Gulf States Regional Center for Public Safety Innovations

9/19/2007

NATCHITOCHES – The Gulf States Regional Center for Public Safety Innovations (GSRCPI) has received a $500,000 congressional appropriation to provide law enforcement training in areas of southeast Louisiana impacted by Hurricane Katrina.

GSRCPI will provide training in specific topics related to the rebuilding. In its funding proposal, the Center cited the loss of experience, training, and seasoned law enforcement personnel due to Katrina and its aftermath as creating an emergency state for south Louisiana law enforcement. According to GSRCPI Executive Director Daphne Levenson, law enforcement agencies lost scores of experienced personnel because of Katrina and related issues.

“Peace officers and ranking law enforcement leaders left their agencies for any number of reasons: to care for loved ones, loss of their homes, family pressure to move or retire, stress, financial reasons, loss of residents in areas resulted in less officers required, and many others,” said Levenson. “This loss of experience, training, talent, and skills could not have come at a more devastating time.”

Levenson said the region is dealing with many issues that were not present before Katrina: an influx of devastation, renovation and construction personnel resulting in an bringing with them new customs, languages and challenges, displaced persons, scams and contracting disputes, an ever changing physical environment and new challenges for schools and homeland security. Other issues include a more comprehensive emergency preparedness, a highly competitive and understaffed law enforcement workforce, a more challenging hiring environment, new law enforcement technologies, ever arising risk management issues, rising expectations of the public, fierce media scrutiny, limited budgets, and possibly the most distressing aspect, a very young, inexperienced, law enforcement workforce to handle all these new challenges in this extremely stressful environment without the essential training needed to help them face these challenges.

Over the next two years, GSRCPI will work to train law enforcement on a variety of topics including: Gang Education and Effective Prosecution, Officer Stress and Survival, Managing Across the Generations, Diversity with a Hispanic Concentration, Ethics and Integrity, Crime Scene Investigation: DNA 101, Risk Management Certificate Series, Developing Law Enforcement Managers and Middle Management.

According to Levenson, GSRCPI will also work in depth with the law enforcement leaders of the region to ensure the training delivered is what they need, where they need it and in time increments that accommodate the limited staffing available in this recovery environment.

Contact: Daphne Levenson (dlevenson@gsrcpi.org)
Gulf States Regional Center
for Public Safety Innovations
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6962

Website: http://www.nsula.edu/news/gsrcpi19.html

Gulf States Regional Center for Public Safety Innovations receives $2.5 million grant to help first responders

10/12/2006

NATCHITOCHES -In times of crisis, the duty of first responders and public safety personnel is to protect those they serve. But what about the families of those first responders who may also need assistance?

A grant of $2,491,882 to the Gulf States Regional Center for Public Safety Innovations (GSRCPI) from the Department of Homeland Security is designed to help first responders and public service workers deal with some of the stresses that occur during a disaster. The Center is located at Northwestern State University.

GSRCPI will develop The Critical Employee Emergency Planning "CEEP" training course which will be delivered nationally to state and local government along with private entities. According to GSRCPI Director Daphne Levinson, the training is designed to target the families of public safety/first responders and critical infrastructure agencies and businesses, such as government and hospitals. Creating polices, planning and education for agencies, employees and their families who have one or more primary care givers is one of the goals of the training. This specifically addresses those who cannot leave when the rest of the population, including their own families, are ordered to evacuate.

"This training is critical because first responders and critical infrastructure employees cannot care for their families during an emergency when they are needed the most," said Levenson. "In addition, many of these professionals are married compounding the problem of who cares for the children and elderly family members when both mom and dad are required to stay behind."

Levenson said much of the content for this proposal and the course were taken from real life issues first responders and their families faced after Hurricane Katrina. In some cases, families were kicked out of hotels because they could not access their own funds; spouses and children know didn't if their loved ones were alive and well and elderly residents in nursing homes died where first responders believed they would receive adequate care or be evacuated.

"The vast majority of these professionals stayed on the job saving others without knowing where or how their own families were doing," she said. "The New Orleans Police Department was singled out as having people walk off the job but doctors, nurses, firefighters and public service workers left too."

"It's easy to say it's their duty, but remember they are only human. Asking them to stay behind and save our families and property and not think about their own loved ones is unrealistic. Divorce, suicide and alcoholism are extremely high in these professions. This type of stress compounds the problem. GSRCPI hopes to secure additional funding to conduct a study to reveal the extent of emotional damage caused by these catastrophic events."

Levenson said GSRCPI plans to use the grant to give agency decision makers, human resource personnel, trainers, and supervisors model polices to follow. Complete ready-to-deliver training will be available for employees which will help families be more prepared physically and mentally for the rigors of separation during an emergency.

"This training is not just for hurricane prone areas," said Levenson. "It will also address catastrophes such as a terrorist attack, a chemical spill or a major earthquake which also necessitates this type of planning, preparedness and response."

The curriculum will include specific information on: training and model policies on how to prepare employees and families for the 15 DHS Emergency Scenarios; limiting the number of employees that consider abandoning post, retiring or moving before, during or after a crisis due to family concerns/pressure and keeping experienced personnel on the job will enhance federal, state and local homeland security and emergency response.

Also included in the curriculum is information on implementing emergency plans and communication procedures so that families can maintain or resume contact as soon as possible during or after an emergency; developing mutual aid relationships with "sister" agencies and provide support and services for emergency responder/critical employee families and create realistic discussion, education, planning and expectations so that families of emergency response employees do not suffer undue stress which results in higher divorce rates, suicide, alcoholism and stress related illnesses.

"This training will strengthen agencies and companies by saving them money through keeping valuable, experienced employees; reduce the cost of new hire recruitment and training; reduce insurance cost and payouts due to stress related illnesses; and decrease lost time and productivity by employees having due to damaged family relationships," said Levenson.

According to Levenson, the first 12 months of the three-year project are for development with the next two years for national delivery of the training.

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) has funded GSRCPI over the past 10 years, which has allowed for the training of over 23,000 public safety professionals and community members in addition to delivering thousands of hours of technical assistance.

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

Area Officers Receive Critical Incident Training

5/30/2006

RUSTON - Around 100 area law enforcement officials received some unique training last week that dealt not only with how to respond in the midst of a critical situation, but how to come to terms with the aftermath.

Aubrey Futrell, with the Gulf States Regional Center for Public Safety Innovations, said the survival stress class taught responders how to recognize the symptoms associated with a stressful situation and how to help control them.

"In law enforcement, we do a great job preparing officers for confrontations, but no so good of a job when it's all done," he said.
"We have a perception of officers as tough people but when it comes down to it, we're all human."

Futrell showed various videos of actual officers involved in critical incidents, using their captured experiences to illustrate symptoms of stress and, in many cases, showing behavior to avoid.

"Most of all it's letting them know that their reactions are normal, and in some cases, their lack of reaction is normal," he said.

"It's up to them how they perceive a situation, but sometimes they do have a reaction and that's normal."

For example, Futrell showed one video of a drug enforcement officer in Texas who pulls over a suspect and gets in an confrontation with him, breaking his hand in the process. The officer does not realize his hand is broken until quite a few minutes later, after the incident is under control.

The adrenaline, fueled by the situation, and the demanding circumstances, block out the officer's pain, Futrell said, a common occurrence associated with such critical incidents.

Lt. Curtis Hawkins, public information officer for the Ruston Police Department, said he attended one of Futrell's classes in Many and recognized the need for that training in this area.

"I thought it was excellent training that had not really been previously offered to our officers," he said. "The majority of them had not had any training related to survival stress."

The RPD, Louisiana Tech Police Department and Regional Organized Crime Information Center sponsored the eight-hour seminar who was held twice and offered free of charge to all area law enforcement.

"Basically, the class explains what happens to your body under stress, and stress can refer to either long-term stress or instantaneous stress sparked by a life-threatening event such as a car chase," Hawkins said.

"To put it mildly, we have a stressful job. Day in and day out, officers many times have to make split-second decisions that could change or alter their lives or the lives of others."

Hawkins said some of the symptoms of critical incident stress can include major body changes including an increase in heart rate, tunnel vision and memory or perception changes.

"As your heart rate increases, memory can be shortened or even blocked out," Hawkins said. "You can even experience changes in your hearing.

The class teaches them not only to recognize the signs of stress but also how to counteract them so that they can think clearly again."

Grambling Police Chief Tommy Clark said all of his personnel attended the class and learned some valuable tips.

"It was a good class, one that everyone enjoyed," Clark said. "It was training that was well-needed."

Futrell spent 42 years in law enforcement, working for several agencies including the Jonesboro Police Department, the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the Louisiana State Police and the Department of Homeland Security.

He said he enjoys returning to this area as a Tech alumni and former Bulldog football player. Some people know Futrell by his nickname, "Bulldog," Hawkins said.

Hurricane Planning and Recovery Conference Set April 3-5 in Baton Rouge

BATON ROUGE - The 2006 hurricane season officially begins June 1, and the Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute and the U.S. Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services Office are cosponsoring the Hurricane Planning and Recovery Conference on April 3-5 in Baton Rouge.

