The Justice Department supported campus public safety and law enforcement leaders during the annual International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators Conference (IACLEA) from June 24 through June 27, in New Orleans. The conference brought together police chiefs, public safety directors, and security personnel at higher education institutions responsible for protecting millions of students worldwide to explore the latest trends and best practices, as well as the challenges facing institutions and communities.
Director Steven Dettelbach of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led a featured session titled “The Road to 2030: The Next Generation of Campus Leadership,” where he discussed the present and future evolution of campus police and public safety leadership.
In his remarks, Director Dettelbach said, “It is in our DNA to support you in every effort to both prevent and respond to serious threats on and off your campuses. And we are available to talk through any questions you have about evolving threats or concerns that might be on your mind — whether that is firearm safe storage, ghost gun trends in your communities, keeping students safe off-campus in high crime areas.”
Executive Director Paul M. Cell of IACLEA said, “IACLEA is proud to be a partner with ATF in addressing the challenges campuses are experiencing today. Under the leadership of Director Dettelbach, the partnership has fostered training opportunities, program development, and collaboration with regional and local ATF agents with the shared mission of creating safe campus learning and living environments.”
Acting Director Justin Long of the Community Relations Service (CRS) and Director Hugh Clements of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) also attended. COPS representatives led a session on “Facilitated Dialogue as Conflict Response and Conflict Prevention Strategy on Campus,” which highlighted an ongoing collaboration between COPS, CRS, and Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law to develop resources to help public safety agencies and communities engage in meaningful dialogue after critical incidents such as police use of force, identity-based conflict, or hate crimes.
COPS and ATF representatives led a panel on recommendations from the department’s Critical Incident Review on the mass casualty incident at Robb Elementary School. They also moderated a panel discussion on de-escalation as well as a session on identifying and documenting privately made firearms (PMFs).
FBI representatives led sessions on FBI’s National Domestic Communications Assistance Center’s (NDAC) resources for law enforcement in the digital age. NDCAC serves as a knowledge management hub for evidence collection from communications providers and devices, geolocation capabilities, and lawfully authorized electronic surveillance. The FBI also presented “Responders' Wellness & Resilience,” focusing on responders’ wellness after active shooter incidents.
With the conclusion of this successful IACLEA conference, the Justice Department emphasizes its commitment to partnerships with campus law enforcement to promote public safety across the country.