Weekly Update & AnalysisThe Brooks
Bawden Moore Weekly Update and Analysis highlights recent and planned congressional activities including hearings, floor action, and new bill introductions that relate to public safety, justice, and homeland security matters. Please let us know if you would like to know more about any of the items described in the update. Additionally, please feel free to distribute this product as you see fit.
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🚨Call to Action🚨The Senate may consider the Fourth Amendment Is Not
For Sale Act as an amendment to the FISA reauthorization bill today or tomorrow. Senators need to hear from their law enforcement constituents to urge them to VOTE NO on any FANFSA amendment to FISA. Joint law enforcement group letters detailing concerns with FANFSA are available here and here.
Law Enforcement Statement on House Passage of Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act
April 17, 2024 - This afternoon,
the House of Representatives passed a bill that will create dangerous consequences for
communities across the nation.
The House voted to take Constitutionally legal, relevant, and publicly readily available investigative tools out of the hands of those of us who are charged with solving
and preventing all types of crimes.
The Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act will delay or prevent law enforcement’s ability to aid victims, solve crimes, illuminate and investigate drug trafficking networks, and intervene during overt threats of mass violence. This vote tells crime victims and
their families that already lawfully obtained data may not be used to save them.
This is the latest example of lawmakers failing to meaningfully consult and engage with law enforcement experts as they draft and advance bills that will hurt our ability to do what the public expects. The House is
not supporting law enforcement by passing bills like the Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act and continues to ignore our priority legislation that will give us the resources we need to keep our communities safe.
Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies (ASCIA)
Federal Law Enforcement Officers
Association (FLEOA)
Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA)
Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA)
National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO)
National District Attorneys Association (NDAA)
National Fusion Center Association (NFCA)
National Narcotic Officers’ Associations Coalition (NNOAC)
National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA)
Sergeants Benevolent Association NYPD
Week in RecapThis week, the House of Representatives passed the Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act (FANFSA) despite strong opposition from law enforcement. The law would make data that law enforcement investigators currently access through certain commercial services unavailable or very hard to obtain. You can view the final vote results here to see how your member of congress voted. Below, you can read a joint statement responding to this development from several major national law enforcement organizations. Last week, the House passed a two-year reform and reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Of note, the House on a tie vote,
rejected a proposed major change to the law: a warrant requirement for Section 702 queries conducted by law enforcement agencies on Americans and persons inside the U.S. This week, the Senate began formal consideration of FISA, and has by midnight tonight before the law expires. Of serious concern, some members of the Senate want to add FANFSA as an amendment to FISA and we now expect the US Senate to vote on FANFSA today or tomorrow. Congress held a number of important hearings this week. Both chambers continue to host Department and Agency heads for Fiscal Year 2025 budget hearings. Secretary Mayorkas, Attorney General Garland, and FEMA Administrator Criswell were all on
Capitol Hill this week to defend the Administrations budget request. The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on solitary confinement where they rolled out legislative proposals to curb Federal practices and provide resources to state and local governments to do the same. The House Energy and Commerce Committee held its first hearing on the American Privacy Rights Act, a bipartisan, bicameral proposal to establish national data privacy laws. The United States Senate voted Wednesday to dismiss two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, shutting down the possibility of a lengthy Senate trial, which Republicans had demanded to bring attention to the Biden administration’s record on immigration and border security. Today, the House of Representatives approved a rule that tees up a series of votes Saturday on foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The House will also vote
on a measure to ban the popular social media app Tik Tok if Bytedance does not divest itself from the company. The new measure would extend the deadline for the forced sale until after the November elections. The Senate is expected to take up these measures after the House acts. Lastly, the Department of Homeland Security announced more than $1.8 billion in funding for eight Fiscal Year 2024 preparedness grant programs, including the State Homeland Security Program and the Urban Area Security Initiative. These grant programs provide critical funding to help state, local, tribal, and
territorial officials prepare for, prevent, protect against, and respond to acts of terrorism and disasters. While additional votes and activity are slated to occur tomorrow, both the House and Senate are scheduled for a weeklong recess next week. |
BBM posts timely and regularly on topics of
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Hearings This Week- House Homeland Security Committee
- National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee
- Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee
- Department of Homeland Security Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee
- Senate Judiciary Committee
- Department of Homeland Security Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee
- Privacy, Technology, and the Law Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
- Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
- House Education and the Workforce
- Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence Subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee
- Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee
- Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Hearings Next Week - No hearings of interest. The House and Senate are on recess.
