Month: September 2024

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Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer Delivers Remarks Delivers Remarks on the 30th Anniversary of the COPS Office

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

It is an honor to join you to mark what is quite a milestone — the 30th anniversary of the COPS Office. Today, we celebrate three decades of dedication, innovation, and partnership to promote safer communities across the country.

The last 30 years have seen tremendous changes in policing. The COPS Office has been at the forefront of many of those changes, working alongside its law enforcement and community partners to transform policing in America.

The COPS Office has provided critical resources, training, and support to law enforcement agencies across the country, helping them implement community policing strategies tailored to the unique needs of their communities.

Through grants, technical assistance, and research, the COPS Office has empowered law enforcement agencies to engage with their communities, build trust, and work collaboratively to solve problems. And at all times, the Office has worked to make sure the community is at the table – that community policing isn’t just a slogan, but a practice.

Over these past 30 years, the COPS Office has continued to build on the programs that have been successful, while simultaneously developing new programs that respond to the ever-evolving demands and needs of the field. And in addition to the awards just announced by the Deputy Attorney General, I would like to announce several other awards we are making today:

  • We are awarding almost $14 million in microgrants and other Community Policing Development products and services. Those microgrants are a particularly popular program, allowing agencies to try out new and promising programs or projects aimed toward goals like advancing crime fighting, increasing community engagement, or supporting organizational change.
  • We are also awarding over $4.2 million for Promoting Access to Crisis Intervention Teams, which provides funding to embed behavioral or mental health professionals within law enforcement agencies.
  • We will be awarding $6.6 million for our accreditation program, which supports the efforts of police departments and sheriff’s agencies that want to obtain accreditation by independent credentialing bodies. Independent accreditation can provide a community with reassurance that their law enforcement agency’s policies and practices have met the standards pre-established by an accrediting organization.
  • Finally, we are awarding $7.5 million for what has become one of the COPS Office’s signature programs – Collaborative Reform. Collaborative Reform covers a wide range of assistance to law enforcement agencies and communities across the country. It ranges from conducting an in-depth analysis of an agency’s policies and procedures, or providing guidance when there is a critical incident or major need that would benefit from expert engagement, to offering peer support, training, or a wide variety of other resources on a broad range of topics.

One of the hallmarks of the COPS Office has been its ability to adapt and innovate in response to evolving challenges. From addressing the opioid epidemic and promoting officer safety and wellness, to advancing the use of technology in policing, and supporting the implementation of evidence-based practices, the COPS Office has consistently been a leader in driving positive change in law enforcement.

In its earlier years, the COPS Office developed a network of regional community policing institutes, many of which have transformed into centers of training that continue to serve the field. A number of them are also part of the current network of De-escalation Training Centers and Tolerance, Diversity, and Anti-Bias training providers, which offer DOJ-approved training and train-the-trainer programs to agencies throughout the country at no charge. 

And the COPS Office maintains the largest online library devoted to community policing. Once again, available to law enforcement at no charge.

As we celebrate the achievements of the past 30 years, we know that the work of the COPS Office is far from done. The challenges we face today — from continuing to work to reduce violent crime to emphasizing the need for greater police accountability — require us to continue evolving and adapting our approaches.

We must continue to invest in community policing, support innovative solutions, and ensure that our law enforcement officers and agencies have the tools and resources they need to protect and serve all communities with integrity and respect.

Before I close, I would like to again thank Director Clements for his friendship to me and excellent leadership of the COPS team. I want to thank the entire COPS Office staff, both past and present, for your dedication to the advancement of the principles of community policing. I am glad that so many of you are able to join us today.

It is also a pleasure to see so many of our law enforcement stakeholder partners. We know that without you, we wouldn’t have all the wonderful stories to share and successes to point to.

I look forward to a bright future of service, innovation, and partnership.

Thank you all.

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Defense News: Industry Leaders Share Ideas at Maritime Economic Deterrence Executive Council

Source: United States Navy

WASHINGTON – Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro’s Chief of Staff Mr. Christopher Diaz delivered remarks at the Center for Naval Analyses (CNA) Maritime Economic Deterrence Executive Council (MEDEC) to discuss the importance of the initiative at Arlington, Virginia, Sept. 17, 2024.

MEDEC is the Navy’s acknowledgement of maritime economic risks and represents the department’s commitment to helping researchers identify and address problems early for the safety of Navy personnel, as well as the security of U.S. allies and partners.

The council brought together industry leaders to form breakout groups and discussions throughout the day. The findings and recommendations generated today will directly inform Secretary Del Toro to develop MEDEC’s approach to working with Navy partners throughout the government, in industry, and in the investment community.

