WASHINGTON, D.C.  - The Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced it will conduct a comprehensive after-action assessment of the Orlando Police Department’s (OPD) response to the mass shooting that took place on June 12 at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

“I commend Orlando Police Chief John Mina for his leadership in asking for this assessment,” said COPS Office Director Ronald Davis. “The lessons learned from this independent, objective and critical review of such a high-profile incident will benefit not only the Orlando Police Department and its community; it will also serve to provide all law enforcement critical guidance and recommendations for responding to future such incidents.”

“Chief Mina has proven to be a tremendous leader of the Orlando Police Department,” said U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III of the Middle District of Florida. “His decision to seek an independent review of the law enforcement response to the Pulse nightclub shootings is another example of his effective leadership. The results of this review should help not only the Orlando Police Department, but also other law enforcement agencies forced to deal with terrorist attacks.”

Through its Critical Response Technical Assistance program, the COPS Office will bring in a technical assistance provider and use subject matter experts to assess OPD’s preparation and response to the mass shooting, strategies and tactics used during the incident, and how the department is managing the aftermath of the mass casualty event.

The Critical Response Technical Assistance program was designed to provide targeted technical assistance to law enforcement agencies dealing with high-profile events, major incidents or sensitive issues of varying need. The program has been used in a number of other cities, including Minneapolis, Minnesota; San Bernardino, California; Ferguson, Missouri; Tampa, Florida; and Pasco, Washington. Previous after-action assessments have provided valuable guidance on lessons learned and serve as an important tool to help the law enforcement profession advance and grow.

The COPS Office, headed by Director Ronald Davis, is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 127,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.