By Jocelyn Bogen
September 27, 2004

The Mayors' Institute for Community Policing sponsored a U.S.MayorVision webcast September 22 to outline how mayors and law enforcement personnel can take advantage of COPS Office training and technical assistance resources to better partner with the community to fight crime.

Conference Executive Director Tom Cochran moderated the panel, which featured Bethlehem (PA) Mayor John B. Callahan, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Policing Services (COPS), Chief of Staff Tim Quinn, Pennsylvania Regional Community Policing Consortium Director Al Dean and Community Policing Consortium Executive Director William Matthews. The Community Policing Consortium is a partnership of the five leading police organizations: The International Association of Chief's of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the National Sheriff's Association, the Police Executive Research Forum, and the Police Foundation.

Callahan attended a training session at the Pennsylvania Regional Community Policing Institute and shared with the audience his experience and the benefits of utilizing COPS resources in his city. Dean gave an overview of the training available through the Pennsylvania Regional Community Policing Institute. Matthews spoke on how cities can access the resources available to mayors through the Community Policing Consortium and highlighted the organizations work on taser use. Quinn outlined the resources available through the COPS office and detailed the continued relevance of community policing in homeland security preparation.

The webcast has been archived and can be viewed at www.usmayors.org by selecting the COPS 9/22 listed under the U.S.MayorVision icon on the left side of the page.