Attorney General Jeff Sessions has announced the launch of the Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center (CRI-TAC) to assist local law enforcement.
In September, the attorney general announced the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services would shift to better align the program to support local law enforcement consistent with the original intent of the authorizing statute. To facilitate that, the CRI-TAC brings together a coalition of the nation’s top public safety organizations under the leadership of the IACP to provide tailored technical assistance and a field-driven approach to local policing agencies through a $7 million award from the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office).
“Better training and the more sophisticated policing strategies were key reasons for 20 years of declining crime in America. I believe that continuing to advance our technical sophistication can help us reduce crime once again, and that’s why we’re investing in CRI-TAC,” Sessions said. “Improving access to training for our state and local law enforcement partners will mean better policing and a safer America.”
The coalition includes the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy Associates (FBINAA), Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA), International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST), Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA), National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE), National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), and National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA).
It is working with several law enforcement agencies, including the Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Police Department, the McNeese State University (La.) Police Department, and the Knoxville (Tenn.) Police Department, that have asked for technical assistance to address challenges around effective gun violence reduction and prevention initiatives.
Sessions announced the center at the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Division Midyear Conference in Nashville. A full transcript of his remarks can be found here.
For more information about the CRI-TA program, visit the COPS Office website.