Remarks of Mary Lou Leary, Acting Assistant Attorney General
Office of Justice Programs
Meeting of the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training
10:30 a.m.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Denver, CO
Thank you, Mike.
I'm pleased to be here.
Before I begin my remarks, I want to add my support to Kim???s remarks about the Discover Policing initiative. I hope that IADLEST will join with us in this effort to recruit the next generation of police officers.
As you know, some of the $2.7 billion in Recovery Act funds distributed by the Department of Justice went directly to hire police officers.
And OJP, together with IADLEST, can get information out to the field about what works ??? and what doesn???t work ??? in training police officers. We're uniquely positioned to help the field integrate data-driven approaches into state and local decision-making.
OJP is embarking on an Evidence Integration Initiative that has three objectives:
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o First ??? improve the quantity AND quality of evidence we generate through our research, evaluation, and statistical functions.
o Second ??? better integrate evidence in program and policy decisions.
o Third ??? improve the translation of evidence into practice.
I know that I am "preaching to the choir" about evidence-based practices because this idea is the foundation of IADLEST's work!
I'm also pleased that two recent partnerships between IADLEST and OJP are bearing fruit.
The first project is the National Law Enforcement Academy Resource Network, or NLEARN, that is being unveiled at this meeting. This web-based resource network will made it easier to foster the adoption of model training programs and other standards.
And the second effort is designed to enhance the development of the National Decertification Index, or NDI.
Our Bureau of Justice Assistance recently awarded $350,000 in continuation funding to IADLEST for this program.
The NDI is a secure network and database for sharing verified information about law enforcement officers who have had their "certifications" revoked as determined by each state's Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) authorities.
Identifying law enforcement officer candidates who have been disciplined by their respective POST as a result of misconduct prior to employment or certification is critical to the integrity of the criminal justice system on a national level.
I've only cited two examples of how cooperation can benefit the field; however, I hope that IADLEST will continue to work with us as we move ahead with our Evidence Integration Initiative.
Thank you.
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