty officers died in the line of duty in 2022 from the following medical conditions: 52 officers from illnesses related to COVID-19, 12 officers due to heart attacks, 5 from conditions as a result of response to 9/11, and 12 officers due to other natural causes.
USA Today Article 1/11/23 Sixty-four US police officers “were shot and killed in the line of duty in 2022, according to a preliminary annual report released Wednesday from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.” While this is “far below the number of firearms-related officer deaths 50 years ago,” the figure represents an “increase over the average number of officer deaths in more recent history,” which the organization calls a “disturbing trend.” Marcia Ferranto, CEO of the organization, “said the data should prompt officer safety and wellness programs around the country to investigate why officers are dying by firearms at a greater rate today than they were 10 years ago.” From 2010 through “the end of 2020, an average of 53 officers were killed each year in firearms-related incidents, the report said.” The 64 deaths by “gunfire in 2022 represents an increase of 21% over the average a decade ago.”
Female Murder Victims and Victim-Offender Relationship, 2021 Posted 12/13/22 Of the estimated 4,970 female victims of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter in 2021, data reported by law enforcement agencies indicate that 34% were killed by an intimate partner (figure 1). By comparison, about 6% of the 17,970 males murdered that year were victims of intimate partner homicide. Overall, 76% of female murders and 56% of male murders were perpetrated by someone known to the victim. About 16% of female murder victims were killed by a nonintimate family member—parent, grandparent, sibling, in-law, and other family member—compared to 10% of male murder victims. A larger percentage of males (21%) were murdered by a stranger than females (12%). For 1 out of every 3 male murder victims and 1 out of every 5 female murder victims, the relationship between the victim and the offender was unknown.
Police Vehicle Evaluation Program 2023 Models-Michigan State Police 12/1/22 Download document at this link.
Trends and Disparities in Firearm Fatalities in the United States, 1990-2021 JAMA 11/29/22 There were a total of 1 110 421 firearm fatalities from 1990 to 2021 (952 984 among males [85.8%] and 157 165 among females [14.2%]; 286 075 among Black non-Hispanic individuals [25.8%], 115 616 among Hispanic individuals [10.4%], and 672 132 among White non-Hispanic individuals [60.5%]). All-intents total firearm fatality rates per 100 000 persons declined to a low of 10.1 fatalities in 2004, then increased to 14.7 fatalities (45.5% increase) by 2021. From 2014 to 2021, male and female firearm homicide rates per 100 000 persons per year increased from 5.9 to 10.9 fatalities (84.7% increase) and 1.1 to 2.0 fatalities (87.0% increase), respectively. Firearm suicide rates were highest among White non-Hispanic men aged 80 to 84 years (up to 46.8 fatalities/100 000 persons in 2021). By 2021, maximum rates of firearm homicide were up to 22.5 times higher among Black non-Hispanic men (up to 141.8 fatalities/100 000 persons aged 20-24 years) and up to 3.6 times higher among Hispanic men (up to 22.8 fatalities/100 000 persons aged 20-24 years) compared with White non-Hispanic men (up to 6.3 fatalities/100 000 persons aged 30-34 years). Males had higher rates of suicide (14.1 fatalities vs 2.0 fatalities per 100 000 persons in 2021) and homicide (10.9 fatalities vs. 2.0 fatalities per 100 000 persons in 2021) compared with females. Metropolitan areas had higher homicide rates than nonmetropolitan areas (6.6 fatalities vs 4.8 fatalities per 100 000 persons in 2021). Firearm fatalities by county level increased over time, spreading from the West to the South. From 1999 to 2011 until 2014 to 2016, fatalities per 100 000 persons per year decreased from 10.6 to 10.5 fatalities in Western states and increased from 12.8 to 13.9 fatalities in Southern states.
U.S. Residents Contact with Police was Lower in 2020 than 2018 Posted 11/28/22 The Bureau of Justice Statistics is announcing its report on Contacts Between Police and the Public, 2020. Of note, an estimated 21% of U.S. residents age 16 or older (about 53.8 million persons) reported experiencing contact with police during the past 12 months in 2020, down from 24% in 2018. Approximately 10% of residents had experienced contact where police approached or stopped them (police-initiated contact), while 11% experienced contact where they reached out to police (resident-initiated contact) and 3% were involved in a traffic accident that led to a police contact.
Police Killings: Road Map of Research Priorities for Change Released 2021, Posted 10/14/22 In this report, RAND Corporation researchers summarize what is currently known about killings committed by police officers in the United States and identify existing evidence about various ways to prevent these killings. A relatively large body of research on these topics exists, but these studies often suffer from methodological shortcomings, largely stemming from the dearth of available data. Recognizing the need for more-rigorous work to guide efforts to reform police — and, more specifically, to reduce police killings — the authors present work focused on the development of a research agenda, or a road map, to reduce police killings. The report, based on an extensive literature review as well as interviews with policing experts, contains a series of recommendations for areas in which research efforts may be most effective in helping inform policymaking and decisionmaking aimed at reducing police killings.
Just released: Carjacking Victimization, 1995–2021 Posted 10/4/22 Based on data from BJS’s National Crime Victimization Survey, nonfatal car jackings have decreased from .53/1000 person age 16 or older in 1995 to .12/1000 in 2021. The rate has been increasing slightly from .09/100 in 2017. The report also shows trend estimates of nonfatal carjacking victimizations and provides data on characteristics of carjackings and demographics of carjacking victims. Read the Full Report
Criminal Victimization, 2021 Posted 9/23/22 This report presents official estimates of criminal victimizations reported and not reported to police from BJS’s National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). It is the 49th in a series that began in 1973 and includes statistics on nonfatal violent crimes (rape or sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault) and property crimes (burglary or trespassing, motor vehicle theft, and other types of household theft). The report also describes the characteristics of crimes and victims.
Effectiveness of School Resource Officers - Posted 9/23/22 NIJ Releases Two Reports on School Resource Officers The National Institute of Justice has released two research reports on investigating the effectiveness of school resource officers (SROs):
School Climate, Student Discipline, and the Implementation of School Resource Officers. This study examines the impacts of SROs on outcomes related to school climate and student suspension rates, with a focus on racial differences and the role of school context. This study also examines how SROs perceive their roles and how these may be shaped by school contexts.
This Is How Dangerous Law Enforcement Jobs Are in Kansas Miami County Republic 8/17/22 In Kansas, a total of 12 police officers have been killed on the job in the last decade, or 211 officers for every 100,000 police on the force as of 2021 - the 14th highest fatality rate among the 47 states in which at least one officer was killed between 2012 and 2021.
