November | December 2017

Justice Department Officials Participate in Police Chiefs Conference

International Association of Chiefs of Police logoAttorney General Jeff Sessions, OJJDP staff, and other officials from the U.S. Department of Justice participated in the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) annual conference on October 21–24, 2017, in Philadelphia, PA. IACP is the world's largest nonprofit membership organization of police executives, with more than 30,000 members in 150 countries.

In his keynote remarks, Attorney General Sessions announced nearly $9 million in funding through the Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services to advance the practice of community policing and to provide critical training to help law enforcement officers prepare for active shooter situations. IACP received more than $200,000 for its Institute for Community and Police Relations.

“Community policing builds trust and mutual respect between communities and law enforcement, and that helps us reduce crime,” Attorney General Sessions said. “This investment will be put to good use: providing better training and safety for law enforcement officers and better relations with communities. That will benefit all of us.”

Alan R. Hanson, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs, joined David B. Muhlhausen, Director of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), to offer opening remarks preceding NIJ’s daylong session, “What Matters and What Works in Policing,” on October 21. The annual session presents the latest in policing research.

OJJDP Senior Policy Advisor Cynthia Pappas presented in a session titled “Child Sex Trafficking Indicators and Responses for Law Enforcement Officers.” The session provided information about key anti-trafficking laws as well as local efforts to help frontline officers better identify, investigate, and respond to child sex trafficking victims. Ms. Pappas highlighted how federal, state, and local agencies are addressing the needs of child sex trafficking victims through advocacy partnerships and innovative policies and practices. Other presenters included Maheen Kaleen, staff attorney, Rights4Girls; Chris Marks, Captain, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; and Derek Prestridge, Lieutenant, Texas Department of Public Safety.

OJJDP Special Assistant Amy Callaghan moderated “The Power of Action and Dialogue: Police and Youth Engagement,” a panel discussion that offered information to help police leaders improve their ability to address juvenile victimization and crime while building relationships between law enforcement agencies and the young people they protect and serve. Panelists included Kevin Bethel, former Philadelphia Deputy Police Commissioner and an expert in trauma-informed and community policing, and Michael Sullivan, Deputy Chief of Police in Louisville, KY, and a member of IACP’s Juvenile Justice and Child Protection Committee. In addition, youth who have been involved with the juvenile justice system shared their personal experiences and recommendations for improving justice system responses.

“The IACP conference provides the highest quality education on the most pressing law enforcement topics of the day,” said OJJDP Acting Administrator Eileen M. Garry. “OJJDP was proud to offer support to the law enforcement community by sharing information and resources to help them in their important work.”

Resources:

More information about the International Association of Chiefs of Police is available on its website.

Access the OJJDP–IACP resources, Enhancing Police Responses to Children Exposed to Violence: A Toolkit for Law Enforcement and The Effects of Adolescent Development on Policing online.