The National Crime Statistics Exchange (NCS-X) is a partnership between the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), a component of the Office of Justice Programs in the U.S. Department of Justice, and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) to expand NIBRS to support the production of nationally representative incident-based crime statistics as a strategic first step in transitioning to NIBRS-only crime reporting by January 2021. BJS and the FBI signed a joint statement of support to recruit a sample of 400 scientifically selected law enforcement agencies to submit data to NIBRS. When data from these 400 additional agencies are combined with more than 6,900 agencies currently reporting to NIBRS, the nation will have a nationally representative sample of incident-based crime data drawn from the operational records management systems of local police departments. Incident-based data capture the attributes and circumstances of criminal incidents and allow for more detailed and accurate assessments of crime in communities and nationwide.

As of November 2021, 58% of the nationally representative sample of 400 agencies was NIBRS certified. The chart below shows the 400 agencies divided by strata. A complete list of the status for all 400 agencies can be found on the BJS website.

Spearheaded by BJS and supported by the FBI CJIS, NCS-X works to expand the reporting of more detailed crime incident data among law enforcement agencies throughout the United States.
 
NCS-X Goal: Increase the number of law enforcement agencies that report data to the National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS) so that estimates of crime can be created at a national level. If an additional 400 selected law enforcement agencies begin reporting NIBRS data, then information could be generated describing the nature of crime, victimization, and law enforcement operations, which assists policymakers as they evaluate community needs, assess the impacts of programs, and seek to make efficient use of resources.

In addition to BJS and the FBI, the NCS-X Team is comprised of:

• RTI International
• International Association of Chiefs of Police
• Police Executive Research Forum (PERF)
• Integrated Justice Information Systems (IJIS) Institute
• SEARCH, the National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics
• Association of State Uniform Crime Reporting Programs (ASUCRP)

The National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) is an incident-based crime reporting system of the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, in which law enforcement collects data on each crime occurrence. Designed to be generated as a byproduct of local, state, federal, and tribal automated records management systems, NIBRS collects data on each incident and arrest within 24 crime categories made up of 52 specific crimes The most significant difference between NIBRS and the historical Summary Reporting System (SRS) of UCR is the level of detail in reporting. In Summary UCR, law enforcement agencies tally the occurrence of ten crimes. NIBRS, in contrast, captures detailed data about when and where crime takes place, what form it takes, and the characteristics of, and relationships between, victims and perpetrators. Details about the incident are organized into specific segments and data elements are coded in a uniform fashion to provide information about a criminal incident and its associated victims, offenders, property, arrestees, etc.. The goal of the NIBRS is to enhance the quantity, quality, and timeliness of crime data collected by law enforcement and to improve the methodology used for compiling, analyzing, auditing, and publishing the collected crime data. NIBRS offers law enforcement more comprehensive data than ever before for planning, training, management, and operations.

Resources

• Shifting the Crime Reporting Paradigm – Lessons Learned from the FBI’s Transition to NIBRS Webinar (2022)
• Five Things to Know About NIBRS (Nov 2020)
• UCR Program Quarterly: October 2020
• NIBRS: 30 Frequently Asked Questions (FBI CJIS, 2019)
• NIBRS: The Future of US Crime Data-Police Chief October 2017
• Brochure Describing NCS-X and NIBRS (2017)
• FBI: A Guide to Understanding NIBRS (2013)
• FBI Crime Data: 2016
• FBI: 2016 Crime in the United States
• Benefits of NIBRS Participation

Articles

• Are You Ready? How Norman, Oklahoma, Uses NIBRS - Police Chief Magazine (2019)
• How Urban Law Enforcement Can Benefit from NIBRS (FBI CJIS, 2019)
• 5 Reasons Law Enforcement Orgs Should be NIBRS Compliant ASAP (2019)
• Prepare Your Agency for the New and Improved Crime Reporting System (2018)
• Advances in Law Enforcement Information Technology Will Enable More Accurate, Actionable Analysis (2013)
• Why Participating in NIBRS is a Good Choice for Law Enforcement (2014)
• Incident-Based Reporting: The Foundation for Effective Police Operations and Managment (2013)

Support for NCS-X and National Transition to NIBRS

• Former FBI Director Comey's address at IACP (October 2015) (See 23.04 - 27.01)
• Joint statement in support of NIBRS (IACP, Major City Chiefs, Major County Sheriffs, National Sheriffs)
• IACP Statement: Modernizing Nationwide Crime Reporting (2015)

The FBI’s Summary Reporting System is scheduled to sunset December 31, 2020. To meet this deadline, many agencies (and some states) need to start now to plan for their NIBRS transitions. A number of resources are available to support law enforcement agencies as they seek to determine “We need to transition to NIBRS. Where do we start?” The first recommended action for most law enforcement agencies new to the NIBRS transition is to contact their State’s UCR Program. Some states have created slightly different modifications from the federal NIBRS standard, to be more responsive to some specific state statutes. A list of other recommended actions for agencies can be found in the Law Enforcement Agency Playbook. In addition to reaching out to the State UCR Program and following the Law Enforcement Agency Playbook, the NCS-X Team has created and compiled a number of other resources to assist agencies. Among the items listed below are agency self-assessments to determine how well an agency’s current RMS data collection align with the federal NIBRS standard, technical specifications needed for NIBRS, and case studies of agencies that have recently made the transition.