2021 Law Enforcement Officers Shot Report, COPS Office/FOP, Posted 8/16/22 The report reflects on 3 officer shot incidents in Kansas with 6 officers wounded. Nationally, officers being shot was up 11% over 2020 and the number of officers killed by gunfire was up 36%.
Uvalde School Shooting: Preliminary Report from Texas House of Representatives Investigative Committee 7/17/22 This is a preliminary, but very thorough report, from a Texas legislative committee. It clarifies much of the misleading information that has been in the news. There is a good table of contents to get you to the sections that interest you most. However, I found the entire report to be informative on what happened. It covers not only the law enforcement response, but also the policies that were in place and failures in implementing those policies both for the school and law enforcement.
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2021 BJS June 2022 This report is produced jointly by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Institute of Education Sciences, in the Department of Education. It provides official estimates of school crime and safety from a variety of data sources, including national surveys of students, teachers, principals, and post-secondary institutions. It presents data on different types of student victimization, measures of school conditions, and student perceptions about their personal safety at school. This report supplementsIncidence of Victimization at School and Away From School (NCJ 304624) in the Condition of Education, which BJS and NCES released on May 31, 2022.
FBI Releases 2021 Statistics on Law Enforcement Officers Killed in the Line of Duty 6/13/22 129 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents in 2021. Of these, 73 officers died as a result of felonious acts, and 56 officers died in accidents. Comprehensive data tables about these incidents and brief narratives describing the fatal attacks were released today in the Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) portion on the FBI’s Law Enforcement Data Explorer (a subset of the Crime Data Explorer). Seventy-three officers were feloniously killed in 2021, an increase of 27 when compared to the 46 officers who were killed as a result of criminal acts in 2020. The 73 felonious deaths occurred in 28 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The 5- and 10-year comparisons show an increase of 27 felonious deaths when compared with the 2017 figure (46 officers) and an increase of 24 deaths when compared with 2012 data (49 officers).
Mass Attacks Defense Toolkit RAND 6/1/22 RAND researchers created this tool to advance efforts to prevent and reduce intentional, interpersonal firearm violence and public mass attacks in the United States. The goal of this tool is to provide practical strategies and guidance on deterring, mitigating, and responding to mass attacks for a variety of audiences, including public safety experts, practitioners, policymakers, community groups, and the general public. The tool is organized by the three phases of the Mass Attack Defense Chain: (1) prevent the attack, (2) mitigate the attack, and (3) follow up after the attack. Free Download
FBI Releases 2021 and First Quarter 2022 Statistics from the National Use-of-Force Data Collection 5/31/22 According to statistics reported to the FBI for 2021, 8,226 law enforcement agencies submitted use-of-force data to the National Use-of-Force Data Collection, which is managed by the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program. These agencies represent more than 60% of all federal, state, local, tribal, and college/university sworn officers.1 Data regarding these use-of-force incidents were released today on the FBI’s Law Enforcement Data Explorer.
Improving Law Enforcement Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence by Identifying and Preventing Gender BiasUS-DOJ 5/31/22 This guidance is designed to help law enforcement agencies recognize, mitigate, and prevent gender bias and other bias from compromising the response to, and investigation of, sexual assault, domestic violence, and other forms of gender-based violence. The guidance provides a set of eight basic principles that – if integrated into LEAs’ policies, trainings and practices – help ensure that gender bias, either intentionally or unintentionally, does not undermine efforts to keep survivors safe and hold offenders accountable. The full guidance as well as a four-page summary are available at the links below.
Active Shooter Incidents in the United States in 2021 FBI May 2022 The FBI has designated 61 shootings in 2021 as active shooter incidents. The FBI defines an active shooter as one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area.
ASSET SEIZURES IN THE SUNFLOWER STATE: How Civil Asset Forfeiture Imperils People’s Rights in Kansas Americans for Prosperity May 2022 Americans for Prosperity Foundation (“AFPF”) analysis of new data reveals that over the last several years Kansaslaw enforcement agencies have seized over $20 million in money and other property from people in the state. Althoughan overwhelming majority of the owners have not been convicted of a crime, virtually all the seized assets have beenforfeited to law enforcement through a procedure known as civil asset forfeiture.
Gun violence spiked in first year of pandemic, CDC finds Article from The Hill May 10, 2022 During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. saw the highest firearm homicide rate in more than 25 years, according to a new analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Firearms were involved in 79 percent of all homicides in 2020, an increase of nearly 35 percent from 2019. Article at this link. Link to CDC Press Release. Link to CDC Report.
Just released: Trends and Patterns in Firearm Violence, 1993–2018 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. It includes data on the type of firearm; location of the incident; victim and offender demographic characteristics and relationship; type of violence, injury, and treatment; police notification; and victims’ self-protective behaviors. Homicide data are primarily from Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) Fatal Injury Reports developed from the National Vital Statistics System of the National Center for Health Statistics, a part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Data on nonfatal firearm violence are from the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ National Crime Victimization Survey.
Trends and Patterns in Firearm Violence, 1993–2018 (NCJ 251663) was written by BJS Statisticians Grace Kena and Jennifer L. Truman, Ph.D. The report, related documents, and additional information about BJS’s statistical publications and programs are available on the BJS website at bjs.ojp.gov.
Officer Safety and Wellness Group Meeting Summary: Pandemic Policing - Emerging Issues and Recommendations Abstract: In July 2021, the OSW Group convened virtually to discuss law enforcement safety and wellness challenges during the global COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide civil unrest of the summer of 2020. The meetings focused on functioning with limited resources, dealing simultaneously with multiple critical events, and lessons learned with respect to mitigating future crises.
Product ID: COPS-P457 Publication Date: 04/28/2022 Author(s): Kelly D. Bradley How to obtain:Download: PDF (1252k)
Worry About Crime in U.S. at Highest Level Since 2016 Gallup Poll 4/7/22 Americans' concern about crime and violence in the U.S. has edged up in the past year, and for the first time since 2016, a majority (53%) say they personally worry a "great deal" about crime. Another 27% report they worry a "fair amount," which places the issue near the top of the list of 14 national concerns -- behind only inflation and the economy, and on par with hunger and homelessness.
