The Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center (CRI-TAC) program provides critical and tailored technical assistance resources to state, local, territorial, and tribal law enforcement agencies on a wide variety of topics. It features a “by the field, for the field” approach while delivering individualized technical assistance using leading experts in a range of public safety, crime reduction, and community policing topics. CRI-TAC is a public service and offered at no-cost to your agency.


 
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  • "The assistance was timely, forward thinking, progressive, and deeply appreciated."
    - Feedback received through the CRI-TAC Customer Satisfaction Survey
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CRI-TAC Promo Video

Request Technical Assistance

To help us best serve you, please include the following information: 1) Name of your agency 2) Number of sworn officers 3) Size of population served 4) Topic and service requested 5) Contact information

Submit Request for Assistance

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, may not be approved. These include, but are not limited to, requests for after-action assessments or critical incident reviews.


"This is not similar to other federal programs that bog down [an agency] in paperwork and bureaucracy.
This is truly a "where the rubber meets the road" program that provides inputs and guidance/supports where it is locally needed and necessary."
- Feedback received through the CRI-TAC Customer Satisfaction Survey

Areas of Assistance

Technical assistance encompasses a host of methods including training, peer-to-peer consultation, analysis, coaching, and strategic planning. Participating agencies identify areas of assistance to best suit their local needs, which may include the following:

General Topics
  • Active Shooter Response (see example case study)
  • Animal Crimes
  • Community Engagement
  • Crime Analysis (see example case study)
  • Crisis Intervention (see example case study)
  • De-escalation (see example case study)
  • Domestic Violence Reduction and Prevention
  • Drug Abuse Prevention
  • Drug and Human Trafficking Interdictions Team
  • Drug-related Crime
  • Elder Abuse
  • Focused Deterrence
  • Gangs
  • Gun Violence Reduction and Prevention
  • Hate Crimes
  • Homeless Populations
  • Human Trafficking
  • Intelligence and Information Sharing
  • Interpersonal Violence
  • Leadership
Sheriff Topics

In addition to the General Topics topic areas:

  • Analytics
  • Border Security
  • Civil Process
  • Corrections/Jail Operations
  • Court Security
  • Interdiction Teams
  • Officer Safety and Wellness
  • Prisoner Transport
  • Technology

More Information on Sheriff Specific Assistance

Tribal Topics

In addition to the General Topics topic areas:

  • Child Abuse
  • Community Policing and Problem Solving in a Tribal Setting
  • CPTED in a Tribal Setting
  • Crime Scene Processing
  • Cross-Deputization and Regional Partnerships (including Public Law 280 considerations)
  • Domestic Violence in Tribal Communities
  • Drug Endangered Children in a Tribal Setting
  • Drug Identification and Response
  • Evidence Collection and Storage
  • Hiring and Recruitment of Native American Officers
  • Human Trafficking in Indian Country
  • Missing or murdered Indigenous peoples response (training, protocols, engagement)
  • School/Campus Safety in Tribal Communities
  • Security and Law Enforcement Partnerships
  • Sexual Assault in Tribal Communities
  • Tribal Law Enforcement Leadership (see example case study)
  • Tribal Youth Partnerships

More Information on Tribal Specfic Assistance

Services

CRI-TAC staff will work with you to provide a customized solution. Types of services the CRI-TAC can provide include:

  • Resource Referral
    Toolkits, reports, and other relevant publications
  • Web-based Training
    Recorded webinars and live online training
  • In-person Training
    Existing and customized on-site training
  • Virtual Mentoring
    Personnel from the requesting agency will be connected with subject matter experts to share information and promising practices via phone or video conference call.
  • Meeting Facilitation
    Subject matter experts will assist in facilitating meetings among agency members and other public and private sector stakeholders
  • On-site Consulting
    Subject matter experts visit the requesting agency to collaborate with agency leaders and provide guidance on best practices and tailored solutions


"The subject matter experts were the best in the nation! Fantastic instructors, flexible and responsive.
They bring years of experience to the table and were fantastic resources."
- Feedback received through the CRI-TAC Customer Satisfaction Survey

CRI-TAC Resources

Alaska-Specific Resources
Collaborative Reform Annual Reports

Law Enforcement Solutions By the Field For the Field

COVID-19 Specific Resources

Map of CRI-TAC Sites

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 the IACP or 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 CRI-TAC 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 CRI-TAC project to include agency personnel and equipment needs.