Senate House - H.R. 4681
- Bill Title and Description: Illicit Captagon Trafficking Suppression Act of 2023. This bill requires the President to impose sanctions on foreign persons determined to engage in activities or transactions to contribute
to the illicit production and proliferation of captagon. Captagon is a marketing name for amphetamine-type stimulants.
- Status: Passed House (410-13)
- H.R. 4639
- Bill Title and Description: Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act. The bill prohibits law
enforcement agencies and intelligence agencies from obtaining the records or information from a third party in exchange for anything of value.
- Status: Passed House (219-199-1)
New Bill Introductions- H.R. 8058
- Sponsor: Vasquez, Gabe [Rep.-D-NM-2]
- Summary: This bill would establish and implement an informational campaign and national strategy to prevent minors from working with cartels and transnational criminal organizations.
- H.R. 8034
- Sponsor: Cole, Tom [Rep.-R-OK-4]
- Summary: Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024. This bill contains supplemental funds for the Nonprofit Security Grant
Program.
- S. 4142
- Sponsor: Ossoff, Jon [Sen.-D-GA]
- Summary: This bill would increase the penalty for prohibited
possession of a phone in a correctional facility.
- H.R. 8028
- Sponsor: Miller, Carol D. [Rep.-R-WV-1]
- Summary: This
bill would reauthorize the Second Chance Act of 2007.
- H.R. 8020
- Sponsor: Eshoo, Anna G. [Rep.-D-CA-16]
- Summary: This bill
would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to publish data on the Unaccompanied Children Program.
- H.R. 8015
- Sponsor: Stanton, Greg
[Rep.-D-AZ-4]
- Summary: This bill would ensure the Department of Homeland Security is appropriately measuring the scope of certain border security matters.
- S.4135
- Sponsor: Kennedy, John [Sen.-R-LA]
- Summary: This bill would require broad agreement for changes to sentencing law.
- S. 4131
- Sponsor: Kaine, Tim [Sen.-D-VA]
- Summary: This bill would reform Federal firearms laws.
- H.R.
8011
- Sponsor: Steube, W. Gregory [Rep.-R-FL-17]
- Summary: This bill would designate certain organizations as foreign terrorist organizations.
- H.R. 8005
- Sponsor: Langworthy, Nicholas A. [Rep.-R-NY-23]
- Summary: This bill would establish the Commission of Experts on Child Exploitation and Artificial Intelligence.
- H.R. 7979
- Sponsor: Murphy, Gregory F. [Rep.-R-NC-3]
- Summary: End China’s De Minimis Abuse Act. This bill would amend trade laws regarding Chinese packages required for
screening.
- S.4121
- Sponsor: Durbin, Richard J. [Sen.-D-IL]
- Summary: This bill would reform the use of
solitary confinement and other forms of restrictive housing in the Bureau of Prisons and the United States Marshals Service.
- S. 4119
- Sponsor: Durbin, Richard J.
[Sen.-D-IL]
- Summary: This bill would limit the use of solitary confinement and other forms of restrictive housing in immigration detention.