Agency Readiness Assessment Forms

• Agency Readiness Self-Assessment for COTS RMS
• Agency Readiness Self-Assessment for In-House RMS

Law Enforcement Agencies: Transition Materials

• Technology Talk:  Got NIBRS? Finding Efficiencies and Funding to Support Your Agency’s Transition – Police Chief Magazine (2018)
• Acquiring Incident-Based Reporting Software & Services: Key Topics for Law Enforcement for Consider and Model Statement of Work (April 2018)
• Law Enforcement Agency Playbook (Steps to Transition to NIBRS) 2017
• Five Steps to NIBRS-Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (2018)
• Technology Talk: Got NIBRS? Finding Efficiencies and Funding to Support Your Agency’s Transition – Police Chief Magazine (2018)
• Montgomery County Case Study (2017)
• Fort Worth Transition Summary (2018)
• Lessons Learned: Seattle PD (2014)

State Programs: Transition Materials

• State IBR Playbook
• Going NIBRS: Georgia's Transition to NIBRS
• Going NIBRS: Minnesota's Transition to NIBRS
• Sample IBR Project Scope Description from Minnesota
• Sample IBR Facts Sheet from Minnesota
• FBI: UCR Manuals and Specifications
• Standard Functional Specifications for RMS, Version II

Agencies that want to report NIBRS data need to not only to collect the data elements and institute the requisite edit rules, but they also must make sure their data can be transferred to the State UCR Program (or, in exceptional cases, directly to the FBI). Data must meet quality standards to be able to be combined with that from other jurisdictions. The State UCR Program (or FBI) certification process ensures the quality and integrity of the data received. State UCR Programs can assist agencies in understanding their state’s certification process. In addition, the NCS-X Team has created and compiled resources that agencies may find beneficial. Among them is a NIBRS Pre-Certification Tool that allows for comparisons between an agency’s data and the federal NIBRS standard.

Resources

• NCS-X NIBRS Pre-Certification Tool (to test your IBR data)
• FBI NIBRS Technical Specifications (3.2, 11/01/2017)
• NIBRS XML IEPD V4.2 (see zip file downloads)
• FBI: UCR Manuals and Specifications

The value of NIBRS reporting is the richness and detail of the data itself. NIBRS data provides context to what can otherwise be perceived stark crime numbers. The articles linked below highlight interesting analyses that have been performed using NIBRS or incident-based data.

Examples of Recent Analysis

• Police Department Published 2020 Annual Report
• Crime Data Explorer: Uniform Crime Reporting Data with a Focus on NIBRS
• Report on the Violent Victimization Known to Law Enforcement in the Bakken Oil-Producing Region of Montana and North Dakota (2019)
• Research in Brief: Leveraging NIBRS to Better Understand Sexual Violence (2018)
• An Analysis of Domestic Violence and Arrest Patterns in Vermont using NIBRS Data (2012)
• Assessing the Validity of Hate Crime Reporting: An Analysis of NIBRS Data (2011) (pdf)

NIBRS and Crime Statistics

• Establishing New Methods for Estimating Crime in the U.S.—The Transition to Incident-Based Crime Reporting through NIBRS Webinar (2022)
• Will NIBRS Reporting Increase Crime Statistics? Tips for Responding to Questions (2020)
• Multiple Offense Incidents in the National Incident-Based Reporting System (2019)
• FBI report on the effects of NIBRS on crime statistics (2014)
• Effects of NIBRS on Crime Statistics

FBI Materials and Links

• What NIBRS, 2019, Can Tell Us
• FBI Releases 2019 NIBRS Crime Data (Dec 2020)
• FBI Releases 2019 Hate Crime Statistics (Nov 2020)
• Uniform Crime Reporting: Still Vital After 90 Years (Nov 2020)
• FBI Releases 2019 Crime Statistics (2020)
• FBI's Crime Data Explorer (2017)
• FBI: 2016 Crime in the United States

The NCS-X initiative has created several resources for law enforcement agencies to use when working with their local media to explain the shift between reporting crime numbers using UCR Summary Reporting System and NIBRS. The primary resource is a Media/Press Kit, which contains background on NCS-X and NIBRS, as well as examples of recent press releases and news articles.

Resources

• IACP Blog: Your Agency is Transitioning to NIBRS: How Do You Let the Community Know?
• Talking About NIBRS: Messaging About Crime Data to Stakeholders (Dec 2020)
• NIBRS Transition Press Release Template (Dec 2020)
• NCS-X Media Kit
• Arlington (TX) PD Informational Handout on NIBRS (2019)
• NIBRS: The Future of U.S. Crime Data - Police Chief (August 2017)

NIBRS in the News

• Sheridan, Much of Wyoming Complaint with FBI's National Crime Data Reporting System (Nov. 2021)
• Crime on Mercer Island (WA) Increased by 11.3% in 2020 (Jul 2021)
• Numbers Don't Lie (But They Don't Always Tell the Truth (Jun 2021)
• CCSO Joins FBI's Data Collections Standard Through National Incident-Based Reporting System (Mar 2021)
• Police Now Required to Report More Details to FBI on Las Vegas (NV) Crime (Mar 2021)
• Colleyville (TX) Police Chief Presents Annual Crime Report (Mar 2021)
• WFPD (TX) Transitions to New Crime Data Reporting System (Feb 2021)
• Henderson (TX) County Approves Software to Track Crime Stats (Nov 2020)
• Springfield (MO) Police Introduce New Crime Reporting System (Oct 2020) (Article 2)
• Grant to Help Champaign County (IL) SO Track Crime Trends (Sept 2020)
• Massachusetts Launches New Website Tracking Crime, Policing Data (Aug 2020)
• Poplarville (MS) Police Working Out the Bugs with New Reporting System (Aug 2020)
• Charles County (MD) SO Announces Application for Grant (Aug 2020)
• Jones County (MS) SO Using Justice Grant to Obtain Needed Equipment (Jul 2020)
• Pipestone County (MN) Sheriff's Office – Accurate Crime Statistics Expected with New Reporting System (Feb 2020)
• Springfield (MO), Neighboring Police Department Crime Rates Could Rise Because of Reporting Change (Jan 2020)

