This month’s edition of the Dispatch is primarily focused on the innovative approaches tribal law enforcement agencies use to improve public safety. Other topics covered in this edition include webinar opportunities to learn more about investigating fraud committed against older Americans and the role of law enforcement in supporting homeless populations.

Also featured is a story about the National Faith and Blue Weekend, an October event that encouraged law enforcement agencies throughout the country to work with local houses of worship to improve mutual respect and understanding with communities. The COPS Office co-sponsored this weekend, and we are pleased that law enforcement agencies in 43 states and the District of Columbia hosted 650 events that contributed to changing the narrative associated with American policing.

The Gadugi Approach to Law Enforcement addresses how the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service effectively supports 141,000 citizens residing within their 14-county, 9,000–square mile tribal jurisdictional area. Gadugi is the Cherokee word for “working together” and is the concept behind how the service’s 29 marshals effectively carry out their duties in a manner that is built on mutual respect and courtesy.

Volunteer Engagement for American Indian and Alaska Native Missing Persons Cases highlights training that supports tribal leaders and law enforcement with strengthening community partnerships that address missing persons cases. The two-part training series focuses on the fundamentals of building an effective tribal community volunteer program. The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) developed this resource under the COPS Office’s Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center (CRI-TAC). The COPS Office has been working with the Operation Lady Justice Task Force, a Presidential Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives, and we are pleased to make this training available.

It is as important now as it has ever been that law enforcement identify innovative approaches for ensuring the safety of our communities and look beyond traditional approaches to doing so. As always, we focus the Dispatch on supporting you in this manner and hope that you find this edition helpful in furthering your efforts.

Sincerely,

Phil Keith
Director
Office of Community Oriented Policing Services

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