The Critical Response program is designed to provide targeted technical assistance (TA) to state, local, tribal, and territorial 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.

Through the Critical Response program, the team is able to deliver targeted, customized technical assistance to a wide range of state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies that generally fall 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.

Immediate Delivery of TA

 

Examples of immediate TA include:

  • Confidential consultation with law enforcement leaders and subject matter experts
  • Onsite meetings and briefings with peer agencies
  • Community outreach and engagement
  • Training on critical issues

Data Analysis

 

Examples of data analysis include:

  • Racial profiling
  • Use of force
  • Traffic stops
  • Arrests
  • Staffing

After-Action Reviews

 

Critical Response also supports after-action reviews of the law enforcement response to critical incidents when a law enforcement agency demonstrates that this objective review would be beneficial. Through these after-action reviews, the COPS Office and partners will work closely with the local law enforcement agency and other stakeholders to document their approaches, provide feedback on strategies and tactics that were found to work, and identify areas where best and promising practices could be employed in the future.

After-action reviews are conducted within the general framework described in the COPS Office publication, How to Conduct an After Action Review.

Request Assistance

 

To submit a request under the COPS Office Collaborative Reform Initiative Continuum of Technical Assistance Services, please complete the following:

Submit Request for Assistance

If you wish to contact the COPS Office Collaborative Reform Initiative team, please email TechnicalAssistance@usdoj.gov or call the COPS Office Response Center at 1-800-421-6770.

Active Critical Response Sites

 

The COPS Office is currently engaged with the following sites:

  • Columbus, OH Division of Police (CPD). The COPS Office in conjunction with Jensen Hughes, a Critical Response provider, is conducting an independent review of the CDP’s use of force policies, procedures, and operational protocols, along with the training associated with these policies and operations. The intent of the review is to assist the CDP to determine the extent to which its current use of force policies, procedures, practices, and associated training align with what are considered best or emerging practices in policing consistent with modern policing principles and standards.
    • Type of TA: Issue-Specific Review
    • Topic(s): Use of Force

  • Philadelphia, PA Police Department (PPD). The COPS Office in conjunction with Jensen Hughes, a Critical Response provider, is conducting an independent and holistic review of the Philadelphia Police Department’s police vehicle crashes. The intent of the review is to assist PPD to determine the extent to which its current directives, policies, procedures, practices, and associated training support an efficient and effective investigative process of police vehicle crashes aligned with modern policing principles and standards.
    • Type of TA: Issue-Specific Review
    • Topic(s): Traffic Collisions

  • Cleveland, OH Division of Police (CDP). The COPS Office in conjunction with Jensen Hughes, a Critical Response provider, is providing a range of technical assistance services and opportunities associated with CDP’s Community Engagement and Problem-Oriented Policing efforts and operations. The intent of the technical assistance is to enhance and strengthen CDP’s community engagement on collaborative problem-solving efforts that address quality of life issues and the underlying conditions that give rise to disorder and crime in Cleveland. In addition, the team is assisting CDP with their recruitment and hiring efforts, to include examining current programs for the candidate pool development and establishing modern standard operating procedures.
    • Type of TA: Technical Assistance
    • Topic(s): Community Policing; Problem-Oriented Policing; Recruitment and Hiring

  • Fargo, ND Police Department (FPD). The COPS Office in conjunction with Jensen Hughes, a Critical Response provider, is conducting an external, independent review of FPD’s policies, procedures, and operational protocols associated with the response to and the organizational review of critical investigations, including officer involved shooting incidents. The intent of this review is to assist FPD in determining the extent to which its current policies, procedures, and practices for investigating critical incident responses including officer involved shootings, as well as any associated training addressing this topic, align with what are considered best or emerging practices for a law enforcement agency.
    • Type of TA: Issue-Specific Review
    • Topic(s): Critical Incidents; Officer-Involved Shootings

  • Indianapolis Metropolitan, Indiana Police Department (IMPD). The COPS Office in conjunction with the National Policing Institute, a Critical Response provider, is conducting an independent review and analysis of data, records, policies, and practices related to officer involved shootings. The intent of this review is to determine if any patterns or factors may be discerned that provide insight into the recent increase in the frequency of these occurrences, as well as ensure policies, procedures, training, and practices are current and reflect and incorporate accepted state and national best and emerging practices.
    • Type of TA: Issue-Specific Review
    • Topic(s): Officer-Involved Shootings

Closed Critical Response Sites

   

As the COPS Office closes out a site, those sites will be added in this section.

FAQs


Who can request assistance?

All requests must be received from the chief executive of a law enforcement agency or with expressed authorization from the chief executive of the law enforcement agency. Requesting agencies do not need to be a member of any partnering organization to be considered for technical assistance services. Requesting agencies should be from a state, local, county, tribal, campus, or territorial law enforcement agency.

Are other services provided beyond those already described?

The COPS Office understands that each technical assistance request is unique and are open to exploring other services should specific needs arise. Please note this is not a grant program and certain costs cannot be supported through this engagement to include agency personnel and equipment needs.

What other factors could impact my technical assistance request?

As a matter of standard practice, technical assistance requests involving matters where there are active state, local, or federal investigations pending, or that are the subject or potential subject of litigation, are unlikely to be approved.

What happens after I submit a request?
  • Upon receipt, COPS Office staff will contact you to assess/define the request, discuss the process, obtain additional pertinent information, and align expectations
  • From there, we will start the process to develop a technical assistance work plan. This work plan includes a detailed description of the technical assistance, SMEs, and staff assigned to your project. The work plan is subject to your review, input, and approval before we move forward to begin delivering technical assistance.
  • Upon your approval of the work plan, we will initiate the technical assistance delivery. Throughout delivery, we will continue to ensure we are meeting your needs with regular communication.