FYI, see article on Senate passing bill on LODD (Line of Duty Deaths) From: CPIC Sent: Monday, May 18, 2020 6:25 AM Subject: PERF Daily Clips: Coronavirus masks a boon for crooks who hide their faces Monday, May 18, 2020 ________________________________ National News New York Times: Domestic violence calls mount as restrictions linger: ‘no one can leave’ Americans have been cooped up at home for months to slow the spread of the coronavirus, many of them living in small spaces, reeling from sudden job losses and financial worries. Children are home from school in every state in the country. That confinement has led to another spiraling crisis: Doctors and advocates for victims are seeing signs of an increase in violence at home. They are hearing accounts of people lashing out, particularly at women and children. Associated Press: Coronavirus masks a boon for crooks who hide their faces Across the United States, masks have become more and more prevalent, first as a voluntary precaution and then as a requirement imposed by governmental agencies and businesses. And people with masks — as well as latex gloves — have found their way into more and more crime reports. Just how many criminals are taking advantage of the pandemic to commit crimes is impossible to estimate, but law enforcement officials have no doubt the numbers are climbing. Reports are starting to pop up across the United States and in other parts of the world of crimes pulled off in no small part because so many of us are now wearing masks. EMS1.com: Senate passes bill ensuring LODD benefits for first responder virus deaths The U.S. Senate has passed a bill that establishes a temporary presumption that COVID-19 is a work-related injury, ensuring that families of first responders who die from the disease will receive line-of-duty death benefits through the Public Safety Officers Benefits Program. The Safeguarding America's First Responders (SAFR) Act will also allow first responders who become permanently disabled due to COVID-19 to receive disability benefits through the program. The bill was supported by several public safety organizations, including the International Association of Fire Fighters, International Association of Fire Chiefs, Fraternal Order of Police and National Association of Police Officers. The bill will now need to pass in the U.S. House of Representatives and then be signed by President Donald Trump to become law. ________________________________ Local News TIME: New York mayor announces NYPD will scale back social distancing enforcement The New York City Police Department (NYPD) will be taking a step back from its role enforcing social distancing guidelines after multiple violent incidents drew widespread criticism. During a Friday press conference, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio said that NYPD officers will no longer be handing out tickets or arresting people who are not wearing masks in public, or who are gathered in small groups. De Blasio said that officers will continue to break up large gatherings, but added that “if we never need to take any additional enforcement action other than the NYPD showing up and people leaving, that’s the ideal by far.” Chicago Tribune: New Chicago police boss David Brown settles in, contemplates restarting roving units to battle crime spikes Weeks into his new post as the city’s top cop, Chicago police Superintendent David Brown said he is considering starting a citywide unit devoted to stopping flare-ups in violence and other crime, a controversial idea that has come and gone in the department in recent years. It would be the first time CPD has used such a roving team on a permanent basis since 2011, when two predecessors were disbanded amid concerns about their aggressive style and after a previous unit was rocked by a corruption scandal. In an interview with the Tribune at his fifth-floor office at police headquarters this week, Brown floated the idea, describing it as a “significant community policing-oriented unit,” that would be community friendly, a vision drastically different from other versions over the last two decades in Chicago. Washington Post: As stay-at-home order is extended, D.C. police say enforcing social distancing can be a struggle One Friday this month, District authorities saw people congregating while waiting for takeout orders at a Mexican restaurant on the Wharf. Two days later, a group of people outside an apartment building in Brightwood Park refused to disperse. D.C. police officers intervened in both instances — two examples in the ongoing struggle to enforce social distancing restrictions put in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The city has taken a soft approach to dealing with social distancing scofflaws, aiming to issue citations or make arrests only as a last resort. “The goal is to obtain voluntary compliance,” a police spokeswoman said. That isn’t always proving easy. Albany (NY) Times-Union: Troy police recognized for promoting officer safety The Troy Police Department is a runner up in the sixth annual National Officer Safety and Wellness Award program that recognizes police agencies across the country for programs to keep officers safe. The Troy department was a top finisher in the General Officer Safety category for programs that improve police safety while performing their jobs. The National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum announced the awards Thursday evening. The national organization works with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance in presenting the awards. Troy finished second to the Vacaville, California, Police Department. Troy’s application included the gym set up at the police station so officers can work