Center for Mass Violence Response Studies’ Statement Regarding the Mass Violence Attacks in Gilroy, El Paso and Dayton
In 2019, persons motivated by a range of ideological beliefs and individual factors have engaged in acts of mass violence targeting innocent persons in communities across the United States. These attacks have increased in frequency as well as lethality.
Mass violence attacks at festivals, in shopping malls, entertainment venues, schools, religious institutions, and other venues demonstrate that all Americans, regardless of the place they are in, are potential victims of mass violence.
The effects of these attacks are devastating for the survivors, families of victims, for communities who have lost loved ones, and for first responders. For public safety officials, mass violence challenges emergency response protocols and demands actionable research, innovation and science to inform the response to these horrific events.
The National Police Foundation’s Center for Mass Violence Response Studies believes there are steps that can be taken to build the capacity of our public safety agencies, schools, businesses, faith, and other organizations to better understand, identify and respond to threats, signs, and signals. Through actionable research, collaboration, technical assistance, and training we believe we can effectively counter mass violence attacks. In those instances in which an attack could not be stopped, we can improve the public safety response and community recovery.
The Center for Mass Violence Response Studies draws on the National Police Foundation’s knowledge and experience, as well as on a team of highly qualified subject matter experts, to provide objective, rigorous and actionable research, training and technical assistance to public safety, policy, school, business, faith and community leaders to counter extremism and mass violence. The Center also seeks to use its unique position within a national independent organization to build bridges between stakeholders to identify opportunities for collaboration in response to the vexing challenge of mass violence.
The phenomena of mass violence is constantly changing – yesterday’s responses are inadequate for the challenges of tomorrow.The Center for Mass Violence Response Studies seeks to use our communal knowledge and ideas to inform policies and practices that are forward thinking, actionable, and resilient to meet the threats of tomorrow.
We pray for the families and communities who have recently experienced these horrific events and we stand ready to provide assistance during these difficult times.
To view the statement please visit the Center for Mass Violence Response Studies.