Public Safety Partnership National Training and Technical Assistance Program/Infrastructure Support - Program Infrastructure

The funds will support the PSP infrastructure through the coordination of PSP meetings, development and delivery of courses for PSP virtual academy, maintenance of PSP dashboards, website and online clearinghouse, and coordination of PSP national and/or regional symposiums and peer-to-peer exchanges to include the addition of 6 new sites.

While current trends show that violent crime is down, violent crime and its effects on communities remain at the forefront of American politics, media, and the collective American conscience. High-profile use-of-force incidents in the last several years have sparked civil unrest and calls for police reform. Complex social issues, such as the unhoused, mental health, and substance use disorder, complicate communities’ and law enforcement agencies’ efforts to reduce crime while remaining mindful of sociopolitical factors that extend far beyond law enforcement. Hurdles with recruitment and retention leave agencies understaffed, creating higher caseloads for criminal justice professionals in both law enforcement and the court system to combat, which leads to workplace stress. Gun violence, with the prevalence of ghost guns, conversion devices, and easy access to firearms, remains a concern. Youth-related violent crime remains a pressing issue, leading community violence intervention and prevention programs to offer positive alternatives. Agencies need quality training and technical assistance (TTA) and agency commitment to successfully integrate valuable technological advances into law enforcement operations. Beginning as a pilot program in 2014 and now celebrating 10 years of excellence, the National Public Safety Partnership (PSP) has continued to demonstrate success in its mission to provide a framework for cities nationwide to combat violent crime through the delivery of high-quality, tailored TTA and an array of resources. This critical U.S. Department of Justice initiative has worked with over 60 cities to empower local law enforcement leaders, their federal partners, and local community leaders in areas such as public health and education to communicate their shared challenges and work in tandem to employ data-driven crime reduction strategies. PSP sites are afforded opportunities to network and learn best practices through peer exchanges, communities of practice, online resources, crime dashboards, virtual courses, national conferences, and on-site assessments. PSP was built on the principle that building safer communities requires input from all stakeholders—from local community members to elected officials—as well as the continued dedication from those who swore an oath to protect and serve. As the incumbent TTA provider for PSP, the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR) prides itself in cultivating a positive community that affords PSP sites many opportunities for growth and innovation in areas such as recruitment, data analysis, law enforcement leadership, community relations, prosecution, and technology. IIR remains the most well-positioned TTA provider to deliver these tailored programmatic services on behalf of the Bureau of Justice Assistance.