out, the annual physical fitness training test, peer counseling program to assist officers dealing with the aftermath of tough cases, proper use of tourniquets and how to safely extract wounded officers from a shooting scene. Note: Click here to view a list of all the National Officer Safety and Wellness Award winners. NorthJersey.com: Crime in NJ is way down amid coronavirus outbreak, state police chief said Crime in New Jersey is way down across the state amid the coronavirus outbreak, New Jersey State Police Colonel Patrick Callahan said Saturday. Callahan's report echoes what others have found nationwide: with more people stuck at home and fewer businesses open, crime has dropped. Police Executive Research Forrm issued a report this week showing violent crime, robberies and property crimes have all dipped in many large U.S. cities. Compared to the same time last year, arrests in New Jersey are down 65%, domestic violence reports are down 16% and shootings are down 19%, Callahan said during Gov. Phil Murphy's daily coronavirus press briefing. All crime categories are trending down except shooting murders, which he said are up 9%. NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth: Former Fort Worth Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald wins appeal, gets honorable discharge A state appeals panel ruled that former Fort Worth Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald should have received an honorable discharge when he was fired in May 2019, overturning a city decision to give him a general discharge. In its 43-page decision, the State Office of Administrative Hearings said the evidence does not support a finding that Fitzgerald’s termination was the result of a “documented performance problem.” Fitzgerald took a job last month as police chief in Waterloo, Iowa. ________________________________ International News National Post (Canada): COVID-19 behind one per cent cut to Vancouver's policing budget: council The union representing Vancouver’s police officers joined the police chief Thursday in criticizing a budget cut passed by city council, arguing their services shouldn’t be reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. City council passed a motion Wednesday to reduce the police department’s $314 million budget by one per cent, equating to about a $3.5 million budget cut. The Vancouver Police Union estimates that could rise to $8.5 million depending on the outcome of arbitration related to a collective bargaining agreement. About 27 per cent of the city’s revenue is spent on police services. ________________________________ Police Executive Appointments Valley News Live (ND): Fargo Police Chief announces retirement for summer 2020 The Police Chief for the City of Fargo announced he will retire at the end of July 2020. Chief David Todd has been with the city since he was 22 years old in 1987. He has served as the police chief since 2014. ________________________________ Announcements Federal Protective Service: Video: Police Week 2020 A memorial video to honor of FPS's fallen officers during Police week 2020. Heroes Live Forever. ________________________________ Good News of the Day CBS Boston: Mass. State Police get kids moving with ‘workout with a trooper’ videos If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to be a Massachusetts State Police Trooper, here’s your chance to find out. The agency is helping us all keep busy and moving throughout this quarantine, one step or squat at a time. It’s called ‘Workout With A Trooper’ and all you have to do is go to Facebook, where the workouts are streamed live! It’s tailored to work for all ages, kids included. ________________________________ Photo of the Day [https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/tLCGkH3J-rYN4fbvcVRFzr1wMQg0Fu1s6YxvCCppBjil6o6zgMdw2ssYpwPUyOodmFsLvVSYjedSzCK42bEhuql2gzII_iipKlZHooI4zIX4do_MnKHTqL8zI6-roPpgFA9zMbqY] Oregon State Police OSP Troopers go the extra mile to make a new friend. Oregon State Police Troopers Mac Marshall & Jess Steffanson responded to SR-224 near Eagle Creek for a located missing autistic teen. The teen had been missing for over 24 hours and had walked over 10 miles since leaving his SE Portland home. While walking on the Springwater Corridor Trail, the teen had his backpack stolen, which contained a tablet, his piggy bank, headphones and clothing. After reuniting the teen with his family, the troopers felt the need to do something more. They rallied the OSP Portland Area Command Office to pitch in. They were able to replace the tablet, the backpack, headphones and the money that was stolen. The Troopers also learned the teen was a Duck fan, so they got him a University of Oregon ball cap. The teen, along with his family, were overwhelmed with gratitude for the kindness that OSP showed them. #OSPfortheWin #YourOregonStatePolice #KidnessMatters #Community #FridayFeel ________________________________ To unsubscribe from clips, check "I do not want Daily Clips" in the My Profile section of the PERF website, or reply to this email with the word "unsubscribe." ________________________________ Police Executive Research Forum • 1120 Connecticut Ave. NW DC, Suite 930, Washington, District of Columbia 20036, United States Remove My Email or Manage Preferences • Privacy Policy [https://perf.memberclicks.net/images/pbmc-email.png] [http://perf.memberclicks.net/message2/image/00e4a559-7429-4360-a41a-ce8b790e3314] ** EXTERNAL EMAIL WARNING ** This email originated outside of the Chicago Police Department. **NEVER CLICK, DOWNLOAD, or OPEN** unexpected links or attachments. **NEVER** provide User ID (PC Number) or Password or other sensitive information. 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