Community and Client News
VirTra
Awarded $5.9M Prototype Contract from U.S. Army IVAS Prime Contractor Microsoft VirTra, Inc. (Nasdaq: VTSI) (“VirTra”
or the “Company”), a global provider of judgmental use of force training simulators, firearms training simulators for the law enforcement and military markets, announced a $5.9 million order for prototypes to support the U.S. Army’s Integrated Visual Augmentation System (“IVAS”) program. This order represents an important continuation in VirTra’s engagement with the IVAS program. VirTra will recognize revenue in three phases with reliability testing, soldier assessment, and final hardware
deliveries, all scheduled in 2024. The order includes bolt kits and magazines and high-pressure air fill
stations for the IVAS program specifications with Microsoft as the prime contractor. In its role as the prime contractor, Microsoft ensures cohesive project delivery, integrating VirTra’s training hardware with the objectives of the IVAS program. The recoil hardware has been engineered with a focus on intense environmental conditions, performance and reliability. To achieve uninterrupted and realistic recoil feedback, the fill stations utilize high-pressure air (HPA) technology reaching 3,000
psi. The hardware has been engineered for a realistic training experience for our military personnel. John
Givens, CEO of VirTra, stated, “This additional prototype contract award, in support of the IVAS program, is a testament to the reliability and performance of our technology. This series of awards has implemented new features and tuned our design to meet the rigorous requirements of the program. Our enhanced production capabilities and investment in new technologies have solidified our contract execution by improving quality and capacity.” Over the past two years, VirTra has significantly expanded its production capacity and improved operating efficiencies, while refining its hardware designs.
These advancements highlight the Company’s readiness for mass production and commitment to fulfilling the U.S. Army’s expanding needs. In support of this effort, Microsoft has scheduled on-location Soldier Assessments at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, in 2024. The U.S. Army’s requirements highlight the industry’s shift towards more advanced and immersive training experiences for servicemembers. VirTra’s recoil hardware will provide enhanced training capabilities and readiness to support improved standards for military training and set the stage for future advancements in defense technology. For more information about VirTra’s advanced recoil kits and other innovative training solutions, please visit
VirTra’s website: https://www.virtra.com/tool/military-recoil-kits/
DHS Announces $1.8 Billion in
Preparedness Grants Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced more than $1.8 billion in funding
for eight Fiscal Year 2024 preparedness grant programs. These grant programs provide critical funding to help state, local, tribal, and territorial officials prepare for, prevent, protect against, and respond to acts of terrorism and disasters. For Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, Congress cut each of the preparedness grants by 10%, which resulted in commensurate cuts to each jurisdiction. The law requires that at least 25% of the combined funds for the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) and the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) be dedicated to Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention
Activities (LETPA). This year, DHS is maintaining the LETPA minimum requirement of 35%. DHS
continues to emphasize six national priority areas in the FY 2024 grant cycle: cybersecurity; soft targets and crowded places; intelligence and information sharing; domestic violent extremism; community preparedness and resilience; and election security. Grant recipients under the State Homeland Security Program and Urban Area Security Initiative will be required to dedicate a minimum of 30% of their awards across these six priority areas. Of the 30%, there is a 3% minimum spend on election
security, with flexibility on how to spend the remaining 27% across the six priority areas. As with
previous years, new capabilities that are built using homeland security grant funding must be deployable if needed to support regional and national efforts. All capabilities being built or sustained must have a clear linkage to the core capabilities articulated in the National Preparedness Goal. FY 2024 Preparedness Grant Summary State Homeland Security Program | $373.5 Million | Urban Area Security Initiative | $553.5 Million | Intercity Passenger Rail | $9 Million
| Emergency Management Performance Grant | $319.55 Million | Operation Stonegarden | $81 Million | Tribal Homeland Security Program | $13.5 Million | Nonprofit Security Grant Program | $274.5 Million | Port Security Grant Program | $90 Million | Transit Security Grant Program | $83.7 Million | Intercity Bus Security Grant Program | $1.8 Million |
Investigation Findings: The
CCP's Role In The Fentanyl Crisis Following a months-long
investigation, Chairman Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party revealed their findings of the Chinese Communist Party’s role in the deadly fentanyl epidemic that has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans. The fentanyl crisis is one of the most horrific disasters that America has ever faced. On average, fentanyl kills over 200 Americans daily, the equivalent of a packed Boeing 737 crashing every single day. Fentanyl is the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-45 and a
leading cause in the historic drop in American life expectancy. It has led to millions more suffering from addiction, and the destruction of countless families and communities. Beyond the United States, fentanyl and other mass-produced synthetic narcotics from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) are devastating nations around the world. It is truly a global crisis. The PRC, under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the ultimate geographic source of the fentanyl crisis. Companies in China produce nearly all of illicit fentanyl
precursors, the key ingredients that drive the global illicit fentanyl trade. The House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (Select Committee) launched an investigation to better understand the role of the CCP in the fentanyl crisis. This investigation involved delving deep into public PRC websites, analyzing PRC government documents, acquiring over 37,000 unique data points of PRC companies selling narcotics online through web scraping and data analytics, undercover communications with
PRC drug trafficking companies, and consultations with experts in the public and private sectors, among other steps. The Select Committee's investigation has established that the PRC government, under the control of the CCP: - Directly subsidizes the manufacturing and export of illicit fentanyl materials and other synthetic narcotics through tax rebates. Many of these substances are illegal under the PRC’s own laws and have no known legal use worldwide. Like its export tax rebates for legitimate goods, the CCP’s subsidies of illegal drugs incentivizes international synthetic drug sales from the PRC. The CCP never disclosed this program.