For Law Enforcement Agencies

• NIBRS Transition Press Release Template (Dec 2020)
• Customizable PowerPoint Presentation - Moving from Summary to NIBRS

NCS-X Newsletter

• NCS-Xpress: Vol 1 (January 2018)
• NCS-Xpress: Vol 2 (April 2018)

National Violence Against Women Law Enforcement Trainer Development Program

This program provided an opportunity for individuals who were training law enforcement to improve their core training skills, while enhancing their competency on crimes of violence against women. 

Currently, this program has been suspended and applications are no longer being accepted. 

The National Campus Law Enforcement Trainer Development Program on Sexual and Gender Based Violence 

This program, held in partnership with the East Central University STTAABLE Campus Program, offered law enforcement who trained on the topics of sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, and stalking an interactive opportunity to strengthen core presentation skills, incorporate experiential learning into instruction, develop training lesson plans and content, and troubleshoot problems in the training environment while educating law enforcement about these crimes on campus. 

Currently, this program has been suspended and applications are no longer being accepted. 

Leadership Institute Series

The IACP Leadership Institute on Violence Against Women provided an opportunity for law enforcement executives to develop proactive strategies for their agencies to address domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and strangulation. Institute participants examined and assessed their agency’s current response to these crimes, focused on developing and communicating priorities, shared challenges and solutions with peers, and designed practical action plans to maximize agency and community efforts to end violence against women, assist victims, and hold perpetrators accountable.

Currently, this program has been suspended and applications are no longer being accepted. 

Click Here for Participant Map

Click here for Participant List

First-Line Supervisor Training Series

The National Law Enforcement First-Line Supervisor Training on Violence Against Women provided an opportunity for individuals who hold primary responsibility for overseeing first responders to explore current approaches for responding to and investigating the crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and strangulation. The training increased understanding of these crimes, and instilled mentoring, training, and leadership skills.

Currently, this program has been suspended and applications are no longer being accepted. 

Click Here for Participant Map

Click here for Participant List

On-Site Training and Technical Assistance

The IACP’s on-site training and technical assistance for law enforcement agencies offered agencies across the country hands-on, direct interactions with experts in order to prioritize violence against women department-wide and formulate plans to create the needed culture change to properly respond to and investigate these crimes.

Currently, this program has been suspended.

The IACP has partnered with the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) of the US Department of Justice for more than 20 years to enhance the law enforcement response to crimes of violence against women. The training and technical assistance described above are part of one such partnership. This National Law Enforcement Leadership Initiative on Violence Against Women reflects the continued partnership and shared commitment of IACP and OVW in their efforts to bring crimes of violence against women to the forefront of policing. Over the past several years, the IACP and OVW have collaborated to provide direction and support on numerous violence against women topics to several thousand federal, state, local, Tribal, and campus police agencies through a comprehensive technical assistance delivery system. The National Law Enforcement Leadership Initiative on Violence Against Women is a “next step” in this effort, one that focuses attention and resources on developing the capacity and commitment of law enforcement to address crimes of violence against women.

Data Source: CDC’s NVDRS Factsheet, CDC Assault or Homicide Factsheet, CDC Suicide Data and Statistics

Using NVDRS can benefit police agencies operationally and logistically: 
•    Examining emerging issues
•    Revealing patterns of violent deaths through geographic analysis
•    Focusing violence prevention initiatives
•    Gaining a greater understanding of violent crime
•    Deploying law enforcement resources more effectively
•    Developing stronger, more targeted crime policies
•    Using public safety resources more effectively to support healthier, safer communities.

To learn more about how law enforcement can benefit from using NVDRS, download the CDC’s NVDRS and Law Enforcement Factsheet.
 

NVDRS began collecting data in 2003 from six states. Data collection for NVDRS was expanded to include all fifty states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico by 2018.

NVDRS uses information from law enforcement reports, death certificates, and coroner/medical examiner reports (including toxicology), to monitor and characterize violent deaths – including homicide, suicide, deaths of undetermined intent, legal intervention (excluding executions), and unintentional firearm-related deaths. Over 600 unique data elements are collected, providing contextual information on violent death incidents. Data elements include relationship problems; mental health problems and treatment; and life stressors, such as recent job problems, finances, or physical health. Information about the incident is collected, such as weapons used; injury characteristics; characteristics of suspects, locations where the incident occurred; and summary narratives of the incident based upon the law enforcement and coroner/medical examiner reports.

