Join the National Center for School Safety for their upcoming “Getting Buy-In for Anonymous Reporting Systems” webinar on June 25, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. ET. This webinar will help attendees understand the benefits and steps to implementing an Anonymous Reporting System (ARS) within their school. An ARS is a preventative safety measure that identifies school-related safety concerns before they occur.
During this webinar, Sandy Hook Promise’s Crisis Center Director, Kenji Okuma, and Deputy National Director of the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System, Anathea Simpkins, will provide an overview of the practice of using ARS in schools, discuss implementing an ARS, and describe the potential benefits for stakeholders.
To recognize World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (June 15, 2020), join the U.S. Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative for their upcoming “Lifting Up Voices: Law Enforcement World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) Celebration” webinar on June 18, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. ET. Officer Steven McGhee of the Paradise Valley Police Department in Arizona will be joining federal agencies to recognize law enforcement efforts in combating elder abuse throughout the country.
The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services—with support from the Bureau of Justice Assistance—released the brief “Officer Safety and Wellness (OSW) Group Meeting Summary: Promoting Positive Coping Strategies in Law Enforcement—Emerging Issues and Recommendations.”
The OSW Group was formed in 2011 to bring together law enforcement practitioners, researchers, and subject matter experts dedicated to improving officer safety and wellness. They met in July 2019 to identify why law enforcement officers may turn to negative coping strategies—such as alcoholism, substance abuse, and other antisocial behaviors—to handle mental and emotional stress and discussed ways to promote positive coping mechanisms. This brief outlines some of their solutions, such as recommending that law enforcement agencies implement wellness-related trainings and mandatory mental health checks to encourage officers’ emotional health and organizational wellness.
To learn more, read the "Promoting Positive Coping Strategies in Law Enforcement" brief.
Join the Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center (OVC TTAC) for their upcoming “The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) National Elder Fraud Hotline to Assist Victims of Financial Fraud” webinar on June 17, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. ET. During this webinar, OVC TTAC’s Lori A. McGee and Helen Supanich will discuss available services for elderly victims of financial fraud as outlined by the new DOJ National Elder Fraud Hotline (Hotline). Attendees will learn to identify all available services and resources through the Hotline, as well as approaches for referring potential financial fraud victims.
By Meredith Greene, Communications Lead, and Kirk Stringfellow, Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator, for the Bureau of Justice Assistance National Training and Technical Assistance Center
At the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC), each requestor comes to us with distinct needs that require tailored support. For example, some requestors have general crime concerns while others have a desire to assess current operations or learn best practices. This is where the BJA NTTAC Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) Coordinator comes in. It is the TTA Coordinator’s role to evaluate the individual request, conduct an assessment to clarify the agency’s specific need, determine the appropriate TTA response, identify the most suitable provider, and provide continuous support throughout the TTA process.
What is a TTA Coordinator?
The TTA Coordinator serves as a primary point of contact and advocate for TTA requests—individually guiding requestors through their unique engagement with BJA NTTAC from start to finish. TTA Coordinators work to understand agencies’ specific needs and then use that information to match the requestor to a highly qualified provider in our database. If an appropriate provider is not identified through this process—perhaps due to a highly specialized request or multiple providers having requisite experience—BJA NTTAC may issue a Request for Proposal for providers to respond to. In some cases—depending on the topic—the request may be referred to one of BJA’s TTA providers for fulfillment under an existing grant program.
After identifying the provider best suited to fulfill the request on behalf of BJA NTTAC, the TTA Coordinator manages the administrative side of the process to ensure seamless delivery of services. All TTA delivered through BJA NTTAC is at no-cost to the requesting agency. Throughout the engagement, the TTA Coordinator continues to work with all parties to maintain open channels of communication and ensure that the requestor’s needs are being met.
Case Study: Harris County, Texas Sheriff’s Office
A recent request from the Harris County, Texas Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) is an example of how TTA Coordinators help to identify a provider and ensure they deliver customized support to meet the needs of requestors. HCSO is understaffed in both their sworn law enforcement and civilian capacities, which is a common challenge faced by agencies throughout the country. The population of Harris County has increased by 500,000 over the last 10 years, while the number of sworn officers has not increased—leading to a strain on resources. HCSO sought assistance from BJA NTTAC through their participation in the National Public Safety Partnership Program to gain a better understanding of how to efficiently and effectively utilize their current resources to combat violent crimes within jurisdictional boundaries and to disseminate real-time data and intelligence to frontline staff. HCSO hopes to develop a dedicated CompStat unit that would allow them to report on trends of criminal activities in Harris County and share information with surrounding areas to reduce crime throughout the region.
BJA NTTAC has several specialized TTA programs—including Technology Assessment and Crime Analysis on Demand (CAoD) that the TTA Coordinator tapped into to find the best provider for HCSO. Our CAoD program focuses on offering TTA to criminal justice agencies to enhance their capabilities to analyze and use data. Our Technology Assessment TTA program helps provide criminal justice agencies the tools they need to enhance or expand their capabilities to use technology. Each of BJA NTTAC’s specialized programs help agencies make informed decisions, respond effectively, and prevent crime. Visit our TTA services page to learn about our other specialized TTA programs.