- Gave monetary grants and awards to companies openly trafficking illicit fentanyl materials and other synthetic narcotics. There are even examples of some of
these companies enjoying site visits from provincial PRC government officials who complimented them for their impact on the provincial economy.
- Holds
ownership interest in several PRC companies tied to drug trafficking. This includes a PRC government prison connected to human rights abuses owning a drug trafficking chemical company and a publicly traded PRC company hosting thousands of instances of open drug trafficking on its sites.
- Fails to prosecute fentanyl and precursor manufacturers. Rather than investigating drug traffickers, PRC security services have not cooperated with U.S. law enforcement, and have even notified targets of U.S. investigations when they received requests for assistance.
- Allows the open sale of fentanyl precursors and other illicit materials on the extensively monitored and controlled PRC internet. A review of just seven e-commerce sites found over 31,000 instances of PRC
companies selling illicit chemicals with obvious ties to drug trafficking. Undercover communications with PRC drug trafficking companies (whose identities were provided to U.S. law enforcement) revealed an eagerness to engage in clearly illicit drug sales with no fear of reprisal.
- Censors content about domestic drug sales, but leaves export-focused narcotics content untouched. The PRC has censorship triggers for domestic drug sales (e.g., “fentanyl + cash on delivery”), but no such
triggers exist to monitor or prevent the export of illicit narcotics out of the PRC.
- Strategically and economically benefits from the fentanyl crisis.
The fentanyl crisis has helped CCP-tied Chinese organized criminal groups become the world’s premier money launderers, enriched the PRC’s chemical industry, and has had a devastating impact on Americans.
CJIS Security Policy Webinar -
Hosted by The IJIS Institute In coordination with FBI CJIS, IJIS is offering a free webinar to review the most recent
changes to CJIS Security Policy V.5.9.4. Along with these changes, topics currently presented in the APB process will be noted and there will be an overview of the CJIS Security Policy modernization effort. Join representatives from FBI CJIS and the IJIS Institute on May 16th from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM (ET), for exclusive assessments of CJIS Security Policy and what the impacts are operationally, technically, and fiscally for State CJIS agencies and for State and Local criminal justice agencies, as well as the industry solution providers’ CJIS-related products and services.