Majority Of Voters Say Violent Crime Getting Worse Lidblog 12/15/21 According to the Wednesday Rasmussen survey, “Sixty-eight percent (68%) of voters now say the problem of violent crime in America is getting worse. Only eight percent (8%) think the crime problem is getting better, while 22% believe violent crime is staying about the same.” “As might be expected,” Rasmussen said, “when it comes to dealing with violent crime, most Democrats (61%) trust Democrats more, and most Republicans (83%) trust Republicans more. The most significant gap is among independents, where 49% of voters not affiliated with either major party say they trust Republicans more to deal with the problem of violent crime, compared to just 15% who trust Democrats more.” With crime out of hand, Rasmussen also revealed, “Fifty-five percent (55%) of voters believe America needs to spend more on police, while just 14% favor spending less on police. Another 25% of voters think the current spending on police is about right. “However,” the survey noted, “only 38% of Democratic voters think America needs to spend more police, compared to 74% of Republicans and 55% of unaffiliated voters.”
Census of Law Enforcement Training Academies, 2018 As part of the 2018 Census of Law Enforcement Training Academies (CLETA), respondents provided general information about the academies' facilities, resources, programs, and staff. The core curricula subject areas and hours dedicated to each topic, as well as training offered in some special topics, were also included. The collection included information about recruit demographics, completion, and reasons for non-completion of basic training.
ATF 2020 Firearms Trace Reports Posted 11/27/21 The ATF has released a state-by-state report utilizing firearms trace data. Firearms trace data is intended to provide insight into firearms recoveries. See the report at this link.
BJS releases the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) Dashboard (N-DASH) Based on BJS’s National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), the N-DASH is the first of its kind at BJS. This dynamic analysis tool allows users to examine NCVS data on both personal and property victimization, by select victim, household, and incident characteristics. The N-DASH modernizes public access to NCVS data in a new, interactive online data visualization dashboard. The N-DASH replaces and enhances the core functionality of the previous NCVS Victimization Analysis Tool (NVAT), increases the speed of conducting analyses, contains new data elements, and provides capability for custom graphics and other modern visualization features. The dashboard provides direct and user-friendly access to the largest collection of data on criminal victimization in the United States, beginning in 1993.
2018 Annual Probation Survey and 2018 Annual Parole Survey BJS 10/29/21 The Bureau of Justice Statistics has released two datasets on persons supervised in the community on probation and parole through the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data. These surveys collected data on–
the total number of adults on state and federal probation and parole
the number of adults entering and exiting probation and parole supervision
the characteristics of adults under the supervision of probation and parole agencies.
Human Trafficking Data Collection Activities, 2021 BJS 10/28/21 This report describes BJS’s activities during 2020 and 2021 to collect data and report on human trafficking as required by the Combat Human Trafficking Act of 2015 (34 U.S.C. § 20709(e)). It provides information on--
arrests for human-trafficking offenses by state law enforcement officers
prosecutions of individuals in state courts for human-trafficking offenses
convictions of individuals in state courts for human-trafficking offenses
sentences imposed on individuals convicted in state courts for human-trafficking offenses.
The report also assesses the availability of data on human trafficking among criminal justice agencies at the federal, state, tribal, and local levels. Read the Full Report
Background Checks for Firearm Transfers, 2018 BJS 10/26/21 This report presents data on the number of applications for background checks for firearm transfers and permits received by the FBI and state and local checking agencies in 2018. It provides the percentage of applications that were denied and the reasons for denial. It also describes the types of permits used and the number of applications and denials by each state. This report is the seventeenth in the series. Read the Full Report
FBI Releases Updated 2020 Hate Crime Statistics 10/25/21 The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program released amended 2020 hate crime statistics about bias-motivated incidents throughout the nation. Full Press Release
FBI: Nearly 60 Law Enforcement Officers Killed in 2021 Officer.com 10/19/21 The FBI is reporting that 59 law enforcement officers have been feloniously killed in the line of duty so far this year, a 51% spike compared to the 39 deaths at this time last year.
FBI Releases 2020 Statistics for Law Enforcement Officers Assaulted in the Line of Duty 10/18/21 According to statistics reported to the FBI, 60,105 law enforcement officers were assaulted while performing their duties in 2020. Injuries and Weapons
Of the 60,105 officers who were assaulted in 2020, 18,568 (30.9%) sustained injuries.
44,421 officers were assaulted with personal weapons (e.g., hands, fists, or feet); 25.8% of these officers were injured.
2,744 officers were assaulted with firearms; 6.1% of these officers were injured.
1,180 officers were assaulted with knives or other cutting instruments; 9.7% of these officers were injured.
The remaining 11,760 officers were assaulted with other types of dangerous weapons; 16.8% of these officers were injured.
Circumstances Of all officers who were assaulted in 2020, agencies reported officers were involved in these circumstances at the scenes of the assaults:
Responding to disturbance calls such as family quarrels or bar fights (29.6%)
Attempting other arrests (16.1%)
Handling, transporting, or maintaining custody of prisoners (12.6%)
Investigating suspicious persons or circumstances (8.8%)
Traffic pursuits or stops (8.4%)
Civil disorder, such as mass disobedience or riots (4.1%)
Handling persons with mental illness (3.9%)
Burglaries in progress or pursuing burglary suspects (1.3%)
Ambush situations (0.8%)
Robberies in progress or pursuing robbery suspects (0.8%)
The Amtrak PTER Handbook is a reference document focused toward your departments that will respond to incidents involving an Amtrak train. The Handbook provides your departments information to Safely respond, Incident Command and Amtrak’s participation, and Amtrak equipment familiarization.
Dear Public Safety Partner,
On behalf of Amtrak, its nearly 20,000 employees and our millions of passengers I thank you for joining us as Amtrak First Responders and extend our sincerest appreciation for all that you do for your communities each day. The Regional Emergency Managers of the Amtrak Police Department are here to support your efforts, and this new Passenger Train Emergency Response Handbook is an example of our commitment to help you prepare your communities for emergency incidents involving passenger trains, railroad equipment and facilities, while safely working within the railroad Right-of-Way.
Amtrak operates a nationwide rail passenger service on 21,400 miles of track primarily owned by freight railroads connecting more than 500 destinations in 46 states, the District of Columbia, and three Canadian provinces (Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia). It is the nation’s only high-speed intercity passenger rail provider, operating trains at speeds as fast as 150 mph over current infrastructure. More than half of Amtrak trains operate at speeds of 100 mph, along a national network with routes ranging in length from 764 miles to 2,438 miles. Amtrak serves up to 32 million passengers per year across our system and is working with State transportation leaders to expand inter-city train services.
