November 2025: Addressing Violent Crime

Police agencies are rethinking their approach to violent crime through smarter strategies and deeper community engagement. By prioritizing prevention, survivor-centered reforms, and cross-sector collaboration, the profession is shifting from reactive enforcement to proactive development.

GUEST EDITORS: David Malakouti and Zachary Onufrychuk

Articles

• The Human Trafficking–Gun Violence Nexus

  By Sharmese L. Walcott, State’s Attorney, Hartford Judicial District, Connecticut; Jason Thody, Chief of Police, New Bedford, Massachusetts; and Krystal Rich, Executive Director, Connecticut Children’s Alliance
  Certain types of crimes are known for their connection to violence; human trafficking is one such crime that falls into this category. In Connecticut, both the state’s attorney for one of the hig...

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• Elevating the Response to Violence

  By Constance Kostelac, PhD, Assistant Professor, Medical College of Wisconsin; Charles Vear, Research Analyst, Medical College of Wisconsin; and Jeffrey B. Norman, Chief of Police, Milwaukee Police Department, Wisconsin
  Differing approaches to addressing violence within a local community are sometimes seen as b...

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• Rethinking Policing in Latin America

  By Camilo Mantilla, Director, International Affairs, Guardian Consulting, and Henry Rodríguez, Senior Adviser, Escuela Superior de Inteligencia de la SSPE, Nuevo León, Mexico
  For decades, Latin American policing has relied heavily on the “mano dura” (iron fist) approach to combat violence and organized crime. This legacy of policing inspired in militarized approaches, ...

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• Advancing Public Trust and Officer Morale

  By Lisa Davis, Chief, Austin Police Department, Texas, and Hanna Senko, Consultant, Owner, Blue Renew
  For today’s police executives, leadership means far more than managing daily operations or tracking crime statistics. Effective leadership demands a strategic vision, an ability to...

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