Planners say the conference will “help us learn from the past and prepare for” this year’s hurricane season. Collaboration is the crucial element of planning and response. This conference is for public safety professionals, citizens, leaders, emergency planners at the federal, state, and local levels, and volunteer organizations. Through sharing of information, resources, and experiences, attendees will be given the tools to better plan, prepare, prevent, protect, respond, and recover next time. The conference is open to interested persons in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, the Eastern Seaboard, and around the nation.

Plenary sessions include “The National Disaster Response Plan: State and Local Implications” and “The Communications Disaster: Interoperability,
Funding, and What You Can Do in the Next 90 Days.” Breakout sessions are planned on setting the stage for learning and teamwork, “Ground Zero” disaster zones in Louisiana and Mississippi, emerging crimes in rebuilding communities, creating and testing disaster plans, National Incident Management Systems (NIMS) certification, Safety Training and Resources (STAR), sheltering and re-entry innovations, search and rescue operations, effects of disasters on children and schools, mutual aid programs, care of emergency personnel, data preservation, deploying and developing citizen volunteers, FEMA documentation for reimbursements, hazardous materials, and much more.

The GSRCPI’s mission is to provide public-safety training which enhances regional, statewide, and multi-state collaboration. March 17 is the deadline to register and interested persons should do so immediately due to possible lodging limitations.

Details: Go to www.GSRCPI.org/Hurricane to register online, email dlevenson@GSRCPI.org or call (888) 283-0966 for more information.

NATCHITOCHES - The Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute (GSRCPI) has been awarded a grant of $600,000 from the United States Department of Justice/Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) to serve Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama law enforcement with low- or no-cost training. The grant amount is double what the program received last year.

The GSRCPI main office is located at Northwestern State University and is administered by the Department of Social Sciences through the criminal justice program. GSRCPI is the highest funded in a network of 31 regional community policing institutes (RCPIs). The institute is dedicated to building partnerships and improving public safety. Training topics have focused on issues such as in-car camera training, homeland defense, domestic violence and protecting children from Internet predators.

Included in the latest grant is $400,000 allotted to all RCPI's in good standing, $100,000 compensation for multi-state RCPIs and an additional productivity bonus of $100,000.

"This will enable us to continue to provide exceptional training to Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana and address some of the infrastructure issues, such as computers and PowerPoint projectors, that were neglected in last year's $300,000 budget," said Daphne Levenson, GSRCPI director.
"The grant is basically to continue what the program is doing," said Joe Morris, coordinator of NSU's criminal justice program. GSRCPI serviced between 5,000 and 6,000 students last year, including those outside the Gulf States Region, Morris said, and was contracted to train officers in the Virgin Island, St. Croix and St. Thomas. With twice the budget, Morris now expects to be able to coordinate twice as many classes in the next year.

According to Levenson, this year's grant will "continue to provide training and technical assistance in current and emerging issues for local law enforcement and the citizens they serve." Some of those issues include community policing, cultural diversity, youth violence prevention and a risk management series that addresses many topics ranging from complaint intake to use of force and racial profiling. Future initiatives may include safety at special events, terrorism awareness, neighborhood watch training and preventing identity theft.

"We have a lot of things we're doing. We're giving quality training and we're being responsive to the people we are training," Morris said. "We expect to continue well into the future and we expect more grants will be coming this way."

For more information on GSRCPI, contact Levenson at (888) 283-0966 or Morris at (318) 357-357-5499. The GSRCPI website is www.gsrcpi.org.

Contact: Leah Jackson (jacksonl@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

C.O.P.S. In-Car Mobile Video Training Project

11/23/2004

Coming to a city or town near you in the immediate future, www.copscameras.org has all the information for registration. The United States Department of Justice is sponsoring in-car mobile video recording training schools across the United States. This joint project is in conjunction with the Office of Community Oriented Policing, the International Association of Chief's of Police www.theiacp.org, the Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute www.gsrcpi.org plus it's Regional Institute partners across the United States. The Law Enforcement Mobile Video Institute www.lemvi.com will be teaching both Instructor Courses and one-day practitioner courses at each of the locations.

The United States Department of Justice, through the C.O.P.S program awarded State police agencies with funds to purchase mobile video recording equipment in some of each agency police vehicles. When this project was completed, the C.O.P.S. office awarded the Law Enforcement Mobile Video Institute funds to train 4 troopers from each state, which had received the mobile video equipment awards. A second grant was awarded to the International Association of Chief's of Police for them to conduct a national study on the effectiveness of this equipment and make recommendations on policy and procedures to the United States law enforcement community. This study is now complete and available either on CD or print by contacting the IACP.

These two programs were then expanded to include local law enforcement officers through a cooperative program with Regional Community Policing Institutes from around the country. The Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute was selected to coordinate this program for the various R.C.P.I.'s, I.A.C.P., and the Law Enforcement Mobile Video Institute.

Attorney General Jim Hood To Participate In School Drug Testing Policy Conference

JACKSON - Various state agencies will sponsor a workshop Monday, October 4th to present and discuss the legally sufficient sets of policies and procedures developed by the Office of National Drug Control Policy; Mississippi Attorney General’s Office; and the University of Southern Mississippi, Department of Community Health Sciences. The conference will set forth a standardized random drug testing policy across the state for those school districts that chose to implement testing policies in their schools. The one-day conference will feature workshops and is highly recommended for superintendents, administrators, school board members and school board attorneys that are considering implementing random drug testing in their schools.

In addition to the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and the University of Southern Mississippi other conference sponsors are the Mississippi Department of Education, School Safety Division; Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Healthy Students; Mississippi Institute for School Safety; Mississippi Association of School Resource Officers; Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute; and the Student Advisory Board. The conference will take place at the Jim Buck Ross Agricultural Museum.

NATCHITOCHES - The Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute has received a contract from the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement to provide training for the state's chiefs of police. Sessions will be held immediately before each of the three Louisiana Association of Chiefs of Police conferences held each year. The first New Chiefs Management Course will be held July 6-7 in Monroe.

The training is coordinated with the Law Enforcement Executive Management Institute in response for need for municipal chiefs to have information on topics related to their job.

Topics to be covered include: Office and Role of the Police Chief, Police Chief Mayor Council Relations, Working with Budgets, Developing Policies and Procedures, Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement/POST Council, Ethics and Integrity and Human Resource Issues. Training will also be provided on: Managerial Liability, Boards and Reporting, Bid Process/Purchasing, Cultural Diversity, Media Relations, Training Sources, Civil Service, Supplemental Pay, Retirement, Legal Updates and Emotional Survival.

According to Daphne Levenson, director of the Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute, the training will be used to provide Louisiana police chiefs with management courses and skills which will enhance citizen safety and the enforcement of state laws.

The Institute is one of 31 Regional Community Policing Institutes funded through the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

"GSRCPI has had a good relationship the Louisiana Association of Chiefs of Police and the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement for a number of years, but the award of this training moves us to the next level," said Levenson.

The training will complement the Law Enforcement Leadership Series being delivered in Alabama and will also be taught in Mississippi and Louisiana later this year, Levenson said. The leadership series covers, Use of Force, Citizen Complaint Intake, Early Warning Systems, Racial Profiling and In-car Camera. These topics have been identified by the Department of Justice as the most pressing issues that will face law enforcement over the next 20 years.

Levenson said the new contract should also help Northwestern's criminal justice program.

"I would like each chief of police to be aware of what is available at Northwestern," she said. "NSU provides discounted courses to all full-time law enforcement officers for both campus and Internet classes. Our goal is to provide all law enforcement professionals with affordable opportunities for education. This will increase professionalism and translate into better service for citizens."

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

NATCHITOCHES - The Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute will sponsor the First Louisiana Sexual Assault Conference Dec. 3-5 at the Holiday Inn South in Baton Rouge. The conference will be presented by the Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault. The Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute is located at Northwestern State University.

Attendees can take part in a variety of sessions and exhibits and talk with other professionals. Law enforcement officers, health care workers, child and adult protection staff, counselors, therapists and other professionals in related fields can benefit from attending.

Registration begins Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 10 a.m. The opening session is at 1:15 p.m. and continues Thursday and Friday. Participants can sign up for a single day or the entire conference.

The fee to register for the conference in advance is $125 for Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault members and $175 for non-members. On site registration is $195. One day registration is $75 and student registration is also $75. Conference registration includes all handout materials, lunch on Thursday and Friday, continental breakfast on Thursday and Friday, coffee breaks on all three days as well as Wednesday night's reception with hors d'ouevres, cash bar and entertainment.

The Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute serves Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. GSRCPI is one of 31 Regional Community Policing Institutes (RCPIs) funded through the Department of Justice COPS Office forming a National Training Network that offers free and low-cost training to law enforcement and their communities.

For more information, contact the Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute at (318) 357-6962 or go to www.gsrcpi.org.

