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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With National Police Week around the
corner, Congress worked to advance priority legislation. The House Judiciary Committee advanced the Recruit and Retain Act, which will now move to the full House for consideration. This measure would expand the Community Oriented Policing Services grant program to support recruitment efforts by law enforcement agencies. You can read more about the legislation here. Senator Tillis introduced the Protect and Serve Act, bipartisan legislation that would create federal penalties for individuals who deliberately target local, state, or federal law enforcement officers with violence. You can read more about the legislation here. It was widely reported this week that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will move to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug. The proposal must now be reviewed by the White House Office of Management and Budget. Building off this
announcement, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, along with Senators Cory Booker (NJ) and Ron Wyden (OR), reintroduced the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act. This bill would decriminalize marijuana on the federal level and allow states to set their own marijuana laws. You can learn more about this development here. Congress is also working through legislation to reauthorize the
Federal Aviation Administration, and BBM is closely monitoring efforts to expand the federal government’s counter drone powers and potentially provide new authorities to state and local law enforcement to confront drone threats in their own communities. You can learn more about this issue here. |
🎧New BBM Podcast🎧 BBM Grants & Resources Series – COPS Hiring & NIBIN BBM plans to release a series of podcasts over the next couple weeks highlighting key law enforcement grant and support programs. We will interview key stakeholder leaders to discuss these
programs, how the resources and grants are used, and why these programs are crucial to the public safety mission. In the first of this series, Josh is joined by Major County Sheriffs of America Executive Director, Megan Noland on this 8-minute episode, to discuss two key programs, the COPS Hiring Grant program and the NIBIN program. Learn how COPS Hiring supports the recruitment and retention of law enforcement, and how NIBIN is used in gun crime investigations.
🎧New BBM Podcast🎧 BBM Grants & Resources Series – Nonprofit Security Grant
Program In the second episode in our series highlighting key law enforcement grant and support
programs, Jake Schiff (BBM) was joined by Deborah Gottlieb, Director of Grants Management at the Secure Community Network (SCN) to discuss the Department of Homeland Security Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP). Learn how NSGP funds are used to protect nonprofit organizations from terrorist attacks and other threats.
🎧New BBM Podcast🎧 BBM Grants & Resources Series – Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program Continuing our series highlighting key law enforcement grant and support programs, Josh was joined by Jonathan Edwards, Great Lakes Regional
Director for the National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition (NNOAC) to discuss the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program. Learn how Byrne JAG funds are used to protect our nation and tackle the drug poisoning crisis sweeping across the nation. Listen in on our discussion on the importance of funding multijurisdictional drug task forces.
BBM posts timely and regularly on topics of
interest to the public safety community. Email a member of the BBM team today to get new content delivered directly to your inbox. Blog Posts of the Week |
Hearings This Week- Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Department of Homeland Security Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee
- Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Department of Homeland Security Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee
- Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control
- Privacy, Technology, and the Law Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Department of Homeland Security Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee
- Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government
- House Judiciary Committee
- House Judiciary Committee
Hearings Next Week - Transportation and Maritime Security
Subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee
- Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee
- Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee
- House Budget
Hearing
- Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee
- Senate Judiciary Committee
- Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee of the House Education and the Workforce Committee
- Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence Subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee
- Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee
Senate House - H.R. 4755- Privacy Enhancing Technology Research Act
- Bill
Summary: This bill requires certain federal agencies to support research and development of technology that better protects individuals' privacy with respect to data collection (i.e., privacy enhancing technologies).
- Status: Passed (354-36)
- H.R. 6090-Antisemitism Awareness
Act
- Bill Summary: This bill provides a definition of antisemitism for the Department of Education to consider when reviewing or investigating complaints of discrimination.
- Status: Passed (320-91)
New Bill Introductions- S.4258
- Sponsor: Tillis, Thomas [Sen.-R-NC]
- Summary: This bill seeks to punish criminal offenses targeting law enforcement officers.
- S.4255
- Sponsor: Sinema, Kyrsten [Sen.-I-AZ]
- Summary: This bill would modernize Federal firearms laws to account for advancements in technology and less-than-lethal
weapons.
- H.R. 8221
- Sponsor: Van Duyne, Beth [Rep.-R-TX-24]
- Summary: This bill would amend the Immigration and Nationality
Act with respect to the removability of aliens who are charged with any crime related to their participation in pro-terrorism or antisemitism rallies or demonstrations.
