Calexico, California - The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced the start of the Collaborative Reform Initiative for Technical Assistance (CRI-TA) with the Calexico Police Department in California.
“The COPS Office will conduct a thorough, independent assessment of the Calexico Police Department’s policies, practices and responsiveness to the community to ensure that they are taking into account national standards and community expectations,” said COPS Office Director Ronald Davis. “Through this process, the Justice Department is committed to identifying organizational deficiencies, recommending best practices and providing technical assistance to help strengthen the Calexico Police Department.”
The COPS Office’s CRI-TA is an independent and objective way to transform a law enforcement agency through an analysis of policies, practices, training, tactics and accountability methods around key issues facing law enforcement today. The initiative is designed to provide technical assistance to agencies facing significant law enforcement-related issues. Using subject matter experts, interviews and direct observations, as well as conducting extensive research and analysis, the COPS Office assists law enforcement agencies in enhancing and improving their policies and procedures, operating systems and professional culture.
The COPS Office is currently providing CRI-TA in Spokane, Washington; Philadelphia; St. Louis; Baltimore; Salinas, California; and Fayetteville, North Carolina, and has completed the process in Las Vegas.
The COPS Office, headed by Director Ronald Davis, is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, the COPS Office has awarded more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 126,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit the office’s website.