The NVDRS is also expanding data collection to examine the circumstance and other contextual factors for suicide amongst law enforcement and other public safety professionals (e.g., firefighters, emergency medical service clinicians, and public safety telecommunicators). In 2022 the CDC created a Public Safety Officer Suicide Reporting module, which will build upon elements collected as part of the current NVDRS data system from the required source documents (e.g., death certificates, coroner/medical examiner reports, law enforcement reports) and will include information specific to the first responder community. These data metrics will provide opportunities to better understand suicide fatalities and the circumstances around those fatalities among first responders. The IACP also has a vast amount of resources on Officer Safety and Wellness, which can be accessed here.

Agencies can access NVDRS data from the CDC at the national and state level free of charge from the Web-based Injury Statistics and Query System (WISQARS), or request access to more detailed data from the NVDRS Restricted Access Database (RAD). These reports and data access options are located here.

Law enforcement officers can provide detailed reports on violent incidents in their jurisdiction to their state NVDRS database. For more information on NVDRS and data access, please visit the CDC webpage.

Since the start of NVDRS in 2002, there have been no reported data breaches of the data system's confidentiality or security. When participating states enter data into NVDRS, it is done through an encrypted, web-based system and up-to-date security protocols. No personally identifying information is collected in the web-based system.

The IACP is committed to promoting awareness of NVDRS to IACP members and the profession at large. Engaging with the NVDRS is a tool that law enforcement agencies can use to improve and implement strategies to reduce violent deaths in their community. Below are some examples of IACP resources concerning NVDRS:

IACP Resolutions
•  Support of National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) – 2017
•  Support of National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) – 2010  

Police Chief Magazine Articles on NVDRS
•  Police Chief Magazine: “The National Violent Death Reporting System: The Critical Law Enforcement Component": (https://www.policechiefmagazine.org/the-national-violent-death-reporting-system-the-critical-law-enforcement-component/?ref=720cd267b83f6a528104ebb5e32f1a6d) 

Supporting the National Violent Death Reporting System is part of IACP’s Public Health-Informed Policing (PHIP) Initiative. Police encounter public health issues daily: violence, substance use, homelessness, behavioral health crises, and pandemic-related challenges, among many others. Police are increasingly expected to deal with social ills but are often not provided with adequate resources or support from other agencies.

Police, community, and government agencies are jointly responsible for addressing social ills. Police agencies can benefit from a PHIP framework as it increases agency effectiveness via evidence-based practices and force multiplying partnerships.  This approach can help to develop effective, data-driven policies and decisions and support a system-wide approach to address complex issues to create sustainable strategies.  

To review IACP’s PHIP resources, access the website at https://www.theiacp.org/publichealth or contact [email protected]

Police work is physically and mentally demanding. To protect the communities they serve, police officers must receive the tools and resources they need to protect their own health and safety. One tool that police agencies can use to support officer health and wellness is resilience training. Resilience is the capacity to prepare for, recover from, and adapt to stress and adversity.

The IACP, in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) and the BJA VALOR Initiative, has customized a program designed to help officers and agencies enhance their resilience skills. The program, based on the Penn Resilience Program, equips individuals with skills that can be immediately applied to everyday life.

The training includes a set of empirically validated skills that can strengthen one’s ability to overcome adversity and challenges, manage stress, maintain peak performance, and thrive in their personal and professional life. The skills are divided into three core themes:

• Mind skills harness thinking to drive productive emotions, reactions, and physiology.
• Energy skills regulate energy and maintain vitality.
• Connection skills strengthen professional and personal relationships.

The Officer Resilience Training Program is a one-day interactive training with role plays, videos, and discussions. Program attendees include sworn personnel from all ranks as well as dispatchers. Trainings are held regionally and accommodate a select number of attendees per agency.

Focus areas include:

• Learned Optimism
• Real-Time Resilience
• Avoiding Thinking Traps
• Managing Difficult Conversations

By the end of this course, attendees will have a set of strategies and tools to call upon when managing stress, overcoming challenges, and adapting to adversity.

Law Enforcement Resilience Training Program: Through the Preventing Violence Against Law Enforcement Officers and Ensuring Officer Resilience and Survivability Initiative of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania’s Positive Psychology Center, has developed the Law Enforcement Resilience Training Program. This resource provides an overview of the program. 

Enhancing Officer Wellness and Resiliency in Policing: The stressors that police officers face can have serious implications for overall health and wellness. In times of stress and uncertainty, officers must take practical steps to prioritize their mental and physical wellness. This resource provides examples of resilience practices that can be implemented in the daily lives of officers to improve their wellbeing.

Resilience in Law Enforcement: Thriving in the Face of Adversity: This webinar will identify recommendations for implementing the Law Enforcement Resilience Training Program into agency training schedules and culture, explore the impact of resilience skills on personal and professional lives, and discuss the importance of resilience skills for the law enforcement field.

Perspective Series: The Role of Resilience in Officer Safety and Wellness: A series of brief testimonial videos features participants from the Law Enforcement Resilience Training Program discussing their perspectives on the value of the training, the importance of officer safety and wellness, and specific resilience skills that have made an impact in their own lives and careers.

Practical Resilience Training: Skills to Expand Agency & Officer Wellness: This conference workshop presentation discusses the proven effectiveness of building and strengthening resilience in law enforcement officers and how that can lead to the reduction of stress, a more balanced life, stronger mental health, and safer officers and communities. Hear from an executive perspective on the importance of strengthening resilience within a department, a recent resilience training participant on why bringing the training to their department was essential to expand upon their current officer wellness initiatives, and an agency trainer on their experience building and implementing a resilience program that has trained over 600 department personnel.