Amtrak's primary concern during all phases of rail operations is to provide for the safety of our customers, employees, first responders, and the public, especially during the response to a passenger train emergency. Every Amtrak employee and train crew member are trained, to assist injured passengers and employees, and support first responders on the scene of a critical incident.
On behalf of the Amtrak Police Department, thank you for all you do, and we remain committed to your safety and success and look forward to strengthening our inter-agency partnership.
Warmest Regards, D. Samuel Dotson Vice President Corporate Security and Chief of Police Amtrak Police Department
KBI Releases 2020 Kansas Crime Data 8/7/21 Violent crime up 9.5% Violent crime rate up 9.3% Murder up 48.5% to highest level ever recorded since the FBI began publishing crime stats. Rapes and Robberies down. Agg. Assaults up 13.8% Property Index Crime down 1.2% Auto Thefts up 9.4%
DHS Releases New Human trafficking Guidance for Law Enforcement DHS 7/30/21 The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a new resource for the law enforcement community. This new resource is the first-ever Continued Presence Resource Guide, developed by DHS’ Center for Countering Human Trafficking (CCHT), which is led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). This Guide is intended to assist federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies in supporting victims of human trafficking and advancing trafficking investigations and prosecutions. “Continued Presence” is a temporary immigration designation provided by law enforcement to noncitizens who may be victims of human trafficking, may be witnesses in investigations, or have filed federal civil actions against their traffickers. The Continued Presence Resource Guide provides guidance to local law enforcement on:
How to identify victims of human trafficking.
How to prepare and submit an application for Continued Presence in support of a trafficking victim.
Law enforcement responsibilities once the application is approved or denied.
Longer-term immigration benefits for trafficking victims that law enforcement can support, such as the T Nonimmigrant Status (T Visa).
BJS Data and Report: Sexual Assaults Recorded by Law Enforcement, 2015 and 2019 – INTERACTIVE REPORTS These online, interactive reports present detailed statistics on four types of violent sexual assault recorded by law enforcement and reported to the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS): rape, sodomy, sexual assault with an object, and fondling. State specific data are presented for 15 states in 2015 and for 21 states in 2019—the states in which all law enforcements agencies met the criteria for reporting their crime data to NIBRS. Within states, users may compare the demographic characteristics of sexual assault victims to victims of other serious violent crimes, examine sexual victimization rates by victim demographics, and view statistics on police clearance and arrest outcomes for sexual assaults.
Evidence, Accuracy of ShotSpotter Gunshot Detection System Called into Question Forensic Magazine 8/4/21 Published in June in the Journal of Experimental Criminology, Dennis Mares and Emily Blackburn evaluated the ability of St. Louis’ ShotSpotter to reduce gun violence. The most striking find of the study is the effect of AGDS on citizen-initiated reports for shot fired. According to the study, St. Louis saw a 32 percent decline of citizen-initiated reports throughout the first AGDS implementation, and 27 percent after the expansion of 2013. However, during AGDS interruption in 2016, citizen reports for shots fired bounced back 33 percent.This is important because the researchers found that citizen-initiated calls for service are over seven times more efficient in uncovering and responding to criminal behavior than ShotSpotter notifications.
BJS and NCES release Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2020 7/14/21 Provides official estimates of school crime and safety from a variety of data sources, including national surveys of students, teachers, principals, and post-secondary institutions. Indicator 2, Incidence of Victimization at School and Away From School, includes data from BJS’s National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). Data sources include the NCVS, the School Crime Supplement to the NCVS, the School-Associated Violent Death Surveillance System, the School Survey on Crime and Safety, the Schools and Staffing Survey, the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, and the Campus Safety and Security Survey. Read the SummaryRead Indicator 2Read the Full Report
The police are one of just three institutions in which a majority of Americans express a great deal or quite a lot of confidence. The other two -- small business and the military -- have consistently ranked at the top of the list since 1989. At the other end of the spectrum are Congress, television news, big business, the criminal justice system and newspapers, each of which has a confidence rating at or below 21%. Congress or big business has ranked at the bottom of the list since 2007.
Examining the Relationship Between Childhood Trauma and Involvement in the Justice System NIJ Journal 7/15/21A dangerous or life-threatening experience may become a traumatic event for a child. The child may see the event as an intense threat to his or her safety and will typically experience a high level of fear or helplessness.Trauma may result from a wide range of events, including accidents and natural disasters. Of great priority to those in the public safety and justice fields, traumatic experiences may be caused by exposure — as a victim or a witness — to community violence, domestic violence, sexual abuse, or terrorist attacks. Trauma experienced during childhood may result in profound and long-lasting negative effects that extend well into adulthood. The direct effects may be psychological, behavioral, social, and even biological. These effects are associated with longer-term consequences, including risk for further victimization, delinquency and adult criminality, substance abuse, poor school performance, depression, and chronic disease.
Facts matter: Data shows increase of support for police by blacks and Hispanics LE Today 6/28/21 This article provides a source for data on relationships between minorities and the police. It also includes data on the rising violent crime rate that is especially impacting the minority population. What I like about this article are the links to various sets of statistical data and professional polling data. While headlines give mixed positive or negative first impressions the data reveals violent crime is rising, the increase has a heavier impact on minority populations, and the perception, if not the reality, of relations between the police and minority populations is not getting better and may be getting worse.
But there is also more positive data coming forward: A recent CBS News/YouGov poll found that 70% of “black Americans” said that local police are doing a “very good” or “somewhat good” job. The poll results also indicated that 82% of “whites” and 77% of “Hispanics” said police were doing a “very or somewhat good job.” Trust in local police and law enforcement has risen to 69%. Among black respondents, trust in Black Lives Matter has fallen by 12 points and trust in local police has risen by 14 points. Among white respondents, trust in Black Lives Matter has fallen by eight points and trust in local police has risen by 12 points. In the wake of the Jan. 6 event at the Capitol, the scales have tipped toward law enforcement. By double digits, 49%-31%, those surveyed say it is more important to ensure law and order.
What is lacking is a deep understanding of why. Why is violent crime rising at such alarming rates? Why are the minority communities affected at disproportionate rates? While it is clear the support of police is strong, but we have much work to do in building positive relationships and perceptions relating to the complex issue of public safety, public support, and public perceptions.
