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The Weekly Snapshot
Your source for the latest tips, information, and current campus safety resources from the NCCPS.
NTAS Bulletin
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DHS National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS)

On December 16, 2015 the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a Bulletin and supporting Fact Sheet outlining an update to the National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) . The NTAS replaced the color-coded alerts of the Homeland Security Advisory System (HSAS) in 2011 and is the current system DHS utilizes to advise the American public of information pertaining to threats against the homeland.
 
This recent announcement explains the addition of "Bulletins" to the NTAS alert system, which until now only utilized two forms of notices: "Elevated Alerts" and "Imminent Alerts." The addition of the "Bulletin" will allow DHS to " achieve the objective of more flexible, timely, and useful communication with the public regarding terrorist threats."
 
According the DHS Fact Sheet, the types of advisories are:
  • Bulletin: "will provide information describing broader or more general trends and current developments regarding threats of terrorism.  They will share important terrorism-related information with the American public and various partners and stakeholders, including in those situations where additional precautions may be warranted, but where the circumstances do not warrant the issuance of an 'elevated' or 'imminent' Alert." 
  • Elevated Alert: "intended to warn of a credible terrorist threat against the United States and its territories that is general in both timing and potential location such that it is reasonable to recommend implementation of protective measures to thwart or mitigate against an attack."
  • Imminent Threat: "intended to warn of a credible, specific, and impending terrorist threat or on-going attack."
The Advisory Bulletin also notes concern that the global threat environment is becoming increasingly complex as terrorist groups utilize the Internet to recruit. Although there is "no intelligence that is both specific and credible at this time of a plot by terrorist organizations to attack the homeland, the reality is terrorist-inspired individuals have conducted, or attempted to conduct, attacks in the United States this year." There had not been a single Elevated Alert or Immanent Alert issued since the NTAS system was initiated since 2011, and Bulletins allow for dissemination of timely updates in this complex environment.
 
Understanding this alteration to the NTAS is important in being able to inform community members of threats the homeland may face. It is also important to share with community members what they can do to play a role in identifying these threats. A printable and hangable flyer that can be publicly posted is available here .
 
The If You See Something, Say Something
TM
  national campaign encourages the public to be on the look out for suspicious activity and to report their concerns to law enforcement. Campus public safety executives are in a unique position to reinforce this national message with their campus communities.
In addition, state, local, and campus public safety agencies will continue to receive separate information and intelligence bulletins from the FBI and DHS that are not intended for public release. Campus public safety executives are encouraged to connect with their local FBI Campus Liaison Agent and may do so by contacting their local FBI field office, as well as connecting with your regional Fusion Center. 
 
Trauma-Informed Sexual Assault Investigation and Adjudication Program Update

Please stay tuned for exciting information on public class offerings of our Trauma-Informed Sexual Assault Investigation and Adjudication program in next week's edition of the Weekly Snapshot!
Preventing Gender Bias in Law Enforcement
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Department of Justice Releases New Guidance on Identifying and Preventing Gender Bias
 
On Tuesday, December 15, 2015, Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch announced new guidance from the Department of Justice (DOJ) aimed at assisting law enforcement agencies in identifying and preventing gender bias in their response to domestic violence and sexual assault. The guidance document,  Identifying and Preventing Gender Bias in Law Enforcement Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, was developed with input from a variety of stakeholders, including police leaders, victims' advocates, and civil rights advocates, and was produced by the DOJ's Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), the Civil Rights Division, and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office).
 
The new guidance serves two purposes: 1) to examine how gender bias can undermine law enforcement agencies (LEAs) response to sexual assault and domestic violence; and 2) to provide a set of basic principles that-if integrated into LEAs' policies, trainings and practices-will help ensure that agencies' efforts to keep victims safe and hold offenders accountable are not undermined, either intentionally or unintentionally, by gender bias.
 
The guidance document outlines eight basic principles that "will help reduce the potential for discrimination." Though the DOJ concedes that this list is not exhaustive, implementation and adherence "to these basic principles in developing policies, practices and trainings related to sexual assault and domestic violence cases will help law enforcement agencies provide police services free from discrimination on the basis of gender and handle these cases more effectively." The eight principles are as follows:
  1. Recognize and Address Biases, Assumptions and Stereotypes about Victims
  2. Treat All Victims with Respect and Employ Interviewing Tactics That Encourage a Victim to Participate and Provide Facts About the Incident
  3. Investigate Sexual Assault or Domestic Violence Complaints Thoroughly and Effectively
  4. Appropriately Classify Reports of Sexual Assault or Domestic Violence
  5. Refer Victims to Appropriate Services
  6. Properly Identify the Assailant in Domestic Violence Incidents
  7. Hold Officers Who Commit Sexual Assault or Domestic Violence Accountable
  8. Maintain, Review and Act Upon Data Regarding Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence 
DOJ's guidance provides additional information on relevant federal laws and resources in the appendix and on its website.
Click to access our online calendar of events.
Professional Development Opportunities

Title:  Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events  (CRASE)  Train-the-Trainer
Supported by:  Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT)
Dates:  February 4, 2016
Location:    Clackamas, OR
Fee: Free

Title:  37th Annual National Conference on Law and Higher Education
Hosted by: Stetson University
Dates: February 11-15, 2016
Location: Orlando, FL
Fee: Registration Fee
 
Title:  Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs 
Supported by:  Institute of Police Technology and Management (IPTM)
Dates: February 22-26, 2016
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Fee:  Registration Fee
This project was supported by Grant No. 2013-MU-BX-K011 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the US Department of Justice.
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