Build Your Resilience Skills: Strengthening Relationships in Positive Conversations: This conference workshop presentation features two representatives from the South Dakota Highway Patrol, who participated in the Law Enforcement Resilience Training Program, demonstrating a resilience skill based on positive conversations that viewers can easily incorporate into their lives in order to decrease anxiety and depression and increase optimism and well-being.

Build Your Resilience Skills: Gratitude and Optimism: This conference workshop presentation includes two representatives from the South Dakota Highway Patrol, who participated in the Law Enforcement Resilience Training Program, demonstrating a resilience skill based on gratitude and optimism that viewers can easily incorporate into their lives in order to decrease anxiety and depression and increase optimism and well-being.

Resilience Strategies for Your Role: This series of resources is designed to support agencies and departments to address officer mental health and wellness concerns through unique and practical resilience strategies, customized to roles within the field of public safety. By implementing these strategies in their personal and professional lives, individuals will learn how to navigate adversity, thrive in the face of challenges, and maintain positive mental health.

The Police Mental Health Collaboration Toolkit provides resources for law enforcement agencies to partner with service providers, advocates, and individuals with mental health conditions or developmental disabilities. The goal of these partnerships is to ensure the safety of all, to respond effectively, and to improve access to services and support for people with mental health issues and/or developmental disabilities.

Model Policy on Interactions with Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Model Policy on Responding to Persons Experiencing a Mental Health Crisis

The IACP and partner agencies strive to increase police-mental health collaboration. The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center, with guidance from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), selected 15 police departments to act as national law enforcement/mental health learning sites. Located across the country, these learning sites represent a diverse cross-section of perspectives and program examples, and are dedicated to helping other jurisdictions improve their responses to people with mental health issues and/or developmental disabilities.

Arlington Police Department, Massachusetts

Bexar County Sheriff's Office, Texas

Denver Police Department, Colorado

Harris County Sheriff's Department, Texas

Houston Police Department, Texas

Los Angeles Police Department, California

Madison County Sheriff's Office, Tennessee

Madison Police Department, Wisconsin

Miami-Dade County Police Department, Florida

Portland Police Department, Maine

Salt Lake City Police Department, Utah

Tucson Police Department, Arizona

University of Florida Police Department, Florida

Wichita Police Department, Kansas

Yavapai Justice & Mental Health Coalition, Arizona

May 6, 2022 One Mind Newsletter

August 24, 2022 One Mind Newsletter

November 15, 2022 One Mind Newsletter

February 2, 2023 One Mind Newsletter

May 22, 2023 One Mind Newsletter 

Our featured spotlight is on Disability Response Teams: Building Connections between Disability and Criminal Justice Communities!  

The Arc’s National Center for Criminal Justice and Disability® (NCCJD), created in 2013, prioritizes supporting collaboration and training efforts in state and local jurisdictions. To that end, NCCJD developed a comprehensive training program called Pathways to Justice®, piloted in 2015, that guides the creation of Disability Response Teams (DRTs) to build collaborations addressing the intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) community.   

The goals of each DRT can vary, but the first step involves organizing a local, multidisciplinary team. This team connects stakeholders from the criminal justice and disability disciplines, including law enforcement, legal professionals, victim service professionals, people with disabilities, and disability professionals. The DRT works to identify barriers to effective interactions, support communication, and promote equal access to justice for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities or IDD. 

The need to bring these professionals together is clear. National studies reveal that people with IDD are overrepresented in the criminal justice system as both victims and inmates. According to one national report, the rate of violent victimization against people with disabilities was almost four times the rate of violence experienced by people without disabilities. A recent Bureau of Justice Statistics report found that one in four prisoners have a cognitive disability. People with IDD can be arrested, prosecuted, and convicted without their disability being identified. In these cases, the lack of appropriate accommodation can lead to long, needless cycling in and out of the criminal justice system.  

Fifteen Disability Rights Teams have been created in 12 states to address these inequities, training over 1200 professionals through Pathways to Justice since 2015. The state of Virginia provides an impressive example of the power of collaboration. Following the Pathways to Justice training, they established their first Disability Response Team seven years ago, spearheaded by The Arc of Loudoun County. After training, the DRT continued to meet for monthly meetings and training. 

The Disability Response Team was eventually renamed and is now the Loudoun County Disability and Justice Coalition. The coalition comprises approximately 20 members, including prosecutors, public defenders, private attorneys, officers from the local sheriff’s department, corrections, family members, people with IDD, disability community professionals, and representatives of county agencies. The coalition has increased compliance with the Americans with Disability Act (ADA); connected suspects, victims, and witnesses to needed services; provided ongoing training to law enforcement, attorneys, and the community; and ensured people with IDD are key players in the coalition and involved in training initiatives.  

To learn more about Pathways to Justice or how to organize a Disability Response Team, please reach out to Leigh Ann Davis, Senior Director of Criminal Justice Initiatives, at [email protected].  

Our past spotlight is on Pathways to Justice an initiative within The Arc of the United States National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability.

Pathways to Justice, an initiative of the Arc's National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability (NCCJD), is a comprehensive, community-based program designed to improve access to justice for people with disabilities, with a focus on intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through a strategic two-step process.

First, NCCJD provides support in creating a local, multi-disciplinary team, called a Disability Response Team (DRT), that brings together key stakeholders from both the disability and criminal justice communities. The team works together to identify barriers to justice and serves as the go-to resource on criminal justice and disability in their community.\

Second, NCCJD experts work closely with the DRT to provide a full-day, in-person training for law enforcement, victim services providers, and legal professionals covering key topics such as how to identify, interact with, and accommodate persons with IDD and other disabilities.