Women in Rural Jails Disproportionately Impacted by Serious Mental Illness Treatment Advocacy Center Research Weekly 6/16/21 The results showed that 23.1% of the study population screened positive for a serious mental illness, 54.5% of the total sample screened positive for a substance use disorder and 16% tested positive for a co-occurring serious mental illness and substance use disorder. 43.1% of women in rural jails screened positive for serious mental illness, making them 1.7 times more likely to screen positive for serious mental illness compared to rural men, urban women and urban men. Women in rural jails were also predicted to be 1.5 times more likely to have a co-occurring serious mental illness and substance use disorder compared to their gender and geographical counterparts. In addition, both men and women in rural jails were significantly more likely to receive jail-based mental health services than urban women and urban men. However, individuals in rural jails were also severely overlooked and under-identified compared to those in urban jails. Jail staff only assessed 8.4% of rural women and 6.7% of rural men for having a mental health concern, despite 43.1% of rural women and 29.9% of rural men screening positive for serious mental illness.
Juvenile Incarceration has Mixed Effects on Future Convictions Forensics Magazine 5/14/21 Harsh prison sentences for juvenile crimes do not reduce the probability of conviction for violent crimes as an adult, and actually increase the propensity for conviction of drug-related crimes, finds a new study by economists at UC Riverside and the University of Louisiana. Harsh juvenile sentences do reduce the likelihood of conviction for property crimes as an adult. But the increase in drug-related crimes cancels out any benefit harsh sentences might offer, researchers found.
Downward Trend in Youth Crime 5/7/21 OJJDP and the National Institute of Justice have released "Juvenile Arrests, 2019." This bulletin shows juvenile arrests rates have dropped to their lowest level in 40 years.Findings show that in 2019, law enforcement agencies made an estimated 696,620 arrests ofyouth under age 18--the lowest number since at least 1980. In addition, juvenile arrests overall fell 58 percent between 2010 and 2019, although patterns vary by demographic group and offense.
Mortality in Local Jails, 2000-2018 – Statistical Tables This report presents detailed statistical tables on mortality in local jails. It provides information on causes of death; decedent characteristics, such as age, gender, and race or ethnicity; and mortality rates of inmate populations compared to the general U.S. adult population. Read the Full Report →
Just Released: Financial Fraud in the United States, 20174/15/21 This report details the prevalence of seven types of personal financial fraud victimization and the patterns of reporting fraud to police and other authorities. It includes statistics on the characteristics of personal financial fraud victims and describes the consequences resulting from fraud incidents. Findings are from the 2017 Supplemental Fraud Survey, the first data collection of its kind under the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS).
2020 Law Enforcement Officers Fatalities Report National Law Enforcement Memorial Published 1/11/21 According to preliminary data compiled by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), as of December 31, 2020, 264 federal, state, military, tribal, and local law enforcement officers died in the line-of-duty in 2020, an increase of 96% from the 135 officers killed during the same period. In 2020, officer fatalities ranged from automobile crashes to heart attacks and from gunshots to being beaten to death. Of these tragic deaths, Covid-19 related fatalities were the single highest cause of officer line-of-duty deaths in 2020. Firearms-related fatalities were the second most common cause of officer deaths, with 48 officers killed in 2020, down 6%. during 2019. Forty-four officers have been killed in traffic-related fatalities in 2020, a two percent increase.
Study: Can police shootings be reduced by requiring officers to document when they point firearms at citizens? Published 1/4/21 Abstract Objective To examine the impact of a novel firearm ‘pointing’ policy that requires officers to document when they directly point their guns at citizens. Methods Sixteen years (2003–2018) of narrative officer-involved shooting (OIS) reports from the Dallas Police Department were qualitatively coded to explore both the total frequency and specific characteristics of OIS before and after the policy change in 2013. Results χ2 tests found that the firearm pointing policy was associated with a reduction in the proportion of ‘threat perception failure’ shootings (ie, those where an officer mistakes an item for a gun). Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average analysis found that the policy change was associated with a gradual, permanent reduction in total OIS; however, that impact was not immediate. Conclusions Firearm pointing policies have the potential to alter organisational behaviour, particularly in highly discretionary shootings. It is unclear whether the specific mechanisms for the changes include more accountability through constrained discretion, reduced options to handle situations once officers’ guns are drawn and pointed, or an effect on officers’ timing and vision during ambiguous scenarios. Policy implications Although organisational change may be a long and complex process, reductions in OIS can prevent serious injuries and death. The policy change did not lead to an increase in the proportion of officers injured during OIS incidents.
Excited Delirium Syndrome: Published 1/5/21 Excited Delirium Syndrome: Diagnosis and Treatment. Pages 167-176. In: Zun L.S., Nordstrom K., Wilson M.P. (eds) Behavioral Emergencies for Healthcare Providers. Springer, Cham. Abstract Excited delirium syndrome (ExDS) is a specific type of agitation in which individuals typically present in an extremely violent and uncontrollable manner. The actual existence of ExDS, which is not currently listed in the APA Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), has been criticized by some as having been “invented” to classify and ultimately justify deaths that occur in highly agitated individuals during police arrest and restraint. Many researchers, however, believe that ExDS has a long history and has been described using various terms over the past two centuries. Although ExDS does not always result in death, it does carry relatively high mortality compared to other acute behavioral emergencies. Similar to delirium generally, ExDS is a behavioral manifestation of a medical emergency. Knowledge of this condition is therefore significant for individuals who take care of patients in the acute setting, both in and out of the hospital. This includes law enforcement officers, emergency medical system (EMS) providers, critical care psychiatrists, and emergency physicians.
Withdrawal of Guidance: ATF Objective Factors for Classifying Weapons with “Stabilizing Braces” 12/31/20 Upon further consultation with the Department of Justice and the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, ATF is withdrawing, pending further Department of Justice review, the notice and request for comments entitled “Objective Factors for Classifying Weapons with `Stabilizing Braces',” that was published on December 18, 2020. 85 FR 82516. As explained in the notice, the proposed guidance was not a regulation. The notice informed and invited comment from the industry and public on a proposed guidance prior to issuing a final guidance document. The withdrawal of the guidance does not change any law, regulation, or other legally binding requirement.
Commerce in Explosives: 2020 Annual List of Explosive Materials ATF 12/23/20 Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 841(d) and 27 CFR 555.23, ATF must publish and revise at least annually in the Federal Register a list of explosives determined to be within the coverage of 18 U.S.C. 841 et seq. The list covers not only explosives, but also blasting agents and detonators, all of which are defined as explosive materials in 18 U.S.C. 841(c). The 2020 list is the same as the 2019 list published by ATF. See the list at this link.