For over 80 years, the Department of the Navy has challenged the analysts of CNA with tackling the hardest problems facing our Navy-Marine Corps team, informing national decisionmakers as they chart our nation’s course.

“MEDEC serves as the coordinating body for the organizations throughout the Department of the Navy that are focused on addressing adversarial economic activities that threaten the technologies and capabilities our Sailors and Marines rely on for their competitive advantages in the maritime domain,” said Diaz.

Secretary Del Toro announced the creation of MEDEC in New York City during a panel discussion hosted by the Aspen Institute and the Bloomberg Foundation Feb. 22, 2024.

“We have brought together experts from a wide range of disciplines from across our department, including supply chain management, technology protection and security, foreign investment review, intelligence and law enforcement, among others,” said Diaz.

MEDEC is co-chaired by Principal Military Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition), Vice Adm. Scott Pappano.

“Our adversaries are pushing the boundaries and pursuing courses of actions that go beyond leveraging their military might, to include exploitation of the investment, industry, and innovation ecosystems that serve as the engine of the economies of the United States, our allies, and our international partners,” said Pappano.

“It is critical that we get this right, for every compromise of a capability, every loss of intellectual property that is critical to the technologies we rely on, represents a material loss to investors, firms, and their employees,” said Diaz. “More importantly, loss or compromise creates serious risk for our personnel operating around the globe, and that is a risk we are unwilling to accept.”

CNA is an independent, nonprofit research and analysis organization dedicated to the safety and security of the nation. For 80 years, CNA’s scientific rigor and real-world approach to data has been indispensable to leaders facing complex problems.

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Defense News: Pacific Partnership 2024-2 Commences Mission in Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia

Source: United States Navy

The mission kicked off with a key leadership engagement at the Kosrae State governor’s office with Gov. Tulensa Palik; U.S. Navy Capt. Daniel Keeler, PP24-2 mission commander; and Royal Australian Air Force Wing Cmdr. Scott Minchin, PP24-2 deputy mission commander. The kick off also included eye exams, medical training and dental chair repairs, band performances at Kosrae radio station and Utwe Elementary School with a community outreach event and a coastal erosion subject matter expert exchange.

The Kosrae mission stop, which runs from Sept. 17-23, brings together approximately 40 participants from Australia and the United States to increase humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) preparedness in the Indo-Pacific.

“The U.S. has a deep-rooted partnership with Kosrae, underscoring the strong bonds we’ve built through shared experiences with our Pacific family. Recognizing Kosrae’s vulnerability to natural disasters, the Pacific Partnership team is focused on enhancing preparedness and managing these emergencies before they happen,” said Keeler. “Through collaboration with our Australian partners and the Kosrae community, we strive to bolster disaster readiness and response, ensuring we are well-prepared in times of peace to effectively respond during crises.”

At the invitation of the host nation, the U.S. Coast Guard will host boating safety workshops to share expertise and best practices for at-sea activities in Kosrae communities.

Engineering efforts will include subject matter expert exchanges in coastal erosion and water purification, including site surveys to examine potential improvements on the drinking water infrastructure in Kosrae. The team will also assemble a playground at a local elementary school.

The Pacific Partnership Band, composed of musicians from the U.S. Pacific Fleet Band and the Royal Australian Army Band, will perform in a variety of community engagements.

Pacific Partnership medical providers will work shoulder-to-shoulder with providers at KosraeHospital to provide tailored medical care focusing on optometry exams, community health engagements, subject matter exchanges and medical equipment maintenance and repair.

“Pacific Partnership in Kosrae this year is poised, yet again, to deliver impactful outcomes for all those who live on the island,” said Hon. Ms. Jennifer Johnson, U.S. Ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia. “Every one of these Pacific Partnership missions showcases all that is possible when nations work together on a common goal. On behalf of the entire U.S. Embassy Team, I wish our Australian and U.S. friends and the people of Kosrae a successful mission.”

In the aftermath of the December 2004 “Boxing Day” tsunami that devastated parts of South and Southeast Asia, the United States mobilized numerous military assets and personnel to support the relief effort. Recognizing the opportunity to build on the goodwill and lessons learned from that initial mission, the U.S. Navy planned and executed the inaugural Pacific Partnership mission in 2006; its primary aim was to proactively prepare for a more effective response to natural disasters while strengthening relationships and security ties between nations.

Now in its 20th iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is theU.S. Navy’slargest annual multinational HA/DR preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific.

