Interventions Involving At-Risk Individuals and Potential Risks to Public Safety: Identify and Prevent

• In Event: Police Management of High-Risk Individuals and Critical Incidents

Abstract

In recent years, we have watched as significant crimes such as school shootings, ambush attacks on law enforcement, exploitation of youth, cases of intrafamilial homicide and standoffs with barricaded subjects unfold in communities across the nation. In almost all of these cases, the suspects had prior interactions with law enforcement or was known to social service entities as needing assistance. As these individuals fall through the cracks, they end up being a threat to society requiring a law enforcement response. This presentation will discuss the role of a crime and/or intel analyst within law enforcement agencies in identifying at-risk individuals in their community in an effort to prevent criminal activity, reduce victimization, identify people who pose potential threats to public safety and ensure proper services are being provided to “frequent flyers” who are taxing law enforcement resources when social service support is a more appropriate response. Specific categories of interactions of at-risk individuals will be highlighted, including: people suffering from mental illness and/or addiction, youth who are being commercially sexually exploited, hate and extremist groups and individuals with repetitive police and social service contacts.

Authors

• Casey Hatchett, Fisher College / Brookline Police Department

• Alex Wagner, Fisher College