Funding Webinar: Competitive
DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program In this webinar,
representatives from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and BJA's Forensics Training and Technical Assistance Program will review the FY24 Competitive DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program solicitation and application process. With this solicitation, BJA seeks to fund states and units of local government with existing crime laboratories that conduct DNA analysis to solve crimes and protect public safety by maximizing the effective utilization of DNA technology to process DNA samples for entry into the Combined DNA Index System. To use the time most efficiently, BJA encourages participants to review this solicitation and submit any questions in advance and no later than
Friday, April 19, 2024. Submit questions to [email protected] with the subject “Questions for FY24 Solicitation Webinar – Competitive DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction Program.” Competitive DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program Webinar Tuesday, April 23, 2024, at 3 p.m. ET
Applications Open for DHS FY24
Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention Grants
$18 Million to be Awarded to Nonprofits, Educators, and Other Community Leaders Working to Prevent Targeted Violence and Terrorism
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Grant Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Administered by the DHS Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),
the TVTP Grant Program is the only federal government grant program dedicated to helping local communities develop and strengthen local capabilities that prevent targeted violence and terrorism. In FY 2024, $18 million in TVTP grants are available for such projects run by state, local, tribal, and territorial government agencies, nonprofits, and universities. The applications must be submitted through FEMA GO by May 17, 2024. DHS will announce recipients in September 2024. The TVTP Grant Program supports online, in-person, and hybrid projects that address the threat of online pathways
to violence as well as the threat of violence in physical spaces. CP3 has invested $70 million across the United States in the past four years to increase awareness, establish local prevention networks and provide training to community members. Previously funded recipients include Palm Beach County, who in 2023 was able to leverage their Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Team (BTAM), created through their TVTP award, to stop an individual on the Palm Beach State College campus who had
threatened mass violence.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa
Monaco Announces New Crime Gun Intelligence Center in Chicago Alongside state and local law
enforcement partners in Chicago, Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco and Director Steven Dettelbach of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced today the opening of a new Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) in Chicago. “Chicago's expanded crime gun intelligence center uses cutting-edge technology to trace crime guns, link ballistics evidence to connect shootings, and identify gun traffickers and straw purchasers who arm violent criminals,” said Deputy Attorney General Monaco. “By combining talent, technology, and data from 13 agencies in a single hub, law
enforcement in Chicago will generate more leads to take repeat shooters off the streets, so we can push case-closure rates up and drive violent crime rates down. To continue our historic progress against violent crime, we need to bring more crime gun intelligence to more law enforcement agencies, in more jurisdictions, more quickly than ever before.” CGICs are centralized law enforcement hubs that focus exclusively on investigating and preventing gun violence in local communities. They use cutting-edge technologies, including ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) and
eTrace systems, to rapidly develop and pursue investigative leads in order to drive case clearance rates up — which in turn can help drive violent crime rates down. They bring together, under one roof, the expertise of firearm evidence examiners, intelligence analysts, and investigators to rapidly collect, analyze, and share information about guns used in violent crimes. In total, ATF operates more than 60 CGICs nationwide. Thirteen agencies across federal, state, and local law enforcement are co-located within the new CGIC, focusing on real-time comprehensive ballistics testing and firearms
tracing, two of ATF’s fundamental pillars of Crime Gun Intelligence. Also co-located at the CGIC are federal and state prosecutors to ensure the charging process is timely and effective. The Chicago CGIC partners include ATF, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, Chicago Police Department, Cook County Sheriffs Police, Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Secret Service, Illinois State Police, Chicago High Intensity Drug
Trafficking Area, Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Illinois Attorney General’s Office, Illinois Department of Corrections, and Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Assistance.
Charlotte County Sheriff Announced as National Officer of the Month The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) today announced Sergeant Dave Musgrove of the Charlotte County (FL) Sheriff’s Department as their Officer of the Month for February 2024. Sergeant Musgrove was selected
for his actions when he rescued a six-month-old baby from the vehicle she was riding in after a speeding motorcyclist slammed into the vehicle. On the evening of February 8, 2024, Musgrove was driving his patrol vehicle when a motorcyclist sped past him at over 100 mph in another lane; seconds later, he saw a bright light and a plume of dust and smoke. He immediately activated his emergency lights and pulled up to the intersection where the motorcycle had collided with another vehicle. As he exited his vehicle, he heard screaming and ran towards the vehicle where he observed a baby trapped in the
backseat, underneath the now deceased motorcyclist. Sgt. Musgrove eventually freed the baby and began life-saving measures. “In moments of crisis, true heroes emerge. Sgt. Dave Musgrove's actions exemplify the highest standards of law enforcement,” said William Alexander, CEO of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. “We are humbled and proud to honor him as our Officer of the Month for February 2024.” The Officer of the Month Award Program is sponsored by the Police Unity Tour and recognizes federal, state, and local officers who distinguish themselves through exemplary law enforcement service and devotion to duty.