To date, NCCJD has reached over 1,800 stakeholders in more than a dozen states through the Pathways to Justice program. You can learn more about Pathways to Justice here. 

Our past spotlight is on the Denver Police Department's Crisis Intervention Response Unit

The Denver Police Department’s Crisis Intervention Response Unit started in 2016. This co-responder model allows officers to work side-by-side with licensed behavioral health clinicians when responding to calls that involve people experiencing known or suspected behavioral health concerns. Operating city-wide, in all six of Denver’s police districts, currently 12 hours a day, seven days a week (expanding to 24/7 coverage in 2021), the department’s goal is to treat people where they are, as they are, in an effort to introduce trauma-informed, harm reduction-based responses, strategies, and support.

Since its inception, the program has been one of the fastest growing in the department. Thanks to grant funding, the program was able to more than double in size in only two years. The program was able to expand its capacity, outreach, and interventions during this time. It was also able to increase its staff from the original four licensed clinical social workers to 32, to also include four clinical case managers.

Originally met with skepticism from officers, the unit has not only grown to be expected from the officers but appreciated. Many officers now hope to be one of the officers selected to pair with a social worker. The impact of the project and the reception from officers has been noticeable.

Co-responders made contact in 2018 with 1,725 individuals. Of those people, only three percent (3%) were arrested and two percent (2%) were issued a ticket. In the majority of instances where arrest or citation resulted, behavioral health issues were a secondary or tertiary part of the call for service. Additionally, about a quarter (25%) of those contacted by clinicians were connected to the Mental Health Center of Denver, where they were given ongoing health support and recovery-based services.

For any questions please reach out to Director Scott Snow at [email protected].

Congratulations to the following agencies for recently taking the pledge!

• Bluffton Police Department, SC
• Odessa Police Department, TX
• Furman University Police Department, SC
• Cedar Park Police Department, TX
• Brown University Department of Public Safety, RI
• City of Charlevoix Police Department, MI
• Madison Police Department, GA
• Raymore Police Department, MO
• Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, AL
• Lincoln City University Police Department, MO

If your agency has recently completed the pledge, please email us at [email protected].

Congratulations to the following agencies for recently completing the pledge!

• East Lansing Police Department, MI
• Medway Police Department, MA
• Belton Police Department, MO
• University of Delaware Police Department, DE
• Stockbridge Police Department, GA
• Methuen Police Department, MA
• Thorton Police Department, CO
• Plymouth Police Department, MI
• Middletown Police Department, RI
• North Shore Community College Police Department, MA

21% of American adults are experiencing a mental health condition. That’s just over 68 million Americans.¹

32% of repeat offenders arrested two to three times had a history of mental health conditions. ²

40% of repeat offenders arrested four to ten times also had a history of mental health conditions. ³

65% to 70% of justice-involved youth have at least one diagnosable mental health condition, and just over 60% met the criteria for three or more diagnoses.⁴

In 2019 the United States had a reported 2,700 Crisis Intervention Training programs.⁵ Only about 15% to 17% of the total number of police agencies.⁶

In 2015, about 23% of individuals involved in fatal encounters with law enforcement had either signs of a mental health condition or were officially diagnosed.⁷

Sources
¹Douglas Richesson and Jennifer M. Hoenig, “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,” SAMHSA, October 2021, https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt35325/NSDUHFFRPDFWHTMLFiles2020/2020NSDUHFFR1PDFW102121.pdf
² Jennifer Bronson and Marcus Berzofsky, “Indicators of Mental Health Problems Reported by Prisoners and Jail Inmates, 2011-12,” Bureau of Justice Statistics, June 2017, https://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/imhprpji1112.pdf
³ Ibid
⁴ Jennie L. Shufelt and Joseph J. Cocozza, “Youth with Mental Health Disorders in the Juvenile Justice System: Results from a Multi-State Prevalence Study,” Office of Justice Programs (2006): 1-6, accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/youth-mental-health-disorders-juvenile-justice-system-results-multi
⁵ “National Model,” CIT Center, University of Memphis CIT Center, accessed on January 24, 2022, http://www.cit.memphis.edu/overview.php?page=7
⁶ Michael S. Rogers, Dale E. McNiel, and Renée L. Binder, “Effectiveness of Police Crisis Intervention Training Programs,” Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and Law 49, no. 4 (2019): 1-8. http://jaapl.org/content/early/2019/09/24/JAAPL.003863-19
⁷ Aman Z. Saleh et al., “Deaths of People with Mental Illness During Interactions with Law Enforcement,” International Journal of Law and Psychiatry 58 (2018): 110-116. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160252717301954?casa_token=FxmK3bCcxRkAAAAA:bofWv1nsi2k-10cpk67K-NdKWw2ZslUAva0Vt-ns38sTzaGgR1AkYkcHB6U3wthv73fod6d6Ng

1. What type of course meets the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) requirement?

   A: Mental Health First Aid for Public Safety course meets all the requirements applicable to the pledge. In addition, other related 8-hour courses will qualify if the same or similar topics are covered, such as defusing crises, promoting mental health literacy, combating the stigma of mental illness, enabling early intervention through recognizing signs and symptoms, and connecting people to care. If you are looking at an alternative course to meet the MHFA requirements, you must first reach out to the IACP at [email protected] for equivalency approval.

