The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Smart Policing Initiative (SPI) held its seventh annual Inaugural Meeting for Phase VII SPI sites from June 15-16, 2016 in Phoenix, Arizona. Co-hosted by BJA, CNA, and Phoenix SPI (including the Phoenix Police Department and Arizona State University), the meeting provided participants with the opportunity to gather and discuss important issues pertaining to Smart Policing, such as project implementation and expectations, lessons learned during implementation, effective research partnerships, evidence-based policing, and sustainability of innovations.
The objectives of the meeting were to engage in dialogue with BJA leadership, hear from sites at various stages of implementation, receive and record (podcasts) site updates, focus on issues of sustainability, analysis, technology, and collaboration, focus on other core smart policing principles, focus on capacity assessments and TTA plans, build the SPI community of practice, discuss and learn best practices related to mental health and body-worn cameras in policing. New site participants shared and heard from others on their proposed projects. Additionally, attendees heard an overview of SPI principles and project history, and learned about sustainability in SPI and police-community collaboration. To enhance many of the sites’ projects, attendees also participated in roundtable sessions on smart technology and mental health. Case studies from the Kansas City and Lowell SPI sites were presented. The meeting concluded with researcher and coordinator roundtable sessions.