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Office for Bombing Prevention Releases Two New Bomb Threat Resources As bomb threats continue across the nation, The Office of State and Local Law Enforcement are committed to sharing resources and support tools that can help mitigate the potential for
unattended threats to the community around you. Recently, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Office for Bombing Prevention (OBP) released two bomb threats resources, which can be found below. In the resources, you will find bomb threat talking points and bomb threat guidance. Both resources are tools that are helpful in educating —not just on what to do when a bomb threat is received—but how to understand, assess, and report it. Bomb
Threat Talking Points What To Do: Bomb Threat
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COPS Office Grant Announcement
– New Funding Opportunity Open Now! School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) The 2024 COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program is a competitive program that provides funding directly to States, units of local government, Indian
tribes, and their public agencies to be used to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the jurisdiction of the grantee through evidence-based school safety programs. Up to $73 million is available for this program. Applications are due by June 17, 2024 at 4:59 PM ET. Please click
here for more information on the 2024 School Violence Prevention Program.
Justice Department Announces That It Will Provide Technical Assistance to Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Under COPS Office’s Collaborative Reform Initiative
The Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced it will engage with the
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) through the COPS Office’s Collaborative Reform Initiative’s Critical Response program. In conjunction with the National Policing Institute, and at the request of IMPD Chief Christopher Bailey, the COPS Office will conduct an independent review and analysis of data, records, policies, and practices related to officer involved shootings. The review will also examine the department’s policies, procedures, training, and practices to assist the Department as they work to make them more reflective of accepted state and national best and emerging
practices. The Collaborative Reform Initiative encompasses three programs offering expert services
to state, local, territorial, and Tribal law enforcement agencies: the Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center, Critical Response, and Organizational Assessment programs (complete details of these programs can be found www.cops.usdoj.gov/collaborativereform) Managed out of the COPS Office, this continuum of services is designed to build trust between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve; improve operational efficiencies and effectiveness; enhance officer
safety and wellness; build agencies’ capacity for organizational learning and self-improvement; and promote community policing practices nationwide. The Critical Response program is designed to provide targeted technical assistance (TA) to state, local, territorial, and Tribal law enforcement agencies experiencing high profile events, major incidents, or sensitive issues of varying need. Critical Response is highly customizable by providing flexible assistance to law enforcement agencies that have recently experienced a critical incident or identified an issue of significant community
concern in their department’s operations. The TA generally falls into three categories: (1) immediate delivery of TA to address a pressing and acute need, (2) data analysis, and (3) after-action reviews to understand and learn from law enforcement and public safety responses to critical incidents or issues.
Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA The FY 2024 Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA solicitation seeks to provide funding to support the prosecution of violent cold case crimes where a suspect (known or unknown) has been identified through DNA evidence. A DNA profile must be attributed to a known or unknown suspect developed from crime scene evidence. This funding opportunity also supports investigative activities, as well as crime and forensic analyses, excluding DNA processing that could lead to the successful prosecution of violent cold case
crimes. Eligibility - State governments
- Special district governments
- City or township
governments
- County governments
- Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments)
- Native American tribal governments (federally recognized)
- Other
- State and local prosecuting agencies
- Law enforcement
- State agencies
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Justice Department ramps up efforts to reduce violent crime with gun intel center, carjacking forces
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The Justice Department is ramping up its efforts to reduce violent crime in the U.S., launching a specialized gun intelligence center in Chicago and expanding task forces to curb carjackings.
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Homicides in major US cities falling at ‘one of fastest rates ever’ – report
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Homicides in major US cities are falling at likely “one of the fastest rates of decline ever recorded”, a crime analysis has found. In the company’s sample of almost 200 cities with varying population sizes, murder was down by 20.8% from the period beginning
in January through the end of March of this year when compared with the same time period in 2023, as Asher wrote in a recent Substack post on the subject.