- H.R. 8213
- Sponsor: Pappas, Chris [Rep.-D-NH-1]
- Summary: This bill would provide for a national standard to prevent driving while intoxicated by requiring ignition interlocks for DWI offenders.
- H.R. 8209
- Sponsor: Huizenga, Bill [Rep.-R-MI-4]
- Summary: This bill would direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to notify Members of Congress and United States Governors each time a migrant flight lands in such official's area of jurisdiction.
- H.R. 8205
- Sponsor: Fitzgerald, Scott [Rep.-R-WI-5]
- Summary: This bill would provide that Byrne grant funds may be used for public safety report systems.
- S. 4235
- Sponsor: Hawley, Josh [Sen.-R-MO]
- Summary: This bill would amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to
reauthorize grants to support for law enforcement officers and families.
- S.4230
- Sponsor: Warner, Mark R. [Sen.-D-VA]
- Summary: This bill aims to improve the tracking and processing of security and safety incidents and risks associated with artificial intelligence.
- S. 4226
- Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]
- Summary: This bill would decriminalize and de-schedule cannabis, provide for expungement of certain cannabis offenses, and for other purposes.
- S.4207
- Sponsor: Cantwell, Maria [Sen.-D-WA]
- Summary: This bill would reauthorize the spectrum auction authority of the Federal Communications Commission and fund a NG-911 grant program.
- H.R. 8146
- Sponsor: D'Esposito, Anthony [Rep.-R-NY-4]
- Summary: Police Our Border Act of 2024. This bill would require a report by the Attorney General on the impact the border
crisis is having on law enforcement at the Federal, State, local, and Tribal level.
- H.Res.1178
- Sponsor: Pressley, Ayanna [Rep.-D-MA-7]
- Summary: Proclaiming a Declaration of Environmental Rights for Incarcerated People.
- H.R. 8140
- Sponsor: Strong, Dale W. [Rep.-R-AL-5]
- Summary: This bill would authorize the Attorney General to make grants for the creation and operation of veterans response teams within law enforcement agencies.
Community and Client News
Upcoming Webinar: Protests On
Campus and Off: Observations and Responses to Recent Protest Activity in the US Facilitated by: Rutgers University Miller Center on Policing and Community Resilience Please note: This webinar is for individuals currently employed by a law enforcement agency only Recent protest activities on college campuses, at transportation centers and in cities are exacerbating tensions, challenging institutional responses, and is drawing international attention to policing these incidents. What are practitioners are
seeing and how can their experiences help inform others. Additionally, a discussion of what law enforcement may anticipate in the coming weeks. Who should attend: Law enforcement leaders with colleges, transportation hubs, active or anticipated protests in their communities. Intelligence analysts with interest in what is occurring in other jurisdictions. Investigative professionals desiring insight to unlawful activities that may require follow-up investigations. When: May 7, 2024 12-1pm ET
What: 1 hour Zoom webinar Law Enforcement Professionals (FOUO//LES)
Registration: https://njuasi.org/protestoncampus05-07-2024
**Verified registrants will receive a confirmation with a link to the event via email Content: (FOUO//LES) Discussion of aspects the ongoing protests, related unlawful activities. Tactical, operational, legal considerations. Forward looking intelligence.
Co-Sponsoring Organizations: National Fusion Center Association (NFCA), International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA), Northern NJ Urban Area Security Initiative (NNJUASI)
MCCA
Policy Recommendation: Officer Review of BWC Footage This week, the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA)
released Policy Recommendation: Review of Body-Worn Camera Footage by Officers Following Critical Incidents. The MCCA conducted a survey and the report was written by Dr. Mike Smith, Chair of the Association’s Research Advisory Committee. Of note: The MCCA believes that officers should be permitted to review BWC recordings before they are required to give a statement or write an official report about a critical incident in which they were involved. Full report may be accessed via the MCCA’s website. Click Here.
Major Cities Chiefs Association Releases Q1 2023 & 2024 Violent Crime Report Today, the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) released its Q1 2023 & 2024 violent crime report. Violent crime continues to trend down for the majority of MCCA member agencies. When compared to Q1 2019 pre-pandemic levels, homicides are up 16% and aggravated assaults are up 7.5% in the USA.
