A bipartisan group of around 100 homeland and national security experts contributed to a report calling on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to restructure and refocus its priorities. They are calling for a shift in focus to nonmilitary threats such as the global pandemic, climate change, and cyber-attacks.

Congressman Fred Keller (R-PA) recently announced the creation of the bipartisan Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Reform Caucus. The BOP Caucus is meant to improve accountability and transparency, address systemic issues within the BOP system, and ensure the health and safety of corrections officers, staff, inmates, and the communities surrounding the prisons.

Alexander Yuk Ching Ma, 67, a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer who worked for the agency from 1982-1989, allegedly conspired with his relative, also a former CIA officer, to communicate classified information from the U.S. government to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). He was charged with conspiracy to communicate national defense information to aid a foreign government and faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if convicted.

Watch Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue (BORSTAR) agents from Tucson Sector Border Patrol conduct a rescue of three men in the Arizona desert. The men entered the country illegally and were treated for dehydration after the BORSTAR agents responded to their 9-1-1 call.

Three Muslims in Southern California subjected to surveillance by the FBI solely because of their religion brought suit against FBI Agents and the U.S. government for violating their constitutional rights. Among various other claims, they brought a private right of action for violations under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and violations of their Fourth Amendment rights under Bivens. They also sought the expungement of collected information and damages for the alleged unlawful surveillance.

On July 8, 2020, Attorney General William Barr announced the launch of Operation Legend, a law enforcement initiative that combines efforts of local and federal law enforcement to combat surges of violence across America. It began in Kansas City, MO and has now expanded to several other states that have seen a recent increase of violence.

The Department of Justice recently announced two high-profile indictments of public corruption.

A new interim final rule by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) explains how agencies can restore annual leave for employees who are deemed essential during the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, most federal employees can carry over 30 days of leave to the following year even if they accrue more. However, agencies can restore “use or lose” privileges in extenuating circumstances.

The Office of Personnel Management issued an interim final rule to implement the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act (FEPLA) amendment to the FY2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which provides 12 weeks of paid parental leave to certain federal employees who are covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The act covers parents who recently gave birth as well as those who are adopting or fostering a child.

On August 6, 2020, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed a district court ruling that the federal judiciary has been charging unlawfully excessive fees for access to records through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system.

As the United States enters its fifth month of COVID-19-related shutdown in some form, the long-term behavioral impacts of the ‘new normal’ are beginning to appear. Recent studies and official guidance indicate that Americans are experiencing elevated levels of unhappiness and anxiety due to the ongoing pandemic.

Learn what it takes to become a Border Patrol Agent. Training can be emotionally and physically taxing.

The latest episode of the FEDtalk podcast takes listeners on a highlights tour of the Women in Federal Law Enforcement (WIFLE) 2020 Annual Training, which was postponed due to the coronavirus until August 2021. WIFLE President Cathy Sanz, Vice President Jessie Lane, and FEDtalk host Debra Roth sat down with two conference presenters who offered webinars in place of the in-person trainings and two of the 2020 award winners from the Drug Enforcement Agency.

In an event on August 6, the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) outlined mass public attack trends and prevention strategies from their Mass Attacks in Public Spaces-2019 report. The events highlighted changes in mass public attacks from 2018 and advised law enforcement personnel on strategies for responding to and preventing future mass public attacks.

For the first time since the scorecard’s creation, none of the 24 federal agencies reviewed through the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) scorecard received a failing grade. The scorecard requires an agency’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) to report to agency leadership and Congress on the agency’s IT modernization efforts.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has released a memo to agency leaders regarding the implementation of the Trump Administration’s June executive order (EO) on reforming the federal hiring process to increase use of skills assessments and interviews with subject matter experts.

On July 15th, 2020, Twitter experienced a widespread hack that affected over 100 prominent Twitter accounts. There were three hackers allegedly responsible for perpetrating the attack. Mason Sheppard, aka “Chaewon,” 19, of Bognor Regis in the United Kingdom and Nima Fazeli, aka “Rolex,” 22, of Orlando, Florida were charged in criminal complaints in the Northern District of California. The third defendant is a juvenile whom the DOJ referred to the State Attorney for the 13th Judicial District in Tampa, Florida.

In this TEDx Talk, Troy Riggs discusses the possibilities of using a data-based approach to public safety based on his thirty years of experience.

Life insurance protects your family from the uncertainty of what the future holds. Your policy with WAEPA is a safeguard you put in place to provide you and your loved ones with peace of mind. This protection is both a precaution, and a crucial component of your overall financial security.

Many people know about the National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum’s mission to remember the fallen. The nation’s only living monument to the brave men and women who died in the line of duty, the National Law Enforcement Memorial currently has the names of 22,217 fallen officers engraved on its walls. Sadly, more names are added each year as officers continue to die while trying to keep their communities safe.