# U.S. Department of Justice Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation

## Inventory of Federal Priorities for Policing

The following questions will help the U.S. Department of Justice evaluate the possibility for priority consideration, where appropriate, and identify potential gaps in training and technical assistance.

Does the agency have a written directive to prioritize the recruitment and hiring of personnel who are representative of the communities they are sworn to serve?  

· Yes

· No 

Does the agency have a written directive that requires a background investigation of each candidate for officer positions conducted prior to appointment and include, consistent with the First Amendment and all applicable laws, a check of publicly available internet and information sharing sites to identify activity that promotes or supports unlawful violence or unlawful bias against persons based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability?

· Yes

· No

Does the agency have a written directive that requires the performance evaluation of all officers and supervisors to be conducted and documented at least annually, including (among other factors):

a. An assessment of adherence to agency policies; and

b. For supervisors, an assessment of their effectiveness in addressing misconduct by officers they supervise.

· Yes

· No

Does the agency encourage officer wellness (e.g., support for substance use disorders, mental health issues, trauma resilience, and suicide prevention) through policies and procedures? 

· Yes

· No 

Does the agency have a written directive that officers may use deadly force only when the officer has an objectively reasonable belief that the subject of such force poses an imminent danger of death or serious physical injury to the officer or to another person? 

· Yes

· No 

Does the agency have a written directive that prohibits the discharge of firearms from a moving vehicle except in exigent circumstances where the officer has an articulable reason for this use of deadly force?

· Yes

· No

Does the agency have a written directive that prohibits the discharge of firearms at a moving vehicle unless:

a. A person in the vehicle is threatening the officer or another person with deadly force by means other than the vehicle; or

b. The vehicle is operated in a manner that threatens to cause death or serious physical injury to the officer or others, and no other objectively reasonable means of defense appear to exist, which includes moving out of the path of the vehicle. 

· Yes

· No

Does the agency prohibit the use of chokeholds and carotid (or vascular neck) restraints except where the use of deadly force is authorized by law? 

· Yes

· No 

Does the agency have a written directive stating that officers should employ de-escalation techniques when possible but may use force that is objectively reasonable to accomplish lawful objectives? 

· Yes

· No 

Does the agency have a written directive that establishes the affirmative duty to take reasonable steps to intervene, i.e., to prevent or stop, as appropriate, any officer from engaging in excessive force or any other use of force that violates the Constitution, other laws, or agency policy on the reasonable use of force? 

· Yes

· No 

Does the agency have a written directive that establishes the affirmative duty to take reasonable steps to request and/or render medical aid, as appropriate, where needed?

· Yes

· No 

Does the agency have a written directive for officers to complete training annually on implicit bias to help address improper profiling based on the actual or perceived race, ethnicity, national origin, limited English proficiency, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability of individuals? 

· Yes

· No 

Does the agency have a written directive establishing effective procedures for receiving, investigating, and responding to complaints alleging improper profiling or bias by law enforcement officers?**

· Yes

· No 

Does the agency have a written directive that establishes mechanisms for holding their officers accountable for violating policies related to use of force, which includes timely and consistent discipline if warranted and appropriate due process protections for officers?

· Yes

· No 

Does the agency have a written directive that limits the use of unannounced entries, often referred to as “no knock entries,” to those obtained through judicial authorization or if exigent circumstances arise at the scene such that knocking and announcing the officer's presence would create an imminent threat of physical violence to the officer and/or another person?

· Yes

· No 

Does the agency currently employ body-worn cameras (BWCs) for use by all officers routinely engaged in contact with the public?

· Yes

· No

If the agency employs body-worn cameras (BWCs), does the agency have a written directive on their appropriate use that is designed to ensure that BWCs are worn and activated in all appropriate circumstances, including during arrests and searches, and that BWC video footage is publicly released following incidents involving serious bodily injury or deaths in custody, where appropriate? 

· Yes 

· No 

Does the agency submit data to the FBI’s Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection? 

· Yes, the agency currently submits data or can demonstrate that it is actively working towards the ability to submit to this data collection effort.

· No 

Does the agency submit data to the FBI’s National Use of Force Data Collection? 

· Yes, the agency currently submits data or can demonstrate that it is actively working towards the ability to submit to this data collection effort.

· No 

Does the agency submit data to the FBI’s Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted Data Collection? 

· Yes, the agency currently submits data or can demonstrate that it is actively working towards the ability to submit to this data collection effort.

· No 

Does the agency submit data to the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS)? 

· Yes, the agency currently submits data or can demonstrate that it is actively working towards the ability to submit to this data collection effort.

· No 

Does the agency submit data to its State Administering Agency related to deaths in custody to support the State’s compliance with the Death in Custody Reporting Act?  

· Yes, the agency currently submits data or can demonstrate that it is actively working towards the ability to submit to this data collection effort.

· No 

Does the agency check the National De-Certification Index hosted by IADLEST as a part of the officer hiring, vetting, or promotion process?

· Yes

· No

Does the agency provide immediate access to mental health professionals either through mobile crisis response teams or co-responder teams, to respond to individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis or with a disability? 

· Yes

· No

 Does the agency have specific policies and procedures in place to ensure the independence and transparency of investigations and notifications regarding deaths in custody?  

· Yes

· No

FY 2024

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