James Abel on LinkedIn: Was honored and excited to join some of my fellow colleagues and coworkers… (2024)

I’m part of an advisory council for the newly formed nonprofit, theInvestigative Project on Race and Equity, that launched today with the publication of its inaugural investigation, the first in a series, with WBEZ Chicago that documents traffic stops, one of the most insidious forms of racial profiling. I encourage you to read and share this important report.In 2003, Illinois passed a measure sponsored by then-state Sen. Barack Obama to gather details of every police stop in the state, including the driver’s race or ethnicity. On the 20th anniversary of that law’s passage, the Investigative Project and WBEZ assembled and analyzed 42.5 million records of traffic stop data that were collected under the law, covering more than 1,000 jurisdictions across Illinois.Among the findings:- The racial gap is widening.In the last two years, stops involving Black drivers have topped 30.5% of all traffic stops statewide, up from 17.5% in 2004, the first year data was released. The state’s adult population is 13.6% Black.- The problem is statewide.In Chicago, stops of Black drivers in 2022 were more than four times that of white drivers, even though the city has a larger white adult population. In the rest of the state, Black drivers make up 9.5% of the adult population but 21.5% of all traffic stops outside of Chicago.- Police increasingly fail to comply with the law.Last year, 1 in 5 law enforcement agencies failed to submit their traffic stop data as required by the law. Some missed the state’s deadline or submitted incomplete data.- Efforts to strengthen the law have failed.The oversight board established by the Illinois General Assembly to monitor data collection and recommend improvements, at one point, went seven years without meeting. Today, the board has vacant seats and often lacks a quorum to take action.#nonprofitnews#journalism#investigativereporting

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Prioritizing wellness isn’t just important; it’s essential, especially in law enforcement. Taking care of our mental and physical health isn’t a luxury; it’s a duty to ourselves and our communities. Let’s break the stigma, support each other, and make wellness a priority. #WellnessMatters #WalnutCreekPDIf you are seeking a department whose leadership prioritizes you and your wellness, please reach out to me.

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Engaging Police and Community can be a tricky task. Often times our community are upset with law enforcement because we often times feel unfairly treated and we are just tired of not receiving what we consider equal treatment.In MANY of my trainings, some law enforcement officers seem totally oblivious to the anger, honestly, some just don't really care or want to understand, and often times their in ability to empathize with our community leads to a greater divide.I have the great pleasure of understanding both sides of the divide and have a unique ability to assemble facts, data, statistics, case studies, real life scenarios, role plays, FBI data, historical data, a keen sense of discernment, a high ability to listen, and just some good ole common sense, ... mix that with good humor and the fact that I aint takin NO SIDES, leaves the audiences fully engaged.One Black guy said, "You know, I didn't want to like you... I wanted to shut you down, but you presented facts in a way that I've never heard, I just kept listening"... in one training, an officer said, "I really appreciate how you delivered this message... I realize I do have implicit bias and you humanized your community in a way that made me realize I have to do better."Both guys thought they were giving me a compliment. I just listened and if they learned something to make them more effective then my job was done!Louisa... It was great having one of Illinois' Greatest State Attorney's in the room with me... this isn't easy work, but highly necessary.

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This is the first in a series from Black Girl in the CLE examining Cleveland’s Vision Zero action plan analyzing streets in dire need of improvements and structural changes to reduce traffic crashes, injuries and deaths.https://lnkd.in/e5A7u4Tx

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Exciting #partnership as we #team up with FDLE as they lead the way in creating a #safer, more #secure #Florida...and as a major entry point to all things US, a safer #nation. Want to know more, join us in a conversation. Haystax #CriticalInfrastructure #PublicSafety #EmergencyManagement #HomelandSecurity #SchoolSafety #CommunitySafety #CommunityResilience

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spread the word please

What could be the fate of the claim of Alves, if he had filed the case in Ohio's US District Court, especially when there is a forum selection clause in the terms of use of the website?If Alves had filed his claim in Ohio, whether the District Court at Ohio could legally interpret the provisions of privacy laws of Massachusetts, on the basis of which the claim was filed in District Court located in Massachusetts?When a Massachusetts statute was the basis of claim of the plaintiff, and, prima facia, Goodyear has violated the said statute, then should it not be appropriate to try the case instead of dismissing the same summarily?

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Battling the fentanyl crisis and confronting organized retail crime: Discover how King County is taking proactive steps to address these pressing issues. Learn more about the multifaceted approach and collaborative efforts driving change.https://lnkd.in/giYnZX4m

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Operation Sandblast was just the second (after Operation April Fools) multi-agency initiative to take out foreign nationals inside our country preying on low income EBT recipients. #Skimmers are a low-tech fraud scheme that has been around for over 20 years - perfected by Romanians in California in the late 90s. This is one side of the issue plaguing #SNAP and #TANF recipients. Fraudsters drain their EBT cards after capturing info with their skimmer devices. Operation Sandblast even recovered skimmers with chip-reading technology. (So much for "chips on cards will fix this"!)The hi-tech version is #AccountTakeOver in which fraudsters (from the comfort of their lounge chairs overseas) script bot-attacks using common PIN numbers to EBT vendor portals. Third party apps meant to help provide #EBT info at their fingertips are but one tool used. They also use spoofed Point-of-Sale devices to send the balance inquiries - cards and #PINs that match are drained from another hacked POS device (meant to look like a Big Box store to avoid #FNS scrutiny).The primary victims here are real needy and hungry recipients who depend on #TANF cash assistance and #SNAP food assistance - both loaded on the same EBT card. The second victim are the taxpayers funding these programs despite the antiquated technologies and program rules. Finally, public confidence and trust in government administration is lost. And with that, the programs face cutbacks and restrictions.Thank you Secret Service for tackling this problem you inherited.

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Courage, competence, commitment, compassion, integrity, restraint, and respect are values that guide the members of the Arlington County Police Department. Jason M. Palamara and I are grateful to David Giroux, Deputy Chief of Police Commander, Office of Wellness and Safety, who shared the importance of his core value – to keep LEOs mentally safe and well. Core values are guiding principles related to beliefs and practices that rarely change. Values can energize and influence overall behavior. If you are an officer who is struggling with moral injury, these questions sketch out ideas about your values: ·What do your core values (e.g., hard work) mean to you?·What evidence do you have that you are living your values (e.g., commitment, bravery) as they do their job?·Do you share the same values (e.g., loyalty) as your personal heroes?·What highest priority in life drives your behavior at home and at work?·Are your core values (e.g., citizenship, influence, contribution) in line with your department?As you clarify your values for the new year and ask yourself insightful questions, focus on what is most important to you in life.#suicideprevention #lawenforcementtraining #vicarioustrauma #compassionfatigue #lawenforcementofficer

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