Violence is preventable, and data can inform actionable prevention strategies. This recorded workshop from IACP’s 2024 Annual Conference highlights how Maine used findings from the Maine Violent Death Reporting System (ME VDRS) and the Franklin County, ME, Sheriff’s Office to address risks facing law enforcement. From 2015 to 2021, officer suicides in Maine outnumbered line-of-duty deaths 6 to 1, and retired officers (police, corrections, game wardens, and marine patrol) were found to have a life expectancy 12–15 years shorter than the general population.

This workshop highlights how data can inform policy and practice and support collaboration across sectors. Panelists describe how the findings led to changes in policy and practice to support officer mental health, and explain how reporting data to the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) strengthens violence and suicide prevention efforts, including those for law enforcement.

This presentation will enhance attendees’ ability to:

• Identify opportunities for collaboration between law enforcement and public health agencies;
• Understand how data can inform violent death prevention efforts; and
• Support officers through data-informed suicide prevention strategies.

Presented by:

• Ryan Close, Sergeant, Franklin County, ME, Sheriff’s Office
• Jamie A. Wren, MPH, Research Associate, Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center, University of Maine
• Karen Maline, Project Manager, IACP (Moderator)

This webinar will present a 14-year update of the Evidence-Based Policing Matrix, a freely available online tool for analyzing, visualizing, and translating experimental and quasi experimental research on police crime prevention strategies. The experimental and quasi-experimental evaluations of police crime prevention strategies have nearly tripled since the first publication of the Matrix in 2011. The Matrix categorizes police interventions based on three key dimensions of crime prevention strategies: the nature and type of intervention target (i.e., people or places), the degree to which the strategy is reactive or proactive, and the extent to which the strategy is general or tailored to a particular problem (i.e., specific and focused). The presenters will discuss results from the latest Matrix update which covers 274 studies.

The IACP International Road Policing Alliance (IRPA) hosted its inaugural webinar featuring three presentations on key road policing issues. The session explored the use of artificial intelligence in traffic enforcement, highlighting both its growing role in technologies such as speed detection and license plate recognition and the regulatory challenges posed by self-learning systems that continually evolve beyond traditional approval models. Another presentation examined roadside oral fluid drug testing, outlining how these devices function as screening tools, along with their advantages, limitations, and legal considerations when identifying drug-impaired drivers. The final presentation focused on road policing in rural communities, offering practical strategies for smaller agencies, including cross-training personnel, utilizing grant funding, and strengthening partnerships with local communities. The webinar concluded with a discussion that addressed participant questions on topics such as the use of specialized impairment experts and the future expansion of oral fluid testing across different jurisdictions.

Learn more about the IACP International Road Policing Alliance (IRPA) and its work supporting global policing initiatives here. 

About IRPA

The International Road Policing Alliance (IRPA) is an International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)‑led, by‑police, for‑police global network that supports road policing and traffic safety efforts. IRPA connects law enforcement and road safety professionals with critical information and resources to help reduce traffic fatalities and injuries, while also enabling non‑police partners, enforcement agencies, and government leaders to more effectively engage through shared knowledge and education.

Toronto Police Service 

Military Veterans Wellness Course

This program offers cultural competency and additional de-escalation training so officers can better connect with the veteran population and improve public safety.

Law Enforcement Officers must ensure that they follow the rules, regulations, procedures and standards of their own organization.

Certain parts of this program may be emotionally challenging for some participants.

If at any time you find this program difficult, contact your supervisor, access your internal supports, or any government / international supports that can assist you.

The training provides a basis and framework so every law enforcement organization can further adapt the program for their use.

Disclaimer: This training was created by the Toronto Police Service (TPS) and is shared via IACPlearn to raise awareness in the policing profession. It is not an IACP product and is hosted solely to support TPS outreach.

All content is the sole work of TPS. For questions or concerns, please contact the Toronto Police Service directly at [email protected].

This course is designed to strengthen decision-making in complex, high-pressure situations, where police officers must exercise sound judgment, legal awareness, and professional conduct. The course reviews how to assess situations effectively, respond appropriately, and build community trust while prioritizing safety, accountability, and ethical policing.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Recognize how decisions are made under pressure and why early choices matter 
• Apply principled policing to support professionalism and voluntary cooperation 
• Distinguish police-community encounter types and the authority tied to each 
• Use Fourth Amendment standards to guide lawful, tactically sound actions 
• Apply policy and professional judgment to select appropriate tactical responses 
• Reassess, de-escalate, or intervene to guide situations toward safer outcomes 

Professional Development Hours: 4.0 

Intended Audience: Patrol-level policing personnel, including officers, deputies, recruits, and troopers, as well as mid-level supervisors and leaders. 

Experience Level: Beginner, Intermediate 

Note: Registered users will have 60 days to complete the course. 

Participant training records, including course completion and certification data, are maintained and archived in accordance with applicable standards. Records are retained for a minimum of 30 years and remain available for verification and audit purposes. 

Over the past decade, police agencies have faced growing challenges in recruitment, hiring, training, and retention. Fewer qualified applicants and rising retirements and resignations have strained staffing. This course highlights best practices and innovative recruitment and hiring strategies, identifies common process issues, and helps learners understand agency needs and practical solutions to overcome workforce challenges. 

Learners will gain a stronger understanding of agency recruitment and hiring needs, as well as practical solutions to address common challenges.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Assess recruitment needs using agency and community data
• Plan and implement outreach strategies to attract qualified applicants 
• Evaluate hiring processes to improve efficiency, fairness, and candidate experience 
• Align training and professional development with agency goals and expectations 
• Strengthen organizational culture to support employee satisfaction 
• Apply retention strategies to support long, successful careers 

Professional Development Hours: 4.0 

Intended Audience: Mid-level supervisors and leaders, as well as patrol, deputy, and trooper-level staff engaged in recruitment, hiring, training, and retention efforts. 

Experience Level: Beginner, Intermediate 

Note: Registered users will have 60 days to complete the course. 

Participant training records, including course completion and certification data, are maintained and archived in accordance with applicable standards. Records are retained for a minimum of 30 years and remain available for verification and audit purposes. 

This webinar presents original quantitative research examining the tangible effects of internal investigations and discipline on patrol officer productivity. Using objective performance data (arrests, citations, and reports) from a three-year period (2021–2024) in a mid-sized U.S. police department, we analyzed changes 30 days post-notification and 1-year post-discipline, yielding remarkable findings. Join us as we discuss the implications for organizational justice, morale, and administrative decision-making, and offer evidence-based considerations for balancing accountability with operational effectiveness in modern policing.