For more information about Pacific Partnership visit, www.clwp.navy.mil/Pacific-Partnership.

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Justice Department Withdraws from 1995 Bank Merger Guidelines

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

The Justice Department announced today its withdrawal from the 1995 Bank Merger Guidelines and emphasized that the 2023 Merger Guidelines remain its sole and authoritative statement across all industries.

The department today also released commentary explaining the application of the 2023 Merger Guidelines in banking. This commentary identifies competition issues that may commonly occur in bank mergers and outlines which guidelines best inform analysis of those issues. As with the 2023 Merger Guidelines, this commentary offers transparency into the department’s merger review process but does not create rights or obligations of any party under the laws governing mergers of banks and bank holding companies.

The announcement today was the result of a collaborative consultative process with the department’s close partners at the Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The announcement was also informed by robust public feedback, department experience and expertise, as well as developments in the market, law and economics.

Neither the 2024 Banking Addendum nor the 2023 Merger Guidelines predetermine enforcement action by the department. Although the 2023 Merger Guidelines identify the factors and frameworks the department considers when investigating mergers, the department’s enforcement decisions will necessarily depend on the facts in any case and will continue to require prosecutorial discretion and judgment.

Throughout any bank merger review, the Justice Department works closely with the relevant bank regulators to ensure the complementary and consistent application of the laws within each agency’s area of expertise. As is always the case, those agencies may at their discretion use their own methods for screening and evaluating bank mergers.

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Defense News: DON Insider Threat Program: Deter, Detect, and Mitigate

Source: United States Navy

The Department of the Navy (DON) Insider Threat Program (ITP) is a critical component of the department’s overall security posture. Designed to protect sensitive information and assets, the ITP focuses on identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks posed by insiders who may have access to classified information or critical infrastructure.
“It’s important to remember that insider threats can come from anyone within the organization, regardless of their position or level of access. That’s why it’s so important to have a strong insider threat program in place that includes education, awareness, and robust monitoring,” said Franco Neto, DON Insider Threat Director.
Deterrence includes strategies to prevent employees or insiders from engaging in malicious or harmful activities. By clearly communicating the consequences of insider threats and enforcing strict security measures, the program aims to discourage unauthorized access, misuse, or disclosure of sensitive information. This deterrence strategy includes implementing robust security awareness training programs for all personnel and educating them about their responsibilities and the potential harm caused by insider threats. Additionally, the ITP emphasizes the importance of a strong organizational culture that promotes integrity, accountability, and ethical behavior.
Detection includes processes and technologies used to identify signs of malicious or harmful behavior by insiders. The program uses a variety of methods and technologies to identify potential insider threats. These include continuous monitoring of network activity, individual behaviors, and always being on watch for suspicious activity. Additionally, the ITP encourages employees to report any concerns or unusual behavior they observe in their colleagues. By proactively monitoring for indicators of compromise, the program can detect potential insider threats early on and take appropriate action.
Mitigation includes actions implemented to reduce the impact or severity of insider threats once they have been detected. Once a threat is detected, the ITP implements measures to contain the damage and prevent further harm. This may involve isolating the compromised system, revoking access privileges from an individual, and conducting a thorough investigation to determine the root cause of the incident. Additionally, the ITP focuses on implementing corrective actions to address any vulnerabilities that may have contributed to the threat.
“The ITP also emphasizes the importance of collaboration and information sharing. By working closely with other government agencies and law enforcement, the DON can leverage shared intelligence and best practices to enhance its insider threat capabilities,” said Neto. “Through a combination of technology, education, and collaboration, the DON ITP is committed to safeguarding the Navy and Marine Corps vital interests.”
If you see something, say something, do something. If you notice any unusual behavior or activity that raises your suspicions, please report it to your supervisor, security office, or through the appropriate reporting channels. Your vigilance is essential in protecting the department from insider threats.
Learn how every member of the Navy/Marine Corps Team plays a critical role in countering insider threats by attending September’s Insider Threat Awareness educational events. Also, check out our education and awareness tools at the links below!
Department of the Navy Insider Threat Program:
https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/DUSN-IS
https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/References/Messages/ALNAV-2024/
https://www.secnav.navy.mil/itp

U.S. Navy Insider Threat Program:
https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/References/Messages/NAVADMIN-2024/
https://flankspeed.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/NIA/SitePages/US-Navy-Insider-Threat-Program.aspx

U.S. Marine Corps Insider Threat Program:
https://www.information.marines.mil/Units/Insider-Threat/
https://www.marines.mil/News/Messages/MARADMINS/