2. What type of course meets the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) requirements? 

   A: The Memphis Model of Crisis Intervention Team training meets all the requirements applicable to the pledge. In addition, other related 40-hour courses will qualify if the same or similar topics are covered. Such as co-occurring disorders, suicide prevention, policies and procedures, personality disorders, rights/civil commitment, community resources, de-escalation training, and situational role play, and more. If you are looking at an alternative course to meet the CIT requirements, you must first reach out to the IACP at [email protected] for equivalency approval.  

3. Would ICAT (Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics) be considered equivalent to the MHFA training?

   A: No.

4. Would QPR (Question, Persuade, and Refer) be considered equivalent to MHFA training?

   A: No.

5. Could the training be recorded so staff can be trained without scheduling additional events?

   A: In-person training is preferred because discussions, role plays, and questions are more effective and interactive in that format. While recorded training are acceptable when complying with social distancing and remote work during COVID-19, we recommend these classes be attended in-person to receive the best possible learning results.

6. Pledge requirements state that a minimum of 20% of sworn officers (and selected non-sworn staff) need to receive Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training or equivalent. Does 20% refer to all sworn staff or all department staff?

   A: The 20% figure is calculated based on the total number of sworn staff. For example, if you have 100 sworn staff, you must train 20 sworn staff in CIT (or equivalent). You are welcome to train more than the required 20%. We recommend training any other personnel that would benefit.

7. How should non-sworn staff be selected for training?

   A: The determination concerning non-sworn staff who are trained is up to the agency. We recommend training any staff that the agency determines would benefit. Some examples include dispatchers or administrative staff.

8. What if training certifications have expired?

   A: We recommend completing a refresher course to bring certifications up to date.

9. How does an agency verify it is compliant with the pledge requirements?

   A: Once an agency has completed the pledge, we require a letter from the Chief or another member of the Command Staff on official letterhead detailing how the agency has completed the pledge requirements and including detailed information substantiating completion. At a minimum, the letter should state how the necessary training requirements have been met, the nature of the partnership the agency has developed with a mental health service provider, and the main components of the agency’s policy on law enforcement response to individuals experiencing a crisis or mental health disorder. We recommend including a copy of your agency’s policy on law enforcement response to individuals experiencing a crisis or mental health disorder and a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with your partner agency.

10. Does an agency need to send in certificates or training records?

    A: We do not require certificates or copies of training records, but agencies should include sufficient detail in the completion letter to verify that they have met the requirements.

The Police-Mental Health Collaboration (PMHC) Toolkit: Produced by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) this toolkit provides essential resources for law enforcement agencies to partner with mental health providers to form a lasting relationship that benefits both the community and agency.

The revised Responding to Persons Experiencing a Mental Health Crisis (2018): Issued by the IACP this model policy highlights the unique challenges when responding to people in crisis with mental health disorders and/or developmental disabilities, and provides guidance, techniques, and resources so that police officers can effectively respond. The supplemental Concepts and Issues Paper was designed to guide police executives "in their efforts to tailor the model policy to the requirements and circumstances of their community and their law enforcement agency."

Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based training course that teaches participants about mental health and substance-use issues. More importantly, it’s a tool that public health leaders across the United States have begun to employ to engage in early detection and intervention around the signs and symptoms of specific illnesses. The primer provides concrete tools and engagement with local mental health resources, national organizations, support groups and online tools for mental health and addiction treatment and support. Find a MHFA course.

Crisis Intervention Team International: The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program is a collaborative initiative between law enforcement officers and mental health experts who jointly provide crisis intervention for individuals in crisis with mental health disorders and/or developmental disabilities, and who focus on diversion and treatment over arrest and incarceration. Find a CIT course.

The Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released a step-by-step guide to assist communities in evaluating their CIT programs.

Listed below are non-law enforcement organizations that support the One Mind Campaign. The campaign is grateful to have their support in the mission to improve law enforcement response to persons with mental health conditions.

911 Sane Jane, Inc.
Atlanta, GA

The California Police Activities League
Sacramento, CA

Massachusetts Constable's Office
Sandwich, MA

Planning, Designing and Constructing Police Facilities

Course Dates: June 9 - 11, 2026

Addison, TX
Learn more and register

Tools and Resources

For Agencies

• Creating an Online Support Group: Digitally Connecting Officer Families
• Emergency Preparedness Considerations Toolkit
  • For Agencies
• Executive Guide for Developing Family-Friendly Law Enforcement Policies, Procedures, and Culture
• How to Start a Law Enforcement Family Support Group: Insights and Considerations
• If You Build It, Will They Come? Creating Wellness Opportunities for Law Enforcement Families
• Law Enforcement Family Engagement Assessment Tool
• Metrics Matter: Program Tracking and Evaluation

For Officers and Families

• Emergency Preparedness Considerations Toolkit
  • For Families
• Employee and Family Wellness Guide
• How Law Enforcement Parents Can Talk to Their Children about Current Events
• Resilience: Keys to Helping Law Enforcement Children Thrive
• Social Media Safety for Law Enforcement Families
• Supporting Law Enforcement Families in Understanding Trauma
• Supporting Officer Safety Through Family Wellness Infographic Series
  • Communication in Officer Families
  • Discussing Your Job with Your Teen
  • Estate Planning
  • Financial Literacy
  • Helping Your Young Child Understand Your Job
  • Injury Reduction
  • Nutritional Needs
  • Sleep Deprivation

