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To provide feedback on the Community Policing Dispatch, e-mail the editorial board at CPDispatch@usdoj.gov.
To obtain details on COPS Office programs, publications, and resources, contact the COPS Office Response Center at 800-421-6770 or AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov
U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Community Oriented Policing Services
Washington, DC 20530
New Publications from the COPS Office
November 2019 | Volume 12 | Issue 10
The COPS Office is proud to announce new resources on mental health and wellness, concerns about nightlife, and innovative ideas from your peers. Please follow the links below to learn more and order copies.
The Arlington County (Virginia) Police Department (ACPD) has instituted the Arlington Restaurant Initiative, a voluntary accreditation system based on Best Bar None—a program designed to establish and promote relationships between restaurants and bars, local authorities, and the community by promoting responsible alcohol management—that originated in Manchester, UK, in 2003. This publication describes the ACPD’s work to change its policing approach in the popular Clarendon nightlife area from a focus on enforcement to a focus on prevention. It also discusses a research analysis of the program conducted by the Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy at George Mason University.
How to Start a Law Enforcement Family Support Group: Insights and Considerations
A crucial element of law enforcement mental health and wellness is officers’ and deputies’ ability to rely on their families for support. Those family members need care and support in turn, and other law enforcement families are among the best equipped to provide it. In this publication, the International Association of Chiefs of Police discusses the need for family support groups and some important things to consider when establishing one.
Download the Preliminary Report
Law Enforcement Best Practices: Lessons Learned from the Field
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) examines key areas for community policing. These areas include de-escalation; crisis intervention; first-line supervisors; early intervention systems; internal affairs; recruitment, hiring, promotion, and retention; and data systems. This guide was developed in collaboration with experts and practitioners from across the country and provides best and promising practices grounded in academic research and practical experience suitable for agencies of all sizes and provides actionable checklists to start a conversation about the actions law enforcement agencies can take to positively affect the quality of life and safety for every member of the community.
Less-Lethal Weaponry, Post-Traumatic Stress, and their Impact on Officer Safety and Wellness
In November 2018, the OSW Group continued and expanded on previous discussions of methods of supporting emotional health and organizational wellness; this meeting focused particularly on line-of-duty deaths (in felonious assaults as well as in accidents), mental health and suicide, and crisis hotlines and other programs to help address law enforcement health and safety. There is important work to be done in this area, and families, community members, and others can contribute as well by supporting officer safety and wellness, participating in conversations and programming, and working to reduce the negative stigma surrounding mental health issues.
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