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

NATCHITOCHES - The Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute has received a $700,000 grant from The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). The Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute (GSRCPI) is located at Northwestern State University.

The grant was one of 31 awarded to Regional Community Policing Institutes and Community Policing Consortium worth $23 million. The COPS RCPIs are strategically located throughout the country to address the community policing and crime prevention training needs of law enforcement agencies and communities in all 50 states.

Funding from the grant will be used to administer training programs that enhance integrity practices and policies within law enforcement agencies, further trust and cooperation between police and citizens, and emphasize homeland security and emergency response planning. Since the RCPIs were created in 1997, 210,000 law enforcement personnel, community members, and government leaders have been trained.

"As the nation's law enforcement agencies seek more effective methods for protecting our citizens from crime and the threat of terrorism, adequate training is of vital importance. The funds will provide police and sheriffs' departments in every region of the country with access to innovative training and technical assistance resources that have been developed to address the specific challenges of that region," said U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft.

The GSRCPI has added staff members to better serve the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

"We are working on a number of exciting projects with several state, local and federal partners. We will be offering several new courses in the coming year," said GSRCPI Executive Director Daphne Levenson. "Law enforcement agencies have learned about the services we are able to provide and now the phone rings continually with requests for more training. Our plan is to continue working with agencies and communities to help them better deal with the challenges they face."

Over the past year, the Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute began teaching a popular course on Arabic culture and names which has been distributed nationally from NSU via distance learning. The institute plans more classes related to homeland security.

"9-11 and other recent events have taught America that we can be more effective fighting crime and preventing terrorism when law enforcement and other sectors are prepared to work together to ensure our collective safety," said COPS Director Carl R. Peed. "The Regional Community Policing Institutes and the Community Policing Consortium are excellent resources for training that emphasize collaborative partnerships and mutual trust between police and the public."

Levenson said GSRCPI is also planning to begin working on a faith-based initiative, "Clergy on Patrol." Under the initiative, law enforcement agencies will begin working with clergymen in their community in an effort to decrease crime.

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

MONROE - Today in the computer learning center on the third floor of the ULM Airways Science Building, a class called, "The Use of Computers in the Sexual Exploitation of Children" is being taught to 34 participants from all over the state including law enforcement and community leaders. Instructor Victoria Smith from the Louisiana Computer Forensics Group is teaching the class.

The following information is from the web site: http://www.lcpi.org/_Home_.php, which is the Homepage for Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute.

Course Description:
The course will be about understanding the scope of the use of computers in the sexual exploitation of children and how law enforcement and community leaders can establish an effective response to this problem.

Participant Objectives:
1. To provide attendees with facts illustrating the influence and prevalence of computers and the Internet in everyday life, especially with children.

2. To provide information on sexual predators and how their behavior patterns are facilitated by the Internet and computers.

3. To provide a basic overview of how computers and Internet communications function.

The GSRCPI is headquartered (fiduciary) at Northwestern and the director is in New Orleans. It is a tri-state effort (Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama) and is funded by about a $750,000 federal grant.

ULM partnered with the GSRCPI through the North Delta Regional Training Academy to offer this training in Northeast Louisiana.

For more information, call Charlotte Owens at 342-1849.

Media Advisory
University of Louisiana at Monroe
Monroe, LA 71209
(318) 342-5444

NATCHITOCHES - A seminar, "Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving for Campus Law Enforcement Agencies," will be held at Northwestern State University May 27-28. The seminar will be from 8 a.m. until noon in the President's Room of the Friedman Student Union on NSU's Natchitoches campus. Participants can attend either day of the program.

Topics to be covered include Reasons for Community Oriented Policing, Historical Perspective of Campus Community Oriented Policing, The Role of the Chief of Police, Administrators, Officers, Community and Constraints. Other topics including Problem Identification, Accountability and Ethics will also be discussed.

"The idea of the seminar is to build relations between the university community and the university police department," said Joe Morris, coordinator of criminal justice at Northwestern. "The police can only do so much. They need to enlist the students, faculty and staff to work with them. If they can get that cooperation, so much more can be accomplished."

NSU's criminal justice program and the Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute are co-sponsoring the program. There is no charge to attend the seminar which is open to the public, but advance registration is required due to limited seating.

The workshop is designed specifically for University staff. Northwestern plans to include all University police staff and staff from throughout student affairs including housing, counseling, student activities, Greek life, auxiliary services, student services, health services and others.

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

Caddo Seminar Focuses on Arabic Culture

3/25/2003

SHREVEPORT - With the continuation of U.S. fighting in Iraq and President George W. Bush's focus on the removal of Saddam Hussein's government, Middle Eastern culture expert Sam Kharoba says "the most important weapon for war is information."

Kharoba presented a six-hour overview of Arabic culture and Muslim beliefs, traditions and community to some three dozen area law enforcement and government officials at Caddo Correctional Center on Monday.

The course, "Arabic Names and Culture," is the first on homeland defense offered by the Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute headquartered at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches. The institute is one of 31 Regional Community Policing Institutes funded through a Department of Justice grant to offer training to law enforcement officials. The institute is dedicated to building partnerships to improve public safety and quality of life.

The timing of the course was coincidental with the timing of the war in Iraq. But law enforcement officials believe the information presented Monday can be used to discover possible terrorists and their activities within local communities.

Participants in Monday's class were given tips on identifying law-abiding Muslim citizens from potential terrorists during traffic stops, and how to handle interviews and casual conversations. They also learned about the construction of Arabic names and how they differ from Western names.

Bassam Fashho, an Arab-American Palestinian originally from Jerusalem and owner of On Time Fashion in downtown Shreveport, said although everything can't be taught in six hours, such classes are needed for mixed-culture communities - even those like Shreveport-Bossier City that have small Arabic populations. According to 2000 census data, there were 545 people - about 0.3 percent of Shreveport's population - who consider themselves Arabic. In Bossier City, the number was even smaller: about 41 people, or 0.1 percent of that city's population.

"The police should have more understanding of the citizens they serve," Fashho said. "The more information, the more enlightening. But if all of us act as humans, the way we are perceived as individuals will change.

Joe Morris, assistant professor of criminal justice at NSU, said understanding Arabic culture will help officers investigating hate crimes. It will also aid in developing intelligence resources, he said.

"If you look at the potential for terrorist retaliation, this course can help individuals prepare and prevent further terrorist attacks," Morris said.

About 31 area law officials, including Caddo sheriff's deputies, Natchitoches police officers and LSU Health Sciences Center officers attended the class.

Caddo sheriff's deputy Lt. William Douglas Jr. said the information provided could be incorporated into the Community Program, which establishes partnerships with the community through public speaking and appearances.

"There's a lot of information we take for granted in law enforcement," said Douglas, who is also a state police retiree. "The class shed light on some things I feel most of us haven't considered."

NATCHITOCHES - The Louisiana Community Policing Institute has expanding its mission and taking on a new name. The newly created Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute (GSRCPI) will provide training to law enforcement agencies, government employees and citizens in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, according to director Daphne Levenson. The Institute is located at Northwestern State University.

"The Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute will be a valuable resource for those in law enforcement, government and for citizens," said Levenson. "We will be able to network resources in three states and provide training and information less expensively. Our training will be very valuable for small agencies that have limited or no budget for training."

Over the past five years, LCPI has provided training to more than 11,000 participants in Louisiana. New courses on homeland defense and protecting children from Internet predators will be added to existing training on domestic violence, ethics and other areas, Levenson said. The training is provided at no cost or low cost.

"We are looking to expand our offerings," said Levenson. "Many of our courses are open to individuals outside law enforcement such as business owners or government employees. The training can be valuable for them."

The Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute works with NSU's criminal justice program. The Institute will also work through the Alabama Crime Prevention Clearinghouse at Auburn University in Montgomery and Developing Resources for Education in America (DREAM) in Jackson, Miss., a non-profit organization specializing in substance abuse training.

The GSRCPI is one of 31 regional community policing institutes funded through the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). For more information on the Institute or upcoming training programs, call (888)283-0966 or go to www.lcpi.org. A new Web site will soon be available at www.gsrcpi.org.

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

Institute Changes Name

NATCHITOCHES – Effective Today, the Louisiana Community Policing Institute (LCPI) has changed to the GULF STATES REGIONAL COMMUNITY POLICING INSTITUTE (GSRCPI) and expanded its region to include the states of Mississippi and Alabama.

The Gulf States RCPI is part of a national network of 31 Regional Community Policing Institutes (RCPI’s) funded through the Department of Justice COPS Office. Their mission is to deliver training, free of charge or at low cost, to members of law enforcement, government employees and community members.

LCPI has delivered training to over 11,000 participants over the past five years in the State of Louisiana. The Gulf States RCPI will be adding new courses such as Homeland Defense and Protecting Children from Internet Predators. These courses will be offered at sites throughout the three-state region. GSRCPI will continue to offer Domestic Violence, Ethics, and CEO level courses. See www.GSRCPI.org for a complete listing.

The Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute (GSRCPI) main office is located at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, LA. in conjunction with the Criminal Justice Program. In Alabama, the GSRCPI will work through the Alabama Crime Prevention Clearinghouse located at Auburn University at Montgomery. The primary partner in Mississippi will be DREAM (Developing Resources for Education in America) Inc. headquartered in Jackson, MS., a twenty-two year old nonprofit organization specializing in substance abuse training.

For information call the main office at or 1-888-283-0966 or Director Daphne Levenson at 504-366-5104.

NATCHITOCHES - The Louisiana Community Policing Institute has received a grant of $500,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). LCPI is located at Northwestern State University and is administered by the Department of Social Sciences.

Under the grant, LCPI will be able to expand its training of law enforcement personnel and community members from the state of Louisiana into Mississippi and Alabama.

"This grant provides the opportunity to do some needed training that will benefit law enforcement, community members and students at Northwestern, who will be able to attend training sessions," said Joe Morris, coordinator of NSU's criminal justice program who works closely with LCPI.

The grant will allow the Institute to begin new initiatives including a partnership with the Louisiana National Guard for homeland security training, child safety training, executive law enforcement courses and a university campus community oriented policing curriculum.

"We are excited to be housed at Northwestern State University and are looking forward to the opportunities to provide training through the funding of this grant," said Daphne Levenson, the director of LCPI.

For more information contact Morris at 357-5499 or LCPI at Northwestern State University, P.O. Box 5242, Natchitoches, LA 71497 at LCPI@cox.net or by calling (888) 283-0966.

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

LCPI and Southeastern Hold Diversity Course

HAMMOND - The Louisiana Community Policing Institute, in conjunction with Southeastern Louisiana University's department of Continuing Education, will conduct "Community Oriented Policing for Diverse Populations" Thursday, May 16 at the University Center.

The free diversity course for law enforcement and community leaders will be instructed on cultural factors that affect society and behavior, and the differences between cultural groups and how these differences are interpreted and misunderstood. Also addressed is building trust
and a better sense of community through partnerships and enhancing communication skills with co-workers and community.

Topics to be discussed include American stereotypes and myths and the harm they cause, demographic changes currently taking place throughout the country, and respect in and components of different cultures.

LCPI and Southeastern's department of continuing education will also present a course on ethics and integrity June 13.

The courses will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, contact Continuing Education at 985-549-2301. Registration for the courses is also available online at lcpi.org.

Southeastern Louisiana University
Public Information Office
SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
985-549-2341/fax 985-549-2061

4/15/2002

HAMMOND - The Louisiana Community Policing Institute, in conjunction with Southeastern Louisiana University's Department of Continuing Education, will be holding "Introduction to Community Oriented Policing" Thursday, April 18 at the University Center.

The free course for law enforcement and community leaders will introduce three basic concepts of community-oriented policing, including partnerships, problem solving and organizational change.

Participants will be instructed on the history of policing in America, benchmarking their current community-oriented policing status, creating goals, and the importance, need for and role of partnerships in community-oriented policing. In addition, they will be given the opportunity to form partnerships will members of law enforcement and to gain knowledge on how community-oriented policing is designed to reduce the "them and us" feeling between law enforcement, government, social service agencies and the community to create a common goal of reducing crime and improving the quality of life in the entire community.

On May 16, LCPI and Southeastern's department of continuing education will also present a course on diversity, making participants aware of cultural factors that affect society and behavior. Another course will be offered June 13 on higher awareness of ethics and integrity.

Each course will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, contact Continuing Education at 985-549-2301. Registration for the courses is also available online at lcpi.org.

Contact: Angey Saucier (publicinfo@selu.edu)

Southeastern Louisiana University
Public Information Office
SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
985-549-2341/fax 985-549-2061

Training Session Cautions Audience About Stereotyping

BATON ROUGE - A woman is walking down the street at night wearing a short skirt.

Quick -- what's the first thing you think about her?

Daphne Levenson of the Louisiana Community Policing Institute asked participants at a YWCA training session Wednesday on "Community Policing for Diverse Communities" to write down their first thoughts about such a woman and a variety of other people they might encounter.

She asked them to set aside political correctness and to answer from their gut.

"Acknowledge it. It's OK," she said. "We have to deal with stereotypes and myths."

For the woman in the short skirt, answers ranged from "very appealing" and "confident" to "loose" and "hootchie."

Levenson said the key to overcoming the harmful nature of stereotypes is recognizing that they exist and how to tell if they apply in a particular situation.

For example, the woman in question might be walking home because she was on a date with her boyfriend and he had too much to drink, Levenson said.

"This is somebody's daughter and should be treated as such," she said.

Although experience or media exposure might suggest the stereotype, "we need to not automatically jump to that conclusion," she said.

Only one police officer attended the seminar and most of the rest of those who went were in civic or social work organizations.

The concept of stereotypes is particularly important for police officers to recognize, Levenson said.

About 10 percent of the people cause about 90 percent of the problems that need law enforcement attention, she said.

"If you deal with the 10 percent enough, you start to believe they're the 90 percent," she said.

That can make officers take a really hard attitude that can offend others, Levenson said.

The group also discussed at length the terms they came up with for a group of young black men on a corner. Responses ranged from "drug dealers" and "dangerous" to "bonding" and "hanging out."

Levenson said young men "must be in tribes" whether those tribes are a group on the corner, a group that gets together to play video games or a baseball team. It's part of the natural process boys go through on their way to becoming men.

She had the group split into smaller groups to identify special information law enforcement might need for working with different segments of the Baton Rouge population.

For example, senior citizens, she said, may want to stand closer than officers are used to and may be unusually fearful, but they typically are great sources of information.

Levenson said that she knows she spent the day "singing to the choir."

The people who attended the training are already sensitive to the differences among cultures and respectful of how different cultures contribute to a rich community.

YWCA spokeswoman Roberta Madden said she thinks the information will spread from the people who went through the training.

"I think sometimes it's important to reach the person who is in a position to reach others," she said.

Levenson said Baton Rouge is in good shape for community policing to succeed.

Baton Rouge has better-formed community groups than most other Louisiana cities.

"I think that is a tremendous leg up for community policing," she said.

NATCHITOCHES - Northwestern State University will host a four-day Leadership Cadre Conference sponsored by the Louisiana Community Policing Institute Feb. 21-24.

The Louisiana Community Policing Institute (LCPI) is headquartered at LSU-Shreveport. Harold Ledford of LSU-Shreveport is program director. NSU Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice Joe Morris is a program coordinator.

Representatives of law enforcement agencies and community leaders from throughout the state will take part in the conference.

The Louisiana Community Policing Institute's mission is to build partnerships between law enforcement agencies, academic institutions and community organizations to facilitate the implementation of community oriented policing.

"Police cannot do the entire job by themselves," said Morris. "The community has to be involved as the eyes and ears of the police. Working as partners they can accomplish more. Community policing is a key to making a difference in a community."

LCPI plans to start the process of implementing the assessment of the state of community policing in Many beginning in March.

Morris said Louisiana is among the first states in the nation to put the assessment of community policing into effect following the lead of the Western Regional Institute for Community Oriented Public Safety, a five-state organization based in Washington.

The Leadership Cadre includes experienced law enforcement executives, managers, elected and appointed officials and community members who provide assistance with the implementation of community policing. The group is available to consult with local chiefs of police and sheriffs as they implement the assessment of community policing.

Contact: David West (west@alpha.nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