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Exclusive: Mayorkas' newest weapon against the explosion of online child sex exploitation
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Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says his office is ramping up efforts to fight the explosive increase in online sexual exploitation of children. On Wednesday, Mayorkas announced the launch of what he said was the first national
public awareness campaign that brings together government and private sector partners focused on education and prevention of online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
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In reversal, more areas allow high-speed police chases
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During several years of efforts to refine policing tactics — ranging from mandating body-worn cameras to limiting or banning excessive use of force — many states and law enforcement agencies nationwide imposed more restrictive car chase policies to protect
civilians and officers. Now, state legislators and some local and state agencies are turning back the dial, moving to relax the rules on high-speed vehicular pursuits largely because of concerns about crime, according to news reports and a review of testimony by Stateline.
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Tennessee governor signs bill requiring local officers to aid US immigration authorities
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Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has signed a bill that would require law enforcement agencies to communicate with federal immigration authorities if they discover people are in the the country illegally, and would broadly mandate cooperation in the process of
identifying, detaining and deporting them.
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‘Tough-on-crime’ policies are back in some places that had reimagined criminal justice
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Fueled by public outrage over the 2020 murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer and other high-profile incidents of police violence, a seismic shift swept across the United States shortly afterward, with a wave of initiatives aimed at reining
in police powers and reimagining criminal-legal systems. Yet less than half a decade later, political leaders from coast to coast are embracing a return to “tough-on-crime” policies, often undoing the changes of recent years.
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Antisemitic incidents reached new all-time high in 2023: ADL
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Antisemitic incidents spiked last year to an all-time record, with the bulk of the surge coming in the days following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in Israel, according to data compiled by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).The U.S. saw more than 8,800 antisemitic
incidents in 2023, according to the annual survey by the ADL, a category that includes assaults, harassment, and vandalism. It was the second consecutive year of record-breaking antisemitic incidents.
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House panel says China subsidizes fentanyl production to fuel crisis in the United States
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China is fueling the fentanyl crisis in the U.S. by directly subsidizing the manufacturing of materials that are used by traffickers to make the drug outside the country, according to a report released Tuesday by a special House committee focused on
countering the Chinese government.
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Major 911 outages in 4 states leave millions without a way to contact local authorities
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Law enforcement agencies across four states were left scrambling following reports of major 911 outages that saw millions unable to contact authorities late Wednesday. "When you call 911 in an emergency, it is vital that call goes through. The FCC has
already begun investigating the 911 multi-state outages that occurred last night to get to the bottom of the cause and impact," FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said.
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Coalition to submit 900,000 signatures to put tough-on-crime initiative on California ballot
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A coalition backed by retailers like Walmart and Target announced Thursday it has collected enough signatures to put a ballot measure before California voters this November to enhance criminal penalties for shoplifting and drug dealing. Californians for Safer Communities, a bipartisan group made up of law enforcement, elected officials and businesses, said it has collected more than 900,000 signatures in support of the measure to roll back parts of Proposition 47.
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National Police Week Washington, DC — May 11.- May. 16 ,2024 | | |
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National Association of Police
Organizations TOP COPS Award Dinner/Legislative Update Washington, DC — May 12.- May. 14 ,2024 | | |
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2024 IACP Technology Conference Charlotte, NC — May 21.- May 23 ,2024 | | |
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Major County Sheriffs of America Summer 2024 Conference Palm Beach, FL — June 10- June 13 ,2024 | | |
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National Sheriffs Association 2024 Annual Conference Oklahoma City, OK — June 24.- June 27 ,2024 | | |
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Small & Rural Law Enforcement Executives’ Association Annual Conference Petersburg, VA — July 29.- July 31 ,2024 | | |
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American Correctional Association's 154th Congress of Correction Nashville, TN — Aug 15.- Aug 18 ,2024 | | |
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2024 NAGIA World Gang Summit Lexington, KY— Sep 30.- Oct. 3 ,2024 | | |
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advisors to law enforcement, homeland security, and intelligence practitioners and solution providers. Our government relations practice helps
clients advance critical policy priorities with Congress, federal agencies, and state legislatures. Our business strategy consulting practice enables companies to connect innovative products and services with market needs.
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