The Weekly Briefing
Curated news and insight for police leaders, technologists and researchers
In This Issue
Embassy staffers slain in D.C. hate‑crime shooting
Violent crime, murders fall nationwide
San Jose homicide unit posts 100 % clearance 3 years running
San Francisco police drones track stolen cars in real time
Trauma‑informed interviewing clears 15 % more rape cases
Officers increasingly seek mental‑health care since 2020 protests
Stolen iPhones tracked back to China
Wichita maps gun crime by place
Charlotte chief Johnny Jennings walks a tightrope
DOJ set to drop Minneapolis & Louisville policing suits
Hundreds of thousands of U.S. guns arm Mexican cartels
SC deputy killed in on‑duty vehicle crash
Embassy Staffers Slain in D.C. Hate‑Crime Shooting — Associated Press
Two Israeli Embassy employees were fatally shot outside the Capital Jewish Museum after a cultural event. The Metropolitan Police Department and FBI say the attack is being investigated as a targeted hate crime under federal statutes.
🔗 AP
Violent Crime at 55‑Year Low, Murders Fall Nationwide — Vox Good‑News Newsletter
Baltimore homicides are down 38 % year‑to‑date, and preliminary FBI data show murders down roughly 15 % nationwide in the first quarter of 2025. Major cities including Chicago, New York and Los Angeles are also reporting double‑digit declines compared with the same period last year.
🔗 Vox
SJPD’s Homicide Unit Hits 100 % Clearance — NBC Bay Area
San Jose detectives have cleared every homicide for three straight years—86 cases—through rapid digital‑evidence processing, 24‑hour case‑launch huddles and consistent family‑update calls. The unit’s clearance rate has remained above 90 % since 2021, far exceeding the national average of about 52 %.
🔗 NBC Bay Area
Drones Track Stolen Cars in San Francisco — CBS News
SFPD’s drone‑as‑first‑responder program located 18 stolen vehicles in its first month, cutting pursuit times and reducing risk. The quadcopters—launched from the southern district station—reached most scenes in under two minutes, feeding live video to patrol units.
🔗 CBS News
Trauma‑Informed Interviewing Boosts Rape‑Case Clears — Cambridge J EBP
Queensland investigators who completed the two‑week course cleared 15 % more sexual‑assault cases and recorded fewer victim withdrawals, with benefits persisting four years. Average investigation time dropped from 154 to 108 days for trained detectives.
🔗 Study
Stolen iPhones Tracked Back to China — ABC Philadelphia
Officers Seek More Mental‑Health Care Post‑Protests — NPR
Seattle, Atlanta and Miami PDs report 30–50 % increases in peer‑support referrals since 2020, alongside a 12 % drop in stress‑related sick leave. Wait times to see a counselor have fallen from six weeks to as little as 48 hours thanks to expanded tele‑mental‑health contracts.
🔗 NPR
Wichita Maps Gun Crime by Place — KMUW
Risk‑terrain modeling identified 62 micro‑hotspots in Wichita, guiding lighting upgrades and targeted patrols that reduced shootings 25 % in three months. The analysis relies solely on environmental risk factors—vacant lots, liquor outlets, poor lighting—without using demographic data.
🔗 KMUW
Charlotte’s Chief Jennings Walks a Tightrope — The Assembly NC
Chief Johnny Jennings, who has announced his retirement, has cut shootings 19 % since 2020 but now faces social‑media criticism, staffing shortages and a pending FOP no‑confidence vote. City council members are debating an expanded oversight board ahead of public hearings later this summer.
🔗 The Assembly
DOJ to Drop Minneapolis & Louisville Civil‑Rights Suits — Wall Street Journal
The