Does the CRI-TAC provide after-action or critical incident reviews?

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. These may include, but are not limited to, requests for after-action assessments or critical incident reviews.

What happens after I submit a request?
  • Upon receipt, CRI-TAC staff will contact you to schedule a screening call, discuss the process, and obtain additional pertinent information.
  • From there, an intake call is scheduled with CRI-TAC staff and partners. This call gives you the opportunity to discuss your technical assistance needs in detail including your vision for the goals and outcomes of the technical assistance.
  • Post intake, we will develop a formal technical assistance request for review and approval.
  • Once your request is approved, we will 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.

Partnering Organizations

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International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) is a professional association for law enforcement worldwide. For more than 120 years, the IACP has been launching internationally acclaimed programs, speaking on behalf of law enforcement, conducting groundbreaking research, and providing exemplary programs and services to members across the globe.

 

  • "The staff is outstanding and goes above and beyond for the local and county agencies they serve.
    They truly understand their market and their "customers" and have made this experience quite enjoyable!"
    - Feedback received through the CRI-TAC Customer Satisfaction Survey

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FBI National Academy Associates, Inc. (FBI NAA)
The FBI NAA is an international organization of 17,000 senior law enforcement professionals dedicated to providing our communities, states, countries, and profession with the highest degree of law enforcement expertise, training, education and information.

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Fraternal Order of Police (FOP)
The FOP is the world's largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers, with more than 330,000 members in more than 2,200 lodges. The FOP is committed to improving the working conditions of law enforcement officers and the safety of those we serve through education, legislation, information, community involvement, and employee representation.

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International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, Inc. (IACLEA)
IACLEA is a leading authority for campus public safety. Members represent campus law enforcement and security personnel at higher education institutions across the globe. IACLEA advances public safety for educational institutions by providing educational resources, advocacy, and professional development services.

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Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA)
The MCSA is a professional law enforcement association of the largest elected sheriffs' offices representing counties or parishes with 500,000 population or more. MCSA is dedicated to preserving the highest integrity in law enforcement and the elected Office of the Sheriff.

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International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST)
IADLEST is an international organization of training managers and executives dedicated to the improvement of public safety personnel. IADLEST serves as the national forum of Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) agencies, boards, and commissions as well as statewide training academies throughout the United States.

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National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, Inc. (NAWLEE)
The purpose and mission of NAWLEE is to promote the ideals and principles of women executives in law enforcement; to conduct training seminars to train and educate women executives in law enforcement; including but not limited to the areas of leadership, management, and administration; to provide a forum for the exchange of information concerning law enforcement and generally fostering effective law enforcement.

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National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE)
NOBLE serves as the conscience of law enforcement by being committed to Justice by Action. NOBLE has nearly 60 chapters and represents over 3,000 members worldwide that represent chief executive officers and command-level law enforcement officials from federal, state, county, municipal law enforcement agencies, and criminal justice practitioners.

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National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA)
The NSA is a professional association dedicated to serving the Office of Sheriff and its affiliates through law enforcement education and training, and through the provision of general law enforcement informational resources. NSA represents thousands of sheriffs, deputies and other law enforcement, public safety professionals, and concerned citizens nationwide.

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National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA)
NTOA currently has more than 40,000 members from specialties that include patrol, TEMS, crisis negotiations, canine, corrections, sniper, protective operations, explosives, command, tactical dispatchers, behavioral sciences and more. The Association’s goal is to improve public safety and domestic security through training, education and tactical excellence.

 

"The staff is outstanding and goes above and beyond for the local and county agencies they serve. They truly understand their market and their "customers" and have made this experience quite enjoyable!"
- Feedback received through the CRI-TAC Customer Satisfaction Survey

 

For any press inquiries, please contact the COPS Office Communications Division at (202) 514-9079 or cops.office.public.affairs@usdoj.gov