	Gulf States Regional Center for Public Safety Innovations
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GSRCPI Home About Us RCPI Network Training Calendar Featured Courses Regional Training News Articles Our Staff Governing Board GSRCPI Partners Contact Us	GSRCPI receives funding to provide training for law enforcement in southeast Louisiana 9/19/2007 NATCHITOCHES – The Gulf States Regional Center for Public Safety Innovations (GSRCPI) has received a $500,000 congressional appropriation to provide law enforcement training in areas of southeast Louisiana impacted by Hurricane Katrina. GSRCPI will provide training in specific topics related to the rebuilding. In its funding proposal, the Center cited the loss of experience, training, and seasoned law enforcement personnel due to Katrina and its aftermath as creating an emergency state for south Louisiana law enforcement. According to GSRCPI Executive Director Daphne Levenson, law enforcement agencies lost scores of experienced personnel because of Katrina and related issues. “Peace officers and ranking law enforcement leaders left their agencies for any number of reasons: to care for loved ones, loss of their homes, family pressure to move or retire, stress, financial reasons, loss of residents in areas resulted in less officers required, and many others,” said Levenson. “This loss of experience, training, talent, and skills could not have come at a more devastating time.” Levenson said the region is dealing with many issues that were not present before Katrina: an influx of devastation, renovation and construction personnel resulting in an bringing with them new customs, languages and challenges, displaced persons, scams and contracting disputes, an ever changing physical environment and new challenges for schools and homeland security. Other issues include a more comprehensive emergency preparedness, a highly competitive and understaffed law enforcement workforce, a more challenging hiring environment, new law enforcement technologies, ever arising risk management issues, rising expectations of the public, fierce media scrutiny, limited budgets, and possibly the most distressing aspect, a very young, inexperienced, law enforcement workforce to handle all these new challenges in this extremely stressful environment without the essential training needed to help them face these challenges. Over the next two years, GSRCPI will work to train law enforcement on a variety of topics including: Gang Education and Effective Prosecution, Officer Stress and Survival, Managing Across the Generations, Diversity with a Hispanic Concentration, Ethics and Integrity, Crime Scene Investigation: DNA 101, Risk Management Certificate Series, Developing Law Enforcement Managers and Middle Management. According to Levenson, GSRCPI will also work in depth with the law enforcement leaders of the region to ensure the training delivered is what they need, where they need it and in time increments that accommodate the limited staffing available in this recovery environment. Contact: Daphne Levenson (dlevenson@gsrcpi.org) Gulf States Regional Center for Public Safety Innovations Northwestern State University Natchitoches, LA 71497 (318) 357-6962 Website: http://www.nsula.edu/news/gsrcpi19.html Gulf States Regional Center for Public Safety Innovations receives $2.5 million grant to help first responders 10/12/2006 NATCHITOCHES -In times of crisis, the duty of first responders and public safety personnel is to protect those they serve. But what about the families of those first responders who may also need assistance? A grant of $2,491,882 to the Gulf States Regional Center for Public Safety Innovations (GSRCPI) from the Department of Homeland Security is designed to help first responders and public service workers deal with some of the stresses that occur during a disaster. The Center is located at Northwestern State University. GSRCPI will develop The Critical Employee Emergency Planning "CEEP" training course which will be delivered nationally to state and local government along with private entities. According to GSRCPI Director Daphne Levinson, the training is designed to target the families of public safety/first responders and critical infrastructure agencies and businesses, such as government and hospitals. Creating polices, planning and education for agencies, employees and their families who have one or more primary care givers is one of the goals of the training. This specifically addresses those who cannot leave when the rest of the population, including their own families, are ordered to evacuate. "This training is critical because first responders and critical infrastructure employees cannot care for their families during an emergency when they are needed the most," said Levenson. "In addition, many of these professionals are married compounding the problem of who cares for the children and elderly family members when both mom and dad are required to stay behind." Levenson said much of the content for this proposal and the course were taken from real life issues first responders and their families faced after Hurricane Katrina. In some cases, families were kicked out of hotels because they could not access their own funds; spouses and children know didn't if their loved ones were alive and well and elderly residents in nursing homes died where first responders believed they would receive adequate care or be evacuated. "The vast majority of these professionals stayed on the job saving others without knowing where or how their own families were doing," she said. "The New Orleans Police Department was singled out as having people walk off the job but doctors, nurses, firefighters and public service workers left too." "It's easy to say it's their duty, but remember they are only human. Asking them to stay behind and save our families and property and not think about their own loved ones is unrealistic. Divorce, suicide and alcoholism are extremely high in these professions. This type of stress compounds the problem. GSRCPI hopes to secure additional funding to conduct a study to reveal the extent of emotional damage caused by these catastrophic events." Levenson said GSRCPI plans to use the grant to give agency decision makers, human resource personnel, trainers, and supervisors model polices to follow. Complete ready-to-deliver training will be available for employees which will help families be more prepared physically and mentally for the rigors of separation during an emergency. "This training is not just for hurricane prone areas," said Levenson. "It will also address catastrophes such as a terrorist attack, a chemical spill or a major earthquake which also necessitates this type of planning, preparedness and response." The curriculum will include specific information on: training and model policies on how to prepare employees and families for the 15 DHS Emergency Scenarios; limiting the number of employees that consider abandoning post, retiring or moving before, during or after a crisis due to family concerns/pressure and keeping experienced personnel on the job will enhance federal, state and local homeland security and emergency response. Also included in the curriculum is information on implementing emergency plans and communication procedures so that families can maintain or resume contact as soon as possible during or after an emergency; developing mutual aid relationships with "sister" agencies and provide support and services for emergency responder/critical employee families and create realistic discussion, education, planning and expectations so that families of emergency response employees do not suffer undue stress which results in higher divorce rates, suicide, alcoholism and stress related illnesses. "This training will strengthen agencies and companies by saving them money through keeping valuable, experienced employees; reduce the cost of new hire recruitment and training; reduce insurance cost and payouts due to stress related illnesses; and decrease lost time and productivity by employees having due to damaged family relationships," said Levenson. According to Levenson, the first 12 months of the three-year project are for development with the next two years for national delivery of the training. The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) has funded GSRCPI over the past 10 years, which has allowed for the training of over 23,000 public safety professionals and community members in addition to delivering thousands of hours of technical assistance. Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu ) News Bureau Northwestern State University Natchitoches, LA 71497 (318) 357-6466 Website: http://www.nsula.edu/news/gsrcpi12.htm Area Officers Receive Critical Incident Training 5/30/2006 RUSTON - Around 100 area law enforcement officials received some unique training last week that dealt not only with how to respond in the midst of a critical situation, but how to come to terms with the aftermath. Aubrey Futrell, with the Gulf States Regional Center for Public Safety Innovations, said the survival stress class taught responders how to recognize the symptoms associated with a stressful situation and how to help control them. "In law enforcement, we do a great job preparing officers for confrontations, but no so good of a job when it's all done," he said. "We have a perception of officers as tough people but when it comes down to it, we're all human." Futrell showed various videos of actual officers involved in critical incidents, using their captured experiences to illustrate symptoms of stress and, in many cases, showing behavior to avoid. "Most of all it's letting them know that their reactions are normal, and in some cases, their lack of reaction is normal," he said. "It's up to them how they perceive a situation, but sometimes they do have a reaction and that's normal." For example, Futrell showed one video of a drug enforcement officer in Texas who pulls over a suspect and gets in an confrontation with him, breaking his hand in the process. The officer does not realize his hand is broken until quite a few minutes later, after the incident is under control. The adrenaline, fueled by the situation, and the demanding circumstances, block out the officer's pain, Futrell said, a common occurrence associated with such critical incidents. Lt. Curtis Hawkins, public information officer for the Ruston Police Department, said he attended one of Futrell's classes in Many and recognized the need for that training in this area. "I thought it was excellent training that had not really been previously offered to our officers," he said. "The majority of them had not had any training related to survival stress." The RPD, Louisiana Tech Police Department and Regional Organized Crime Information Center sponsored the eight-hour seminar who was held twice and offered free of charge to all area law enforcement. "Basically, the class explains what happens to your body under stress, and stress can refer to either long-term stress or instantaneous stress sparked by a life-threatening event such as a car chase," Hawkins said. "To put it mildly, we have a stressful job. Day in and day out, officers many times have to make split-second decisions that could change or alter their lives or the lives of others." Hawkins said some of the symptoms of critical incident stress can include major body changes including an increase in heart rate, tunnel vision and memory or perception changes. "As your heart rate increases, memory can be shortened or even blocked out," Hawkins said. "You can even experience changes in your hearing. The class teaches them not only to recognize the signs of stress but also how to counteract them so that they can think clearly again." Grambling Police Chief Tommy Clark said all of his personnel attended the class and learned some valuable tips. "It was a good class, one that everyone enjoyed," Clark said. "It was training that was well-needed." Futrell spent 42 years in law enforcement, working for several agencies including the Jonesboro Police Department, the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the Louisiana State Police and the Department of Homeland Security. He said he enjoys returning to this area as a Tech alumni and former Bulldog football player. Some people know Futrell by his nickname, "Bulldog," Hawkins said. Contact: Cassandra Brown (cassandra@rustonleader.com) Ruston Daily Leader Hurricane Planning and Recovery Conference Set April 3-5 in Baton Rouge 03/2006 BATON ROUGE - The 2006 hurricane season officially begins June 1, and the Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute and the U.S. Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services Office are cosponsoring the Hurricane Planning and Recovery Conference on April 3-5 in Baton Rouge. Planners say the conference will “help us learn from the past and prepare for” this year’s hurricane season. Collaboration is the crucial element of planning and response. This conference is for public safety professionals, citizens, leaders, emergency planners at the federal, state, and local levels, and volunteer organizations. Through sharing of information, resources, and experiences, attendees will be given the tools to better plan, prepare, prevent, protect, respond, and recover next time. The conference is open to interested persons in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, the Eastern Seaboard, and around the nation. Plenary sessions include “The National Disaster Response Plan: State and Local Implications” and “The Communications Disaster: Interoperability, Funding, and What You Can Do in the Next 90 Days.” Breakout sessions are planned on setting the stage for learning and teamwork, “Ground Zero” disaster zones in Louisiana and Mississippi, emerging crimes in rebuilding communities, creating and testing disaster plans, National Incident Management Systems (NIMS) certification, Safety Training and Resources (STAR), sheltering and re-entry innovations, search and rescue operations, effects of disasters on children and schools, mutual aid programs, care of emergency personnel, data preservation, deploying and developing citizen volunteers, FEMA documentation for reimbursements, hazardous materials, and much more. The GSRCPI’s mission is to provide public-safety training which enhances regional, statewide, and multi-state collaboration. March 17 is the deadline to register and interested persons should do so immediately due to possible lodging limitations. Details: Go to www.GSRCPI.org/Hurricane to register online, email dlevenson@GSRCPI.org or call (888) 283-0966 for more information. PUBLISHED BY THE LOUISIANA MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION VOLUME 71, NUMBER 3 Louisiana Municipal Review Website: http://www.lamunis.org/LMR/Mar/LMR_MAR_06.pdf Policing Institute Awarded $600,000 Grant 7/15/2005 NATCHITOCHES - The Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute (GSRCPI) has been awarded a grant of $600,000 from the United States Department of Justice/Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) to serve Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama law enforcement with low- or no-cost training. The grant amount is double what the program received last year. The GSRCPI main office is located at Northwestern State University and is administered by the Department of Social Sciences through the criminal justice program. GSRCPI is the highest funded in a network of 31 regional community policing institutes (RCPIs). The institute is dedicated to building partnerships and improving public safety. Training topics have focused on issues such as in-car camera training, homeland defense, domestic violence and protecting children from Internet predators. Included in the latest grant is $400,000 allotted to all RCPI's in good standing, $100,000 compensation for multi-state RCPIs and an additional productivity bonus of $100,000. "This will enable us to continue to provide exceptional training to Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana and address some of the infrastructure issues, such as computers and PowerPoint projectors, that were neglected in last year's $300,000 budget," said Daphne Levenson, GSRCPI director. "The grant is basically to continue what the program is doing," said Joe Morris, coordinator of NSU's criminal justice program. GSRCPI serviced between 5,000 and 6,000 students last year, including those outside the Gulf States Region, Morris said, and was contracted to train officers in the Virgin Island, St. Croix and St. Thomas. With twice the budget, Morris now expects to be able to coordinate twice as many classes in the next year. According to Levenson, this year's grant will "continue to provide training and technical assistance in current and emerging issues for local law enforcement and the citizens they serve." Some of those issues include community policing, cultural diversity, youth violence prevention and a risk management series that addresses many topics ranging from complaint intake to use of force and racial profiling. Future initiatives may include safety at special events, terrorism awareness, neighborhood watch training and preventing identity theft. "We have a lot of things we're doing. We're giving quality training and we're being responsive to the people we are training," Morris said. "We expect to continue well into the future and we expect more grants will be coming this way." For more information on GSRCPI, contact Levenson at (888) 283-0966 or Morris at (318) 357-357-5499. The GSRCPI website is www.gsrcpi.org. Contact: Leah Jackson (jacksonl@nsula.edu ) News Bureau Northwestern State University Natchitoches, LA 71497 (318) 357-6466 Website: http://www.nsula.edu/news/gsrcpi15.htm C.O.P.S. In-Car Mobile Video Training Project 11/23/2004 Coming to a city or town near you in the immediate future, www.copscameras.org has all the information for registration. The United States Department of Justice is sponsoring in-car mobile video recording training schools across the United States. This joint project is in conjunction with the Office of Community Oriented Policing, the International Association of Chief's of Police www.theiacp.org, the Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute www.gsrcpi.org plus it's Regional Institute partners across the United States. The Law Enforcement Mobile Video Institute www.lemvi.com will be teaching both Instructor Courses and one-day practitioner courses at each of the locations. The United States Department of Justice, through the C.O.P.S program awarded State police agencies with funds to purchase mobile video recording equipment in some of each agency police vehicles. When this project was completed, the C.O.P.S. office awarded the Law Enforcement Mobile Video Institute funds to train 4 troopers from each state, which had received the mobile video equipment awards. A second grant was awarded to the International Association of Chief's of Police for them to conduct a national study on the effectiveness of this equipment and make recommendations on policy and procedures to the United States law enforcement community. This study is now complete and available either on CD or print by contacting the IACP. These two programs were then expanded to include local law enforcement officers through a cooperative program with Regional Community Policing Institutes from around the country. The Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute was selected to coordinate this program for the various R.C.P.I.'s, I.A.C.P., and the Law Enforcement Mobile Video Institute. PoliceOne.com Website: http://www.policeone.com/police-products/vehicle-equipment/in-car-video/articles/93860/ Attorney General Jim Hood To Participate In School Drug Testing Policy Conference 9/30/2004 JACKSON - Various state agencies will sponsor a workshop Monday, October 4th to present and discuss the legally sufficient sets of policies and procedures developed by the Office of National Drug Control Policy; Mississippi Attorney General’s Office; and the University of Southern Mississippi, Department of Community Health Sciences. The conference will set forth a standardized random drug testing policy across the state for those school districts that chose to implement testing policies in their schools. The one-day conference will feature workshops and is highly recommended for superintendents, administrators, school board members and school board attorneys that are considering implementing random drug testing in their schools. In addition to the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and the University of Southern Mississippi other conference sponsors are the Mississippi Department of Education, School Safety Division; Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Healthy Students; Mississippi Institute for School Safety; Mississippi Association of School Resource Officers; Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute; and the Student Advisory Board. The conference will take place at the Jim Buck Ross Agricultural Museum. Website: http://www.ago.state.ms.us/news/index.php?use=sep30-2004 Chief of Police Training 5/17/2004 NATCHITOCHES - The Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute has received a contract from the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement to provide training for the state's chiefs of police. Sessions will be held immediately before each of the three Louisiana Association of Chiefs of Police conferences held each year. The first New Chiefs Management Course will be held July 6-7 in Monroe. The training is coordinated with the Law Enforcement Executive Management Institute in response for need for municipal chiefs to have information on topics related to their job. Topics to be covered include: Office and Role of the Police Chief, Police Chief Mayor Council Relations, Working with Budgets, Developing Policies and Procedures, Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement/POST Council, Ethics and Integrity and Human Resource Issues. Training will also be provided on: Managerial Liability, Boards and Reporting, Bid Process/Purchasing, Cultural Diversity, Media Relations, Training Sources, Civil Service, Supplemental Pay, Retirement, Legal Updates and Emotional Survival. According to Daphne Levenson, director of the Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute, the training will be used to provide Louisiana police chiefs with management courses and skills which will enhance citizen safety and the enforcement of state laws. The Institute is one of 31 Regional Community Policing Institutes funded through the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. "GSRCPI has had a good relationship the Louisiana Association of Chiefs of Police and the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement for a number of years, but the award of this training moves us to the next level," said Levenson. The training will complement the Law Enforcement Leadership Series being delivered in Alabama and will also be taught in Mississippi and Louisiana later this year, Levenson said. The leadership series covers, Use of Force, Citizen Complaint Intake, Early Warning Systems, Racial Profiling and In-car Camera. These topics have been identified by the Department of Justice as the most pressing issues that will face law enforcement over the next 20 years. Levenson said the new contract should also help Northwestern's criminal justice program. "I would like each chief of police to be aware of what is available at Northwestern," she said. "NSU provides discounted courses to all full-time law enforcement officers for both campus and Internet classes. Our goal is to provide all law enforcement professionals with affordable opportunities for education. This will increase professionalism and translate into better service for citizens." Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu ) News Bureau Northwestern State University Natchitoches, LA 71497 (318) 357-6466 Website: http://www.nsula.edu/news/chief17.htm GSRCPI Plans Assault Conference 11/19/2003 NATCHITOCHES - The Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute will sponsor the First Louisiana Sexual Assault Conference Dec. 3-5 at the Holiday Inn South in Baton Rouge. The conference will be presented by the Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault. The Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute is located at Northwestern State University. Attendees can take part in a variety of sessions and exhibits and talk with other professionals. Law enforcement officers, health care workers, child and adult protection staff, counselors, therapists and other professionals in related fields can benefit from attending. Registration begins Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 10 a.m. The opening session is at 1:15 p.m. and continues Thursday and Friday. Participants can sign up for a single day or the entire conference. The fee to register for the conference in advance is $125 for Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault members and $175 for non-members. On site registration is $195. One day registration is $75 and student registration is also $75. Conference registration includes all handout materials, lunch on Thursday and Friday, continental breakfast on Thursday and Friday, coffee breaks on all three days as well as Wednesday night's reception with hors d'ouevres, cash bar and entertainment. The Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute serves Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. GSRCPI is one of 31 Regional Community Policing Institutes (RCPIs) funded through the Department of Justice COPS Office forming a National Training Network that offers free and low-cost training to law enforcement and their communities. For more information, contact the Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute at (318) 357-6962 or go to www.gsrcpi.org. Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu ) News Bureau Northwestern State University Natchitoches, LA 71497 (318) 357-6466 Website: http://www.nsula.edu/news/conf19.htm Policing Institute Receives Grant 9/29/2003 NATCHITOCHES - The Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute has received a $700,000 grant from The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). The Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute (GSRCPI) is located at Northwestern State University. The grant was one of 31 awarded to Regional Community Policing Institutes and Community Policing Consortium worth $23 million. The COPS RCPIs are strategically located throughout the country to address the community policing and crime prevention training needs of law enforcement agencies and communities in all 50 states. Funding from the grant will be used to administer training programs that enhance integrity practices and policies within law enforcement agencies, further trust and cooperation between police and citizens, and emphasize homeland security and emergency response planning. Since the RCPIs were created in 1997, 210,000 law enforcement personnel, community members, and government leaders have been trained. "As the nation's law enforcement agencies seek more effective methods for protecting our citizens from crime and the threat of terrorism, adequate training is of vital importance. The funds will provide police and sheriffs' departments in every region of the country with access to innovative training and technical assistance resources that have been developed to address the specific challenges of that region," said U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft. The GSRCPI has added staff members to better serve the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. "We are working on a number of exciting projects with several state, local and federal partners. We will be offering several new courses in the coming year," said GSRCPI Executive Director Daphne Levenson. "Law enforcement agencies have learned about the services we are able to provide and now the phone rings continually with requests for more training. Our plan is to continue working with agencies and communities to help them better deal with the challenges they face." Over the past year, the Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute began teaching a popular course on Arabic culture and names which has been distributed nationally from NSU via distance learning. The institute plans more classes related to homeland security. "9-11 and other recent events have taught America that we can be more effective fighting crime and preventing terrorism when law enforcement and other sectors are prepared to work together to ensure our collective safety," said COPS Director Carl R. Peed. "The Regional Community Policing Institutes and the Community Policing Consortium are excellent resources for training that emphasize collaborative partnerships and mutual trust between police and the public." Levenson said GSRCPI is also planning to begin working on a faith-based initiative, "Clergy on Patrol." Under the initiative, law enforcement agencies will begin working with clergymen in their community in an effort to decrease crime. Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu ) News Bureau Northwestern State University Natchitoches, LA 71497 (318) 357-6466 Website: http://www.nsula.edu/news/gsrcpi29.htm ULM and GSRCPI Team Up 7/9/2003 MONROE - Today in the computer learning center on the third floor of the ULM Airways Science Building, a class called, "The Use of Computers in the Sexual Exploitation of Children" is being taught to 34 participants from all over the state including law enforcement and community leaders. Instructor Victoria Smith from the Louisiana Computer Forensics Group is teaching the class. The following information is from the web site: http://www.lcpi.org/_Home_.php, which is the Homepage for Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute. Course Description: The course will be about understanding the scope of the use of computers in the sexual exploitation of children and how law enforcement and community leaders can establish an effective response to this problem. Participant Objectives: 1. To provide attendees with facts illustrating the influence and prevalence of computers and the Internet in everyday life, especially with children. 2. To provide information on sexual predators and how their behavior patterns are facilitated by the Internet and computers. 3. To provide a basic overview of how computers and Internet communications function. The GSRCPI is headquartered (fiduciary) at Northwestern and the director is in New Orleans. It is a tri-state effort (Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama) and is funded by about a $750,000 federal grant. ULM partnered with the GSRCPI through the North Delta Regional Training Academy to offer this training in Northeast Louisiana. For more information, call Charlotte Owens at 342-1849. Contact: Veronica Avery Coordinator of Media Relations Media Advisory University of Louisiana at Monroe Monroe, LA 71209 (318) 342-5444 Website: http://www.ulm.edu/publicaffairs/july03/gulf.html Seminar for Campus Law Enforcement Set 5/16/2003 NATCHITOCHES - A seminar, "Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving for Campus Law Enforcement Agencies," will be held at Northwestern State University May 27-28. The seminar will be from 8 a.m. until noon in the President's Room of the Friedman Student Union on NSU's Natchitoches campus. Participants can attend either day of the program. Topics to be covered include Reasons for Community Oriented Policing, Historical Perspective of Campus Community Oriented Policing, The Role of the Chief of Police, Administrators, Officers, Community and Constraints. Other topics including Problem Identification, Accountability and Ethics will also be discussed. "The idea of the seminar is to build relations between the university community and the university police department," said Joe Morris, coordinator of criminal justice at Northwestern. "The police can only do so much. They need to enlist the students, faculty and staff to work with them. If they can get that cooperation, so much more can be accomplished." NSU's criminal justice program and the Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute are co-sponsoring the program. There is no charge to attend the seminar which is open to the public, but advance registration is required due to limited seating. The workshop is designed specifically for University staff. Northwestern plans to include all University police staff and staff from throughout student affairs including housing, counseling, student activities, Greek life, auxiliary services, student services, health services and others. For more information, contact Dr. Dan Seymour at (318) 357-5286. Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu ) News Bureau Northwestern State University Natchitoches, LA 71497 (318) 357-6466 Website: http://www.nsula.edu/news/compol16.htm Caddo Seminar Focuses on Arabic Culture 3/25/2003 SHREVEPORT - With the continuation of U.S. fighting in Iraq and President George W. Bush's focus on the removal of Saddam Hussein's government, Middle Eastern culture expert Sam Kharoba says "the most important weapon for war is information." Kharoba presented a six-hour overview of Arabic culture and Muslim beliefs, traditions and community to some three dozen area law enforcement and government officials at Caddo Correctional Center on Monday. The course, "Arabic Names and Culture," is the first on homeland defense offered by the Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute headquartered at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches. The institute is one of 31 Regional Community Policing Institutes funded through a Department of Justice grant to offer training to law enforcement officials. The institute is dedicated to building partnerships to improve public safety and quality of life. The timing of the course was coincidental with the timing of the war in Iraq. But law enforcement officials believe the information presented Monday can be used to discover possible terrorists and their activities within local communities. Participants in Monday's class were given tips on identifying law-abiding Muslim citizens from potential terrorists during traffic stops, and how to handle interviews and casual conversations. They also learned about the construction of Arabic names and how they differ from Western names. Bassam Fashho, an Arab-American Palestinian originally from Jerusalem and owner of On Time Fashion in downtown Shreveport, said although everything can't be taught in six hours, such classes are needed for mixed-culture communities - even those like Shreveport-Bossier City that have small Arabic populations. According to 2000 census data, there were 545 people - about 0.3 percent of Shreveport's population - who consider themselves Arabic. In Bossier City, the number was even smaller: about 41 people, or 0.1 percent of that city's population. "The police should have more understanding of the citizens they serve," Fashho said. "The more information, the more enlightening. But if all of us act as humans, the way we are perceived as individuals will change. Joe Morris, assistant professor of criminal justice at NSU, said understanding Arabic culture will help officers investigating hate crimes. It will also aid in developing intelligence resources, he said. "If you look at the potential for terrorist retaliation, this course can help individuals prepare and prevent further terrorist attacks," Morris said. About 31 area law officials, including Caddo sheriff's deputies, Natchitoches police officers and LSU Health Sciences Center officers attended the class. Caddo sheriff's deputy Lt. William Douglas Jr. said the information provided could be incorporated into the Community Program, which establishes partnerships with the community through public speaking and appearances. "There's a lot of information we take for granted in law enforcement," said Douglas, who is also a state police retiree. "The class shed light on some things I feel most of us haven't considered." Contact: Loresha Wilson Shreveport Times Policing Institute Takes on New Name 3/06/2003 NATCHITOCHES - The Louisiana Community Policing Institute has expanding its mission and taking on a new name. The newly created Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute (GSRCPI) will provide training to law enforcement agencies, government employees and citizens in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, according to director Daphne Levenson. The Institute is located at Northwestern State University. "The Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute will be a valuable resource for those in law enforcement, government and for citizens," said Levenson. "We will be able to network resources in three states and provide training and information less expensively. Our training will be very valuable for small agencies that have limited or no budget for training." Over the past five years, LCPI has provided training to more than 11,000 participants in Louisiana. New courses on homeland defense and protecting children from Internet predators will be added to existing training on domestic violence, ethics and other areas, Levenson said. The training is provided at no cost or low cost. "We are looking to expand our offerings," said Levenson. "Many of our courses are open to individuals outside law enforcement such as business owners or government employees. The training can be valuable for them." The Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute works with NSU's criminal justice program. The Institute will also work through the Alabama Crime Prevention Clearinghouse at Auburn University in Montgomery and Developing Resources for Education in America (DREAM) in Jackson, Miss., a non-profit organization specializing in substance abuse training. The GSRCPI is one of 31 regional community policing institutes funded through the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). For more information on the Institute or upcoming training programs, call (888)283-0966 or go to www.lcpi.org. A new Web site will soon be available at www.gsrcpi.org. Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu ) News Bureau Northwestern State University Natchitoches, LA 71497 (318) 357-6466 Website: http://www.nsula.edu/news/lcpi06.htm Institute Changes Name 3/1/2003 NATCHITOCHES – Effective Today, the Louisiana Community Policing Institute (LCPI) has changed to the GULF STATES REGIONAL COMMUNITY POLICING INSTITUTE (GSRCPI) and expanded its region to include the states of Mississippi and Alabama. The Gulf States RCPI is part of a national network of 31 Regional Community Policing Institutes (RCPI’s) funded through the Department of Justice COPS Office. Their mission is to deliver training, free of charge or at low cost, to members of law enforcement, government employees and community members. LCPI has delivered training to over 11,000 participants over the past five years in the State of Louisiana. The Gulf States RCPI will be adding new courses such as Homeland Defense and Protecting Children from Internet Predators. These courses will be offered at sites throughout the three-state region. GSRCPI will continue to offer Domestic Violence, Ethics, and CEO level courses. See www.GSRCPI.org for a complete listing. The Gulf States Regional Community Policing Institute (GSRCPI) main office is located at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, LA. in conjunction with the Criminal Justice Program. In Alabama, the GSRCPI will work through the Alabama Crime Prevention Clearinghouse located at Auburn University at Montgomery. The primary partner in Mississippi will be DREAM (Developing Resources for Education in America) Inc. headquartered in Jackson, MS., a twenty-two year old nonprofit organization specializing in substance abuse training. For information call the main office at or 1-888-283-0966 or Director Daphne Levenson at 504-366-5104. LCPI Grant 9/05/2002 NATCHITOCHES - The Louisiana Community Policing Institute has received a grant of $500,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). LCPI is located at Northwestern State University and is administered by the Department of Social Sciences. Under the grant, LCPI will be able to expand its training of law enforcement personnel and community members from the state of Louisiana into Mississippi and Alabama. "This grant provides the opportunity to do some needed training that will benefit law enforcement, community members and students at Northwestern, who will be able to attend training sessions," said Joe Morris, coordinator of NSU's criminal justice program who works closely with LCPI. The grant will allow the Institute to begin new initiatives including a partnership with the Louisiana National Guard for homeland security training, child safety training, executive law enforcement courses and a university campus community oriented policing curriculum. "We are excited to be housed at Northwestern State University and are looking forward to the opportunities to provide training through the funding of this grant," said Daphne Levenson, the director of LCPI. For more information contact Morris at 357-5499 or LCPI at Northwestern State University, P.O. Box 5242, Natchitoches, LA 71497 at LCPI@cox.net or by calling (888) 283-0966. Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu ) News Bureau Northwestern State University Natchitoches, LA 71497 (318) 357-6466 Website: http://www.nsula.edu/news/lcpi05.htm LCPI and Southeastern Hold Diversity Course 5/02/2002 HAMMOND - The Louisiana Community Policing Institute, in conjunction with Southeastern Louisiana University's department of Continuing Education, will conduct "Community Oriented Policing for Diverse Populations" Thursday, May 16 at the University Center. The free diversity course for law enforcement and community leaders will be instructed on cultural factors that affect society and behavior, and the differences between cultural groups and how these differences are interpreted and misunderstood. Also addressed is building trust and a better sense of community through partnerships and enhancing communication skills with co-workers and community. Topics to be discussed include American stereotypes and myths and the harm they cause, demographic changes currently taking place throughout the country, and respect in and components of different cultures. LCPI and Southeastern's department of continuing education will also present a course on ethics and integrity June 13. The courses will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, contact Continuing Education at 985-549-2301. Registration for the courses is also available online at lcpi.org. Contact: Angey Saucier (publicinfo@selu.edu) Southeastern Louisiana University Public Information Office SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402 985-549-2341/fax 985-549-2061 Website: http://www2.selu.edu/NewsEvents/PublicInfoOffice/PoliceCourse2.htm LCPI and Southeastern Hold Policing Course 4/15/2002 HAMMOND - The Louisiana Community Policing Institute, in conjunction with Southeastern Louisiana University's Department of Continuing Education, will be holding "Introduction to Community Oriented Policing" Thursday, April 18 at the University Center. The free course for law enforcement and community leaders will introduce three basic concepts of community-oriented policing, including partnerships, problem solving and organizational change. Participants will be instructed on the history of policing in America, benchmarking their current community-oriented policing status, creating goals, and the importance, need for and role of partnerships in community-oriented policing. In addition, they will be given the opportunity to form partnerships will members of law enforcement and to gain knowledge on how community-oriented policing is designed to reduce the "them and us" feeling between law enforcement, government, social service agencies and the community to create a common goal of reducing crime and improving the quality of life in the entire community. On May 16, LCPI and Southeastern's department of continuing education will also present a course on diversity, making participants aware of cultural factors that affect society and behavior. Another course will be offered June 13 on higher awareness of ethics and integrity. Each course will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, contact Continuing Education at 985-549-2301. Registration for the courses is also available online at lcpi.org. Contact: Angey Saucier (publicinfo@selu.edu) Southeastern Louisiana University Public Information Office SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402 985-549-2341/fax 985-549-2061 Website: http://www2.selu.edu/NewsEvents/PublicInfoOffice//PolicingCourse.htm Training Session Cautions Audience About Stereotyping 1/24/2002 BATON ROUGE - A woman is walking down the street at night wearing a short skirt. Quick -- what's the first thing you think about her? Daphne Levenson of the Louisiana Community Policing Institute asked participants at a YWCA training session Wednesday on "Community Policing for Diverse Communities" to write down their first thoughts about such a woman and a variety of other people they might encounter. She asked them to set aside political correctness and to answer from their gut. "Acknowledge it. It's OK," she said. "We have to deal with stereotypes and myths." For the woman in the short skirt, answers ranged from "very appealing" and "confident" to "loose" and "hootchie." Levenson said the key to overcoming the harmful nature of stereotypes is recognizing that they exist and how to tell if they apply in a particular situation. For example, the woman in question might be walking home because she was on a date with her boyfriend and he had too much to drink, Levenson said. "This is somebody's daughter and should be treated as such," she said. Although experience or media exposure might suggest the stereotype, "we need to not automatically jump to that conclusion," she said. Only one police officer attended the seminar and most of the rest of those who went were in civic or social work organizations. The concept of stereotypes is particularly important for police officers to recognize, Levenson said. About 10 percent of the people cause about 90 percent of the problems that need law enforcement attention, she said. "If you deal with the 10 percent enough, you start to believe they're the 90 percent," she said. That can make officers take a really hard attitude that can offend others, Levenson said. The group also discussed at length the terms they came up with for a group of young black men on a corner. Responses ranged from "drug dealers" and "dangerous" to "bonding" and "hanging out." Levenson said young men "must be in tribes" whether those tribes are a group on the corner, a group that gets together to play video games or a baseball team. It's part of the natural process boys go through on their way to becoming men. She had the group split into smaller groups to identify special information law enforcement might need for working with different segments of the Baton Rouge population. For example, senior citizens, she said, may want to stand closer than officers are used to and may be unusually fearful, but they typically are great sources of information. Levenson said that she knows she spent the day "singing to the choir." The people who attended the training are already sensitive to the differences among cultures and respectful of how different cultures contribute to a rich community. YWCA spokeswoman Roberta Madden said she thinks the information will spread from the people who went through the training. "I think sometimes it's important to reach the person who is in a position to reach others," she said. Levenson said Baton Rouge is in good shape for community policing to succeed. Baton Rouge has better-formed community groups than most other Louisiana cities. "I think that is a tremendous leg up for community policing," she said. Contact: Melissa Moore (mmoore@theadvocate.com) Advocate Staff Writer The Advocate Website: http://www.theadvocate.com/news/story.asp?StoryID=27351 Leadership Cadre Conference 2/16/2000 NATCHITOCHES - Northwestern State University will host a four-day Leadership Cadre Conference sponsored by the Louisiana Community Policing Institute Feb. 21-24. The Louisiana Community Policing Institute (LCPI) is headquartered at LSU-Shreveport. Harold Ledford of LSU-Shreveport is program director. NSU Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice Joe Morris is a program coordinator. Representatives of law enforcement agencies and community leaders from throughout the state will take part in the conference. The Louisiana Community Policing Institute's mission is to build partnerships between law enforcement agencies, academic institutions and community organizations to facilitate the implementation of community oriented policing. "Police cannot do the entire job by themselves," said Morris. "The community has to be involved as the eyes and ears of the police. Working as partners they can accomplish more. Community policing is a key to making a difference in a community." LCPI plans to start the process of implementing the assessment of the state of community policing in Many beginning in March. Morris said Louisiana is among the first states in the nation to put the assessment of community policing into effect following the lead of the Western Regional Institute for Community Oriented Public Safety, a five-state organization based in Washington. The Leadership Cadre includes experienced law enforcement executives, managers, elected and appointed officials and community members who provide assistance with the implementation of community policing. The group is available to consult with local chiefs of police and sheriffs as they implement the assessment of community policing. Contact: David West (west@alpha.nsula.edu ) News Bureau Northwestern State University Natchitoches, LA 71497 (318) 357-6466 Website: http://www.nsula.edu/news/police16.htm
	©2007 GSRCPI All Rights Reserved.

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