OJJDP Bulletin Examines Juvenile Violent Victimization 12/15/20 OJJDP has released “Juvenile Violent Victimization, 1995-2018.” The bulletin examines findings from the OJJDP-funded analysis of data on both juvenile victims and victimization. Findings presented in this bulletin show that overall the rate of violent victimization for juveniles has declined since 1995 but did not change from 2015 to 2018. See the report at this link.
Contacts Between Police and the Public, 2018 – Statistical Tables 12/17/20 This report examines the nature and frequency of U.S. residents’ contact with police by residents’ demographic characteristics, types of contact, perceptions of police behaviors, and police threats or use of nonfatal force. It is the twelfth release in a series that began in 1996. See full report at this link.
FBI Releases 2019 NIBRS Crime Data 12/9/20 In 2019, 8,497 law enforcement agencies, whose jurisdictions covered more than 146.5 million U.S. inhabitants, submitted NIBRS data to the UCR Program. These agencies accounted for 51.3% of the 16,551 law enforcement agencies that submitted data to the UCR Program in 2019. The remaining agencies submitted their data to the program via the Summary Reporting System (SRS). NIBRS agencies reported 6,572,870 incidents involving 7,688,645 offenses, 8,116,849 victims, and 6,543,257 known offenders. In addition, these agencies reported 3,931,924 arrestees. Of the reported offenses, 59.6% were crimes against property, 24.6% were crimes against persons, and 15.8% were crimes against society.
Resistance-Related Injuries Among Law Enforcement Officers: Addressing the Empirical Gap American Journal of Preventative Medicine 12/1/20 Officers can be unintentionally injured during officer–suspect interactions, and these injuries are often not coded as assaults. This article defines and enumerates injuries that officers sustain while chasing, detaining, arresting, or pursuing suspects. These are termed resistance-related injuries. More than half of officers’ nonfatal injuries occurred when they were interacting, detaining, or pursuing a suspect. This highlights the need to code nonfatal injuries in a consistent and meaningful way that informs police policy and practice.
Remember the statewide scrap metal database started collecting data on July 1. The KBI maintains this data and they report 56 catalytic converter sales to scrap dealers November 10-December 8. If you have these types of thefts, contact the KBI and talk to their intel unit for potential suspect information. Under the law you can also access the purchase records at the scrap yards. They will have more information than what is contained in the database. The database can tell you which dealers to check.
Use of Force Data from the FBI National Database posted 11/15/20 New data for January through August 2020 is available from the National Use-of-Force Data Collection. 5,030 out of 18,514 federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies throughout the nation participated and provided use-of-force data. The officers employed by these agencies represent 42% federal, state, local, and tribal sworn officers in the nation.
Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 2018 NCJRS, 11/5/20 This report presents a snapshot of criminal-history record systems and how cases were tracked through to disposition across the United States and its territories as of year-end 2018. From May 2019 to July 2019 Full report (PDF 3.4M)
UCR data tool has been replaced Posted 11/3/20 Source: NIJ The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) data tool has been replaced by the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer (CDE). Effective Friday, November 6, 2020, the UCR data tool will no longer be available and visitors will be automatically forwarded to the CDE. The CDE is an interactive tool that presents charts and graphs that break down data in a variety of ways. The CDE also offers an Application Programming Interface (API) that allows developers to make interactive applications to share large amounts of data in meaningful ways. Users of the API will be able to access UCR data from 1979 to the current publication. UCR data can also be found in the Crime in the United States publications.
Local Police Departments: Policies and Procedures, 2016 Bureau of Justice Statistics, 8/20/20 Statistics on selected policies and procedures of local police departments, based on data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics' 2016 Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey. The tables show national estimates and distributions by population served on topics such as average hours of officer training by type of training, written community-policing plans, annual operating budgets, written directives for officer conduct, written documentation for officers' display or discharge of firearms, authorized less-lethal techniques and restraints, and requirements for external investigations of deaths or use of force. Full report (PDF 460K)
Sheriffs’ Offices: Policies and Procedures, 2016Bureau of Justice Statistics, 8/20/20 Statistics on selected policies and procedures of sheriffs' offices, based on data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics' 2016 Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey. The tables show national estimates and distributions by size of office on topics such as average hours of officer training by type of training, written community-policing plans, annual operating budgets, written directives for officer conduct, written documentation for officers' display or discharge of firearms, authorized less-lethal techniques and restraints, and requirements for external investigations of deaths or use of force. Full report (PDF 403K)
Interagency Issues Advisory on Use of Technology to Detect and Mitigate Unmanned Aircraft Systems 8/17/20 The Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued an advisory guidance document to help non-federal public and private entities better understand the federal laws and regulations that may apply to the use of capabilities to detect and mitigate threats posed by Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) operations. The Advisory can be found at https://www.justice.gov/file/1304841/download.
Report: Mass Attacks in Public Spaces - 2019National Threat Assessment Center 8/14/20 The United States Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) released a new report on Mass Attacks in Public Spaces - 2019. There were 34 targeted attacks in public or semi-public areas in 2019, including one in KCK where two males opened fire in a bar, killing four and injuring five. The findings from this report reinforced similar findings from previous NTAC studies on mass attacks, including the prevalence of ideological beliefs, grievance-based motives, and a history of violence, among others factors.
The attacks impacted a variety of locations, including businesses/workplaces, schools, houses of worship, military bases, open spaces, residential complexes, and transportation.
Most of the attackers used firearms, and many of those firearms were possessed illegally at the time of the attack.
Many attackers had experienced negative home life factors, unemployment, substance use, mental health symptoms, or recent stressful events.
Attackers often had a history of prior criminal charges or arrests and domestic violence.
Most of the attackers had exhibited behavior that elicited concern in family members, friends, neighbors, classmates, co-workers, and others, and in many cases, those individuals feared for the safety of themselves or others.
Ten Essential Actions to Improve School Safety - DOJ/COPS 8/11/20 Abstract: The COPS Office School Safety Working Group, which is composed of representatives from eight national law enforcement organizations, has identified 10 essential actions that can be taken by schools, school districts, and law enforcement agencies to help prevent critical incidents involving the loss of life or injuries in our nation's schools and to respond rapidly and effectively when incidents do occur. These actions are applicable to school shootings as well as to other areas of school safety, including natural disasters and traumatic events such as student suicide. Adopting policies and practices based on the recommendations in this publication can help make school communities safer and save lives. Download full document at this link.
