Overview
RTI International’s Center for Policing Research and Investigative Sciences hosted their 7th annual RTI Policing Symposium virtually on March 9-10, 2022. Law enforcement officers, first responders, policymakers, researchers, students, criminal justice and public health practitioners were encouraged to register for this two-day event that examined evidence-based strategies to improve policing. The symposium featured a wide range of data-driven approaches to police reform, including presentations on recruiting more women into the policing profession, evaluating alternative models to crisis response, measuring community perceptions of police, and much more.
View the agenda below to learn more about each session.
Hosted by RTI International’s Center for Policing Research and Investigative Science (CPRIS).
Event Archive
Click on the titles below to view a specific session.
Day 1
Presenters:
Kevin Strom, PhD, Director, CPRIS, RTI
Duren Banks, PhD, Division Vice President, Applied Justice Research, RTI
Trevor Allen, Director, North Carolina Justice Academy
Presenters:
Jenn Rineer, PhD, Program Manager & Research Psychologist, CPRIS, RTI
Terry Cherry, Recruiter, Charleston Police Department
Maureen McGough, Chief of Staff at the Policing Project, New York University School of Law
Overview:
This session will focus on law enforcement recruiting and hiring programs and strategies designed to strengthen relationships and communications with diverse communities. The session will include an overview from RTI researchers on the current body of research including shortages in the workforce, and increasing diversity and inclusion efforts, which will be followed by a roundtable discussion from attendees on what they have seen in the fields and practice needs for research.
Exploring Workplace Stress Among Medicolegal Death Investigators (MDIs) and Law Enforcement Officers
Presenters:
Kelly Keyes, Center for Forensic Sciences, RTI
Bobbi Jo O’Neal, Coroner, Charleston County Coroner’s Office (SC)
John Fudenberg, Executive Director, International Association of Coroners & Medical Examiners
Rachel Tolber, Commander, Redlands Police Department (CA)
Overview:
This panel will focus on findings from RTI’s Understanding Work-Related Stress Among MDI Professionals: A National Survey, as well as real-life experience from two MDI professionals. Additionally, law enforcement representatives will share their experience establishing trainings and programs to support officer health and wellness
Presenters:
Brad Ray, PhD, CPRIS, RTI
Sgt. Lance Dardeen, Indianapolis Metro Police Department
Brandon del Pozo, Former Police Chief of the Burlington Police Department (Vermont)
Moderator: Peyton Attaway
Presenters:
Hannah Feeney, PhD, RTICaroline Huffaker, Chattanooga Police Department
Moderator: Paige Presler-Jur
Presenters:
Kelle Barrick, PhD, CPRIS, RTIRebecca Pfeffer, PhD, RTI
Det. Theresa Neitzel, Erie County Sheriff’s Department
Moderator: Jaden Jules
Day 2
Presenters:
Jake Cramer, PhD, RTI
Mike Planty, PhD, RTI
Meme Styles, MEASURE
Dwayne Campbell, City of Durham (NC)
Loren Atherley, Seattle Police Department
Overview:
This panel will focus on the current research base for measuring and evaluating police-community relations. Presentations will included new technologies for measuring police-community relations, sentiment, and emerging issues in the community, an upcoming project with the Seattle Police Department, and the importance of data transparency in building community trust.
Presenters:
Brian Aagaard, CPRIS, RTI
Sean Wire, CPRIS, RTI
Stephanie Olson, Strategic Planning & Performance Manager, City of Raleigh
Sgt. Renae Lockhart, ACORNS, Raleigh Police Department
Erin Williams, City of Greensboro
Overview:
This panel will focus on the background for alternative response models including discussion around where police spend most of their time based on calls for service data and qualitative data collected through the Cohort of Cities project.
Presenters:
Hope Smiley-McDonald, PhD, RTI
Melissia Larson, North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition
Moderator: Peyton Attaway
Presenters:
Lynn Langton, PhD, RTIDevin Oxner, RTI
Jaclyn Houston-Kolnick, PhD, RTI
Lt. Ashley Brown, Greensboro Police Department
Moderator: Paige Presler-Jur
Presenters:
Ashley Rodriquez, CPRIS, RTIHeather McKiernan, CFS, RTI
Casson Reynolds, NC Justice Academy
Moderator: Amanda Young