COPS Office leadership and staff will be attending the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Annual Conference and Exposition from October 17–23, 2024 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC) in Boston, Massachusetts.

COPS Office subject matter experts will be presenting or moderating at 10 workshops throughout the conference.

In the Exposition Hall, you can stop by to chat with COPS Office staff and pick up the latest community policing resources at booth #2707. Make sure to visit booth #2941 as well to learn about the COPS Training Portal platform.

Please refer to this list for details about COPS Office–involved workshops, meetings, and exhibition hours:

Saturday, October 19, 2024

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET

10-7 End of Watch: Impacts of the Job After the Shift Ends and Making Wellness a Family Matter
A career in law enforcement is a family affair! To be complete, conversations about officer mental health and wellness must include an examination of the ties between well-being and personal relationships. The 2023 Biennial Critical Issues in Policing Survey, a nationwide survey of U.S. police officers, measured officer well-being and perceptions of how the job impacts home life and relationships. This presentation will explore findings of this research, providing important information about the most effective ways to include families in agency wellness programming. In addition, Blue Family Focus—a new program for law enforcement family wellness—will be discussed with an exploration of how family wellness efforts can pair with peer support programs for maximum impact.

Sunday, October 20, 2024

8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. ET

Recommendations from the Critical Incident Review of the Mass Casualty Incident at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas
On May 24, 2022, an active shooter took the lives of 19 children and 2 staff members and physically and mentally injured the survivors, the families, staff and teachers, and the community in Uvalde. At the request of Uvalde leadership, the U.S Department of Justice established the Critical Incident Review to conduct an independent, objective assessment of what happened that day and assess the systems in place in the weeks leading up to May 24. The goal was to provide information to those most affected by the tragedy and to build knowledge regarding how to best respond to incidents of mass violence. This panel will present recommendations in the areas of tactics, leadership, incident command, school safety, public communications, pre-incident and post-incident processes, and trauma and support services.

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. ET

Power In Peers – National Standard Training and Certification in Law Enforcement Peer Support
Is your agency employing best practices for law enforcement peer support? National survey research conducted with members of law enforcement across the United States has indicated that trained peer support is the wellness resource deemed most effective by officers. As peer support training programs are varied and numerous, the importance of establishing a training standard has become clear. The National Fraternal Order of Police, in cooperation with the U.S. Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, has developed the Power In Peers course, a standardized course in law enforcement peer support designed to be customizable to any size agency. This panel of developers, instructors, and students will share the background of the course and their experiences in its implementation.

Monday, October 21, 2024

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. ET

Futureproof: Strategies for Implementing New Technology for Public Safety
Technology in all its evolving forms can be a tremendous force for or against public safety. In 2023, the COPS Office, in partnership with the CNA Corporation, will soon release six case studies on the deployment of cutting-edge technologies ranging from facial recognition to virtual reality simulator training to unmanned aerial systems. This panel of experts will discuss not only the specific new technologies addressed in the case studies but also general recommendations for rolling out any emerging technology with community and departmental support.

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET

Happy People Everywhere: Rapid City’s Holistic Approach to Staff Morale and Agency Effectiveness
At the start of 2023, the Rapid City (South Dakota) Police Department (RCPD) had 35 vacancies in an agency of fewer than 150 officers; by the end of the year, they were down to just 8. This restaffing was achieved with a combination of federal grant funds; support from city leaders; and innovative practices that focused on helping officers feel a sense of pride and ownership in their work, reducing law enforcement involvement in calls that are not related to crimes, and emphasizing the mental and physical health and well-being of staff across the agency. Morale improved across the agency, reducing veteran turnover. Key personnel behind these efforts, including those in executive leadership, grants, human resources, and recruiting positions, will discuss their roles as well as the grant programs that were used to fund or support many of the RCPD’s efforts.

Strategies for Successful Interactions with People with Disabilities: Bringing Visibility to Invisible Disabilities
Sometimes, what we do not see is more important than what we do see. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face high rates of victimization and criminalization because criminal justice systems are underequipped to effectively recognize, understand, support, and protect them. The session includes perspectives from disability experts and people with IDD to discuss strategies to effectively reduce bias and improve communication, de-escalation, and accommodation of legal obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Panelists will discuss ways to improve training, promote cultural competence, and strengthen partnerships between law enforcement and disability agencies to create more inclusive communities for all.

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. ET

Suicide Prevention for Sworn and Civilian Law Enforcement Personnel
Suicide is always a tragedy. Every law enforcement suicide has a profound impact on family, friends, coworkers, and departments. The long-standing stigma against mental health care in law enforcement has led to a culture of silence about suicide, how to recognize warning signs, and how to interrupt and assist individuals experiencing suicidal ideation. Suicide prevention was one of the three areas of interest that the U.S. Congress identified for the COPS Office when it created the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act Program in 2017, and it remains one of the program’s core concerns. Departments across the United States are directly addressing suicide prevention, and this panel will demonstrate how having open and honest conversations about suicide can save lives.

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. ET

Mass Demonstration Planning, Response, and Recovery
The need for agency administrators, incident commanders, and front-line officers to research, understand, and plan their approach to public disorder is increasingly urgent. This workshop will discuss three critical aspects of mass demonstrations: (1) planning for and response to incidents, including tactical and de-escalation techniques; (2) media relations and community engagement; and (3) officer resiliency, safety and wellness. By considering the multiple dynamics of a mass demonstration—including impacts on officers and uninvolved community members—agencies can improve perceptions of police legitimacy, reduce escalation and force incidents, and guard officers from residual harms.

Small Yet Mighty: Mental Health and Wellness Programs for Smaller Departments
Law enforcement is embracing mental health and wellness programming to recruit and protect the current and incoming generations in law enforcement. However, small agencies face unique obstacles to standing up these programs while still having an urgent need for them. Recipients of COPS Office Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act Program grants will present how they established mental health and wellness programming for small agencies, either by design or by evolution. They will share their unique solutions at the local, county, and state level and what they see as the road forward.

Exhibition Hall Booths and Hours

Booth #2707 – COPS Office

Booth #2941 – COPS Training Portal

• Sunday, October 20, 2024: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET
• Monday, October 21, 2024: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET
• Tuesday, October 22, 2024: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET

Any changes, updates, and room information can be found on the IACP Conference website.

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