KBI Releases 2019 Kansas Crime Statistics 8/7/20 The 2019 Kansas Crime Index Report indicated violent crime in Kansas increased by 2.6% in 2019. A total of 12,694violent crimes were reported in Kansas in the categories of murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault and battery.The violent crime rate is currently 17.3% above the 10-year average.In 2019, aggravated assaults and batteries increased by 6.1%,which drove the violent crime rate up. Yet, fortunately, the state saw a decline in the number of murders, rapes, and robberies. Across Kansas130 murders, 1,297rapes, and 1,422robberieswere reported. According to the 2019crime report, total property crime offenses in Kansas declined by 6.8%. Even motor vehicle theft, which has been on the rise for several years, declined statewide in 2019
Homicide Spike Hits Most Large U.S. Cities Wall Street Journal 8/2/20 Journal analysis shows double-digit increases in 36 of 50 biggest cities amid pandemic, though other types of violent crime fell. Homicides are up because violent criminals have been emboldened by the sidelining of police, courts, schools, churches and an array of other social institutions by the reckoning with police and the pandemic, say analysts and law-enforcement officials in several cities.Anecdotally, many police departments point to a rising tide of gang violence, in which rival groups of mainly young offenders battle over control of neighborhoods, catching rivals and innocents in the process.
Require officers to have good relations with the community.
Change management practices so officer abuses are punished.
Change management practices so officers with multiple incidents of abuse of power are not allowed to serve.
Promote community-based alternatives that intervene with young people who are at high risk for violent crime.
Proposed changes with little public support:
Abolishing police departments
Proposed changes with mixed public support:
Ending "Stop and Frisk"
Eliminating Police Unions
Eliminating enforcement of nonviolent crimes
Reducing police department funding and shifting the money to social programs
Geographically Focused Policing Initiatives Are Rated Promising NIJ Posted 7/20/20 Aggregating the results of 16 independent tests of geographically focused policing initiatives, Bowers and colleagues (2011) found a statistically significant weighted mean treatment effect size of 1.39. This finding indicates that crime decreased in treatment areas targeted by geographically focused policing initiatives relative to control areas.
Why Hundreds of Mathematicians Are Boycotting Predictive Policing Popular Mechanics 7/20/20 Several prominent academic mathematicians want to sever ties with police departments across the U.S., according to a letter submitted to Notices of the American Mathematical Society on June 15. Mathematicians at universities across the country are halting collaborations with police departments across the U.S. A June 15 letter was sent to the trade journal Notices of the American Mathematical Society, announcing the boycott. Typically, mathematicians work with police departments to build algorithms, conduct modeling work, and analyze data.
In nominal dollars, state and local police-protection spending per capita was $351.54 in 2017.
In nominal dollars, local police-protection spending per capita was $304.18 in 2017.
Of the 25 most populous U.S. cities in 2017, 18 increased their real per capita expenditures on police protection between 2000 and 2017, with Austin, Texas, showing the largest increase (up 77%) and San Diego, Calif., showing the largest decrease (down 27%).
Important case law showing officers’ obligation to step in or face individual liability
How law enforcement leaders can and must build the duty to intercede into agency culture
Communication tactics officers of any rank can use to intercede quickly, professionally and effectively
Juvenile Arrests, 2018 This bulletin documents the latest trends in arrests involving juveniles (youth younger than age 18) by drawing on arrest estimates developed by the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the National Center for Juvenile Justice based on analyses of data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program. Overall, juvenile arrests have been on the decline for more than a decade, but patterns vary by demographic group and offense.
Juveniles in Residential placement, 2017 Juveniles in Residential Placement (CJRP) includes comprehensive and detailed information about youth in residential placement because of law-violating behavior. The 2017 Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement (CJRP) shows that the number of youth in placement continues to decline.
Costs of Responding to Crime: Police, Court, and Legal Services - Rand Corporation How much taxpayer money is spent on police, courts, and legal services to respond to crime? In this online tool, RAND researchers make it easy to view the estimated costs of police, courts, and legal services by crime type and by state. The tool includes a map that allows users to visualize the differences in costs across the United States. Interested users can download parts of the data or the full data set in a variety of formats. Access the Tool
Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2019 - Tables -June 18, 2020 NCJ 254824 These statistical tables, based on data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2019, present information concerning line-of-duty deaths or assaults of law enforcement officers in the United States, including--
race, ethnicity, and sex of victim officer
circumstance encountered by victim officer upon arrival at scene of incident
Americans for Effective Law Enforcement has posted a new webinar on Use-of-Force Accountability 6/11/20 This webinar was recorded on May 26, the day after the George Floyd death. The Webinar was planned well in advance of that event. The link is below along with links to other recent AELE Use of Force webinars.
ON DEMAND viewing of AELE Handcuff Webinar presented April, 22, 2020.
ON DEMANDviewing of AELE Distraction Devices presented on May 5, 2020.
ON DEMAND viewing of AELE Law Enforcement Use-of-Force Accountability presented on May 26, 2020. | Brave Handouts -Click Here-
Most Reject Calls for Defunding Police - Rasmussen Reports 6/9/20 Link to the Rasmussen Report The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted June 7-8, 2020 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.
Just 17% of all Americans believe there are too many police officers in America, although that’s up from 11% six years ago. Thirty-eight percent (38%) say there are not enough cops, down from a high of 51% in 2014. Thirty-five percent (35%) rate the number of police officers as about right.
Even among blacks, only 27% think there are too many cops, although that compares to 15% of whites and 17% of other minority Americans. Blacks (36%) are more enthusiastic than whites (25%) and other minorities (24%) about defunding the police and channeling that money into more social services.
Sixteen percent (16%) of Americans think most cops are racist in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis, up from 10% a year ago. But 67% still rate the performance of their local police as good or excellent. Seventy-seven percent (77%) of adults in this country say crime remains a serious problem in America today, with 38% who say it’s Very Serious. As recently as January 2018, 28% said crime had increased in their community, while 15% said it had decreased. Interestingly, while blacks are more likely to say there are too many cops and to support defunding their local police, they are also the most likely to rate crime as a Very Serious problem. Forty-six percent (46%) of blacks share that view, compared to 34% of whites and 43% of other minorities.