Videos and Virtual Events

• Family Wellness Speaker Series
• Law Enforcement Family Wellness During COVID-19 Webinar
• Supporting Officer Safety Through Family Wellness Video Series
  • Estate Planning
  • Families in Focus: Family Wellness for Law Enforcement Agencies
  • Financial Literacy
  • Sleep Deprivation
  • Helping Your Young Child Understand Your Job
  • Injury Reduction

Policy Papers

• Employee Mental Health and Wellness
• Family and Medical Leave
  • Policy
  • Paper

(Note: access to most Model Policies is limited to IACP members only)

In response to some of the critical issues facing law enforcement regarding violence against women, the IACP has passed numerous resolutions to help navigate and address these complex crimes. These resolutions not only drive the work done by the IACP, but present strong recommendations for actions that should be taken by law enforcement and their partners to best support victims and hold offenders accountable.

• Opposing the Arrest of Petitioners for Violations of Their Own Protection Orders Resolution
• Increasing the Awareness of the Lethality of Intimate Partner Strangulation Resolution
• Addressing the Sexual Assault Kit Backlog Resolution

The landscape of law enforcement is constantly evolving. Given this dynamic context, IACP's agency self-assessment and accompanying community assessment are valuable tools for thinking critically about current practices and identifying areas of strength and opportunities to update and enhance services. Information gleaned from these assessments enables law enforcement leaders to candidly and thoughtfully evaluate their practices and policies to create stronger responses to reports of domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking, and strangulation. 

To access the assessments and related resources, click here. 

WATCH: Proactive Approaches to Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Learning Collaborative Wrap-up

Commander Mark Newman (Queen Creek, AZ, Police Department) and Detective Robert Fanelli (Aurora, CO, Police Department) joined IACP staff to share their experiences with completing the IACP Enhancing Community Trust: Proactive Approaches to Domestic and Sexual Violence Self-Assessment and Toolkit. This conversation was part of the final session of a 7-part Learning Collaborative which brought together police agencies to explore effective strategies for addressing domestic violence and sexual assault. IACP staff also provides key takeaways from the Learning Collaborative on each topic area in the self-assessment, including Policies & Practices, Hiring & Promotion Practices, Data Collection & Analysis, Agency Culture & Accountability, and Collaboration. 

This webinar was supported by Grant No. 15JOVW-22-GK-04037-MUMU awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this webinar are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Justice.

These tip sheets provide strategies for enhancing your agency’s response to domestic and sexual violence by focusing on key areas such as agency mission, the role of supervisors, and collaboration with local partners. 

10 Things to Know: Enhancing Law Enforcement Response to Domestic and Sexual Violence 

Agency Mission, Vision, and Values: Supporting a Trauma-Informed, Victim-Inclusive, and Offender-Focused Agency

Five Things Supervisors Can Do

Gaining Buy-In, Building Trust, and Operationalizing Values

Six-Step Process: Enhancing Law Enforcement Response to Domestic and Sexual Violence 

Witness Intimidation: Lt. Mark Wynn (ret.) leads a discussion on what law enforcement needs to know about witness intimidation when working on crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault, strangulation, and stalking.  

Removal of Weapons and Firearms from the Hands of DV Offenders:  Chief Deputy John Guard, from the Pitt County, NC, Sheriff’s Office, discusses what law enforcement needs to know about the removal of weapons and firearms from the hands of perpetrators of domestic and sexual violence.   

Interactions with the Media: Chief Fred Fletcher (ret.), from the Chattanooga Police Department (TN), discusses how police departments can work with the media to deliver victim-centered and trauma-informed messaging to the community, while also utilizing the media to highlight agency successes around responding to crimes of domestic and sexual violence. 

Vicarious Trauma Webinar Series - Part 1 - Officers and Vicarious Trauma When Responding to Domestic and Sexual Violence: Sergeant Chris Scallon (ret.), Norfolk Police Department (VA), Lisa Tieszen M.A., LICSW, and Katherine Manners M.Ed., LMFT discuss the work-related trauma exposure that officers often experience when responding to cases of domestic violence and sexual assault, what individuals working on these crimes can do to take care of their mental health and wellbeing in order to mitigate the negative effects of this secondary trauma, and what agencies can do to support their employees who are experiencing vicarious trauma due to responding to these cases.  

Vicarious Trauma Webinar Series - Part 2 - Individual Strategies to Address Vicarious Trauma: Sergeant Chris Scallon (ret.), Norfolk Police Department (VA), Lisa Tieszen M.A., LICSW, and Katherine Manners M.Ed., LMFT discuss the work-related trauma exposure that officers often experience when responding to cases of domestic violence and sexual assault, what individuals working on these crimes can do to take care of their mental health and wellbeing in order to mitigate the negative effects of this secondary trauma, and what agencies can do to support their employees who are experiencing vicarious trauma due to responding to these cases. 

Vicarious Trauma Webinar Series  - Part 3 - We’re All in this Together: Building Organizational Strategies to Address VT: Sergeant Chris Scallon (ret.), Norfolk Police Department (VA), Lisa Tieszen M.A., LICSW, and Katherine Manners M.Ed., LMFT discuss the work-related trauma exposure that officers often experience when responding to cases of domestic violence and sexual assault, what individuals working on these crimes can do to take care of their mental health and wellbeing in order to mitigate the negative effects of this secondary trauma, and what agencies can do to support their employees.