In the case of HCSO, the provider proposed two onsite visits—the first to conduct the assessment through interviews and focus groups and the second to deliver findings and recommendations. The TTA Coordinator accompanied the provider on the first site visit and assisted with gathering information and data to understand the agencies’ strengths and gaps. The provider conducted focus groups on the two primary topic areas—technology and crime analysis. During the site visit to HCSO, the TTA Coordinator and provider also met with various stakeholders organized into clusters by department—grouping similarly ranked employees together. The interviews focused on hearing the stakeholders’ stories and understanding their experiences and perspectives. Each interview provided a safe space for stakeholders to express their ideas and give honest feedback on their organization’s performance and processes.
While onsite, the TTA Coordinator and provider built trust with each of the stakeholder groups in order to get the best information, which, in turn, will enable the provider to make informed recommendations and develop a tailored plan to meet HCSO’s goals. The information gathered during the crime analysis focus groups will allow the provider to analyze the agency’s analytical capability and crime analysts’ skill sets, evaluate organizational policies and procedures, and identify strategies for enhancing coordination and collaboration of existing resources. The technology focus groups will inform the provider’s recommendations for modernizing and enhancing the agency’s technology hardware, software, and data storage.
After the focus groups conclude, the selected provider will synthesize and analyze the information collected from the discussions to draft a final report. The requestor will then receive this document, which includes summarized findings and recommendations. If needed, the provider may deliver the conclusions onsite or virtually and offer additional assistance with implementation once the agency considers the suggestions. Requestors can then use this document as a roadmap to guide them in implementing desired changes to the agency.
In need of TTA?
Do you have an aspect of your agency that you want to transform or improve? BJA NTTAC can help you find the solutions to your agency’s needs. Our TTA Coordinators look forward to working with you to meet your goals. Visit our TTA services page to learn more, take a look at our TTA request process to see if your inquiry would be a good fit, and fill out a TTA application to get started.
If you are interested in submitting the work of your organization or jurisdiction for consideration in a future TTA Today blog post or in obtaining information related to a particular topic area, please email us at BJANTTAC@ojp.usdoj.gov.
Points of view or opinions on BJA NTTAC’s TTA Today blog are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice, BJA, or BJA NTTAC. If you have any questions, please contact BJA NTTAC at BJANTTAC@ojp.usdoj.gov.
Join Justice Clearinghouse for their upcoming “Ethical Decision-Making for Law Enforcement and Other Justice Professionals” webinar on June 10, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. ET.
The webinar will provide an overview of technology and ethics, the use of social media by justice professionals, and ethical dilemmas justice professionals face when using social media. Denise Beagley—current Manager of Clinical Initiatives and Training for Arizona State University’s Center for Applied Behavioral Health Policy and part-time Crisis Intervention Specialist for Chandler Fire, Health, and Medical—will be the key presenter.
There will also be opportunities for attendees to ask questions and engage in chatroom discussions and ethical decision-making scenarios.
Join the Bureau Justice Assistance’s Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program for their upcoming “First-Responder Trauma” webinar on May 28, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. ET. Using lessons learned from supervisors from several local law enforcement agencies—as well as fire department and emergency medical services staff—this webinar will provide attendees insight into the experiences, efforts, and needs of first responder agencies following exposure to traumatic stressors caused by the opioid crisis. Speakers will also discuss how the job impacts first responders, measures that have been taken to reduce negative effects, and products or tools that are needed to assist in advancement efforts.
The American Society of Evidence-Based Policing invites you to attend their complimentary upcoming “4th Annual American Society of Evidence-Based Policing Virtual Conference” on June 1–2, 2020. Attendees will learn about the latest evidence-based policing research and strategies to reduce crime, as well as best practices to build and maintain community trust and support. During the conference, keynote speaker Thomas Abt, Senior Fellow at the Council on Criminal Justice, will present on urban violence. There will also be the opportunity for attendees to network with police professionals from around the world, other prominent speakers, and fellow attendees.
The National Conference of State Legislatures invites you to attend their upcoming “COVID-19: Justice Responses for Community Supervision” webinar on May 27 at 3:00 p.m. ET. This webinar will provide an overview of the current COVID-19 community supervision and prison release procedures, as well as highlight policies of concern to states during this pandemic. There will also be the opportunity for attendees to ask the featured practitioners questions.
The National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund invites you to livestream the Annual Virtual Candlelight Vigil” on Wednesday, May 13, at 8 p.m. ET. The Candlelight Vigil will honor law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty.
For safety purposes, the virtual broadcast will replace the traditional Candlelight Vigil ceremony held on the National Mall this year. During the Candlelight Vigil, the names of the 307 men and women that will be added to the walls of the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, DC—adding to the nearly 22,000 killed in the line of duty that are already memorialized—will be read aloud.
Register today to receive the link and a reminder to view the virtual Candlelight Vigil.