Distraction Device Liability and Liability Mitigation Webinar from AELE 5/14/20 The Americans for Effective Law Enforcement (AELE) has released the link to a Webinar held a couple of weeks ago on the issues of liability and mitigation of that liability when using distraction devices. The meat of the presentation starts shortly after the 28 minute mark. Also see the AELE website for case law analysis on distraction devices. Link to AELE Summary on "Assault and Battery: Flash-Bang Devices" You can search the AELE Law Library at this link.
Service Directors and Agency Heads – On April 25th, we notified you about the State of Kansas receiving use of a Battelle unit for N-95 mask decontamination. Attached is the Operations Plan for this procedure IF YOU CHOOSE TO USE THIS RESOURCE.
There is a great chance that your county Emergency Manager has already provided you with this plan and that is a great thing. You need to work with him/her through this process especially to help keep the logistics to something that is manageable on a state level. The system itself is up and running with 78 agencies signed up so far.
There are some hiccups on the signing up process that Battelle is trying to address – if you are encountering these issues, let me know (if you haven’t already) so that I may share that with KDEM.
On a final note, the notice and the thought of the system being used in Kansas has drawn some extremely harsh criticism across the state – I would simply remind folks that it is okay to have a passionate opinion upon something and we are thankful for your willingness to express those opinions. We would encourage that if you choose to express those opinions, you continue to do so in a professional manner.
Let me know if you have any questions and continue to stay safe as we anticipate your overall call volumes will start to rise not only as we enter the summer, but also as the safer at home orders begin to lift. Joe
Joseph House, Paramedic Executive Director Kansas Board of EMS 900 SW Jackson; Suite 1031 Topeka, KS 66612-1228 Phone: (785) 296-7296 Fax: (785) 296-6212 Email: joseph.house@ks.gov
Announcement from IDEMIA regarding the end-of-life of the TP4100 Fingerprint Scanner. 5/6/20 See announcement at this link.
FBI Releases 2019 Officers Killed Report 5/4/20 Press release and summary at this link. Report at this link. 89 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents in 2019. Of these, 48 officers died as a result of felonious acts, and 41 officers died in accidents.
Active Shooter Incidents in the United States in 2019(FBI) 4/30/20 Incidents up from 27 to 28 from 2018 to 2019. The 28 incidents in 2019 involved 30 shooters. 97 people were killed in 2019 compared to 85 in 2018 and 150 wounded compared to 128. Full Report
New Human Trafficking Protocol The Human Trafficking Advisory Board has approved a new LAW ENFORCEMENT PROTOCOL FOR JUVENILE VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING/COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CRIMES. The changes are in section 1. a. Effective immediately, when an officer takes a child into custody who they have reason to believe is a human trafficking victim, the officer must contact the KBI at the number provided in the document. This is a 24/7 number. This contact is now used to initiate the Immediate Response Assessment. This number goes directly to the KBI Intelligence Unit. They will also collect information to enter your case into their intelligence system.
Also on that page of my website you will find a link to download a document with state criminal statutes related to human trafficking investigations.
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Suspicious Activity Report
Suspicious Activity Report also known as a SAR is official documentation of OBSERVED BEHAVIOR REASONABLY INDICATIVE of preoperational planning associated with terrorism and/or other criminal activity. A SAR can be submitted by the public or law enforcement. Click on the following link which will take you the KBI home page http://www.kansas.gov/kbi/ to submit a SAR. Click on Report Suspicious Activity and fill out the report. The SAR will go directly to KBI Criminal Intelligence Unit, for analysis. The CIU will conduct a two-step vetting process. If the SAR has a Homeland Security nexus it will be sent to the Kansas Intelligence Fusion Center and they will conduct their own vetting process. If the SAR is criminal it will stay within the KBI and two things can happen, either the tip will be sent to a local law enforcement agency or to a KBI Agent for further investigation. If Law enforcement needs after hours assistance with the SAR application, they can contact the KBI Help Desk 24/7 at 785-296-8262 and a KBI Help Desk technician will assist you. Law enforcement can also contact the Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU) 24/7 at 785-296-4017 for assistance. An analyst and/or agent covering CIU calls will be able to assist. If you don’t receive an immediate response, leave a message and someone will call you back immediately.
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KCJIS Public Website A new website has been published for the sharing of information from the KCJIS Committee to the Users and partners of the KCJIS system. The website located at the KS Dept of Administration’s website (https://admin.ks.gov ) hover over the offices tab and select KS Criminal Justice Information Committee or by going directly to the website at (https://admin.ks.gov/offices/kansas-criminal-justice-information-system ). We will be editing and adding more information over the next few weeks. If you have an idea of something you would like to see on the website please let me know.
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911 Public Awareness Videos The Kansas 911 Coordinating Council has created a page on their website with public awareness videos for 911 use. https://www.kansas911.org/public%20education/
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Passing stopped school Bus Violations Passing stopped school buses is a frequent violation according to an annual survey conducted by the Kansas Dept. of Education. 220 of 309 (71%) school districts in Kansas participated in the survey. This was a one day survey and 1040 violations were recorded. This could extrapolate out to over 1400 violations per day statewide. Of those violations 282, about 25%, passed from the rear of the school bus. 19 of the violations, nearly 2% passed on the right side (the loading/unloading side) of the school bus.
More information on the survey along with educational materials, talking points, and school bus safety brochures are available at this link.
Kansas Dept. of Ed Suspicious Activity Posters 8/18/2019
Two posters have been created to help students, school staff, and community members report Suspicious Activity. My hope is that our schools start posting these around their schools, but that local businesses and local law enforcement agencies can also utilize the posters so that the word can spread! If it is possible, can you push these out to your mailing list? Please feel free to call me with any questions that you may have. Poster 1 Poster 2
Submitted by: John Calvert School Safety Specialist Safe and Secure Schools Unit (785) 296-7056 jcalvert@ksde.org www.ksde.org/Kansas-Safe-Schools Kansas State Department of Education LANDON STATE OFFICE BUILDING, 900 SW JACKSON STREET, SUITE 356, TOPEKA, KS 66612
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Older Driver Materials AAA Public Affairs has partnered with the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) to create an older driver safety and mobility education toolkit for law enforcement officers. The full quick-reference guide, Senior Drivers: Training, Tools and Resources for Law Enforcement, can be located here. Components include:
Training opportunities that will aid law enforcement in their interactions with aging drivers;
Resources and tools for law enforcement to identify medically at-risk drivers; and
A one-page resource list for law enforcement officers to distribute to older drivers and their families.