OJP and the CMS Release New
Document on Health Care During Reentry The US Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs and the Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health have joined together to release a new Coverage to Care (C2C) resource to support individuals upon release and re-entering the community to connect to health coverage and health services. This guide, Returning to the Community: Health Care After Incarceration, will assist individuals upon release and re-entering the community to better understand their health care needs, including physical and behavioral health, to learn key information, terms, people, and titles to help connect to health care services pre- and post-release, learn about
insurance coverage types and how to apply, and tips to get started using health coverage to receive needed services to support a successful reentry and healthy life. Based on community and peer feedback, OJP and CMS worked together to create this resource to help fill a gap and give people returning to the community information that can support their ability to advocate for needed services and coverage. Many people returning to the community may not have health coverage right away or know how to obtain health coverage, and caring for physical or behavioral health needs may have been deferred. While
the immediate needs of housing or employment will be a priority, it is still important to consider immediate health care needs, including prescriptions, care management, or behavioral health – needs that should not wait. Connecting people to health coverage and to services is essential. This resource is specifically tailored to consider the unique considerations, concerns, and needs of individuals that are incarcerated, soon to be released, or recently released.
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Apply Now for the FY24 Matthew
Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Program Through the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Program,
the Bureau of Justice Assistance will provide funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecution agencies and their partners for: - Outreach and education on hate crimes
- Enhancing victim reporting
tools
- Investigating and prosecuting hate crimes
- Establishing partnerships between law enforcement and prosecution agencies and community-based organizations
Applications Open for the 2024 National Public Safety Partnership Cohort The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is seeking interested jurisdictions for the 2024 National Public Safety Partnership (PSP) cohort group. Eligible interested applicants will be law enforcement agencies serving mid-to-large-sized jurisdictions
(populations of 50,000–500,000-plus) who are experiencing precipitous increases in violent crime and interested in building capacity to identify and implement violent crime strategies and improve community engagement. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) established PSP to provide an innovative framework to enhance coordinated federal support of state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecution authorities in building capacity to reduce violent crime. PSP is designed to promote interagency coordination by leveraging specialized law enforcement expertise with dedicated prosecutorial resources
to promote public and community safety—with the end goal of reducing violent crime and making our communities safer places to live and work. In addition to leveraging the expertise of justice professionals, part of a comprehensive approach to violent crime reduction includes strengthening the role of communities as co-producers of public safety. PSP’s strategic focus is to support communities that (1) struggle with sustained levels of violent crime far in excess of the national average and (2) would benefit from DOJ’s support in developing their own capacities. PSP is a three-year commitment from DOJ to deliver no-cost customized site-specific training and technical assistance (TTA). PSP is
not a grant program, and participating law enforcement agencies do not receive direct funding through this initiative. Agencies benefit from interacting with PSP network participants, learning from leading practitioners and academics, and accessing the many violence reduction tools and resources available to the sites. Please visit the PSP website to learn more about the initiative.
COPS Training Portal Reaches
Milestone with 100,000 Enrollments; Also Announces Launch of New Smartphone Application
The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS
Office) Training Portal has reached a major milestone with 100,000 enrollments. The Portal serves as an
invaluable resource for both entire agencies as well as individual officers, providing high quality, accessible, engaging eLearning trainings and resources. “At a time when training budgets are stretched thin and more is demanded of law enforcement, the COPS Training Portal serves as a no-cost option to deliver rigorously vetted, high quality learning content,” said COPS Office Director Hugh T. Clements, Jr. “This allows leaders to focus their training dollars on topics that cannot be taught
online.” Launched in October 2017 with just five trainings on community policing, the COPS Training Portal
now boasts 45 trainings and resources on topics as varied as traffic safety, mental health crisis response, and investigative interviewing. Since then, the Portal has evolved into a training tool that is used by agencies as varied as small agencies serving a rural population to large departments serving an urban population. The Portal has proven its value across that broad spectrum of agencies, with many departments mandating courses such as Changing Perceptions: A Fair and Impartial Policing
Approach, Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (Refresher), and Introduction to the Non-Confrontational Investigative Interviewing Approach, among many others. Directly supporting the law enforcement field, the Portal now serves as a cornerstone of the COPS Office’s training and technical assistance portfolio. To amplify those efforts and extend the reach of the Portal, the Portal team is excited to also announce the launch of the COPS Training Portal Mobile, available in the iOS App Store and Google Play Store. Learners will be able to complete courses offline, enabling those with weak
Wi-Fi or mobile data service to train on the Portal. Then the app will sync with the website when the learner’s mobile device has sufficient internet connection. This will particularly benefit rural, tribal, and Alaska Native agencies who may not have strong or consistent internet services. In 2024 and beyond, the COPS Office plans to launch several new trainings and resources on topics both familiar and novel, including vehicular pursuits, human trafficking, responding to persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities, community engagement around critical incidents, and many more. The
Portal team is currently piloting new initiatives to enhance the ability of agencies to track their users’ progress and completions and is working with Standards and Training boards across the nation to provide in-service training credit where appropriate. The COPS Office has partnered with the National Center for Policing Innovation (NCPI) for administering the COPS Training Portal, handling day-to-day management of the site, marketing, and technical support, among many other tasks. The Portal is also made possible by the organizations who have partnered with the COPS Office to create training:
International Association of Chiefs of Police; National Alliance for Drug Endangered Children; National Association of School Resource Officers; National Center for Policing Innovation; National Criminal Justice Training Center of Fox Valley Technical College; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; University of Tennessee Law Enforcement Innovation Center; Western Community Policing Institute; WILL Interactive; and XERO Associates, Inc.
Nominate a Police
Professional National Policing Institute's 2024 Annual Awards Program Are you inspired by a police professional in your life? The National Policing Institute is accepting nominations through June 1 for its Annual Awards Program. During a reception this fall in the beautiful city of Boston, we will recognize honoree(s) of the:
Commissioner Patrick V. Murphy Award for Leading Change in Policing
and Hubert Williams Equal Justice and Effective Policing Award
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US poised to ease restrictions on marijuana in historic shift, but it’ll remain controlled substance
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The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will move to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, The Associated Press has learned, a historic shift to generations of American drug policy that could have wide ripple effects across the country. The
proposal, which still must be reviewed by the White House Office of Management and Budget, would recognize the medical uses of cannabis and acknowledge it has less potential for abuse than some of the nation’s most dangerous drugs. However, it would not legalize marijuana outright for recreational use.
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Police officer hiring in US increases in 2023 after years of decline, survey shows
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Police departments across the United States are reporting an increase in their ranks for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 killing of George Floyd, which led to a historic exodus of officers, a survey shows.
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More than 2,100 people have been arrested during pro-Palestinian protests on US college campuses
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Police have arrested more than 2,100 people during pro-Palestinian protests at college campuses across the United States in recent weeks, sometimes using riot gear, tactical vehicles and flash-bang devices to clear tent encampments and occupied buildings.
One officer accidentally discharged his gun inside a Columbia University administration building while clearing out protesters camped inside, authorities disclosed Thursday.
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Dozens of deaths reveal risks of injecting sedatives into people restrained by police
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The practice of giving sedatives to people detained by police has spread quietly across the nation over the last 15 years, built on questionable science and backed by police-aligned experts, an investigation led by The Associated Press has found. Based on
thousands of pages of law enforcement and medical records and videos of dozens of incidents, the investigation shows how a strategy intended to reduce violence and save lives has resulted in some avoidable deaths.
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4 law officers serving warrant are killed, 4 wounded in shootout at North Carolina home, police say
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Four law officers serving a warrant for a felon wanted for possessing a firearm were killed and four other officers were wounded in a shootout Monday at a North Carolina home, police said. Some of the officers who rushed to the Charlotte neighborhood
to rescue the first wave of downed officers were wounded as a second shooter began firing on them after they killed the wanted man, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings said.
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How Minnesota authorities are handling high drivers in age of legal marijuana
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Before marijuana was legalized in Minnesota, the state patrol and other law enforcement agencies repeatedly voiced their concern over how to determine if someone pulled over was high on cannabis. Right now, there's not a state approved-roadside test that can
determine if a driver is high on weed. In January, Minnesota law enforcement agencies, including the state patrol, began a pilot program to try out a saliva test to detect cannabis and other illegal drugs.
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Kemp signs bill requiring Georgia sheriffs to enforce federal immigration law
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Sheriffs in Georgia will now be required to coordinate with federal immigration officials when someone in custody is suspected of being in the country without permission. Gov. Brian Kemp on Wednesday signed House Bill 1105, requiring jailers to hold any
suspect who is believed to be in the country without legal permission if that person is wanted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.
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How often do law enforcement agencies use high-risk AI? Presidential advisers want answers
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A national AI advisory group will recommend this week that law enforcement agencies be required to create and publish annual summary usage reports for facial recognition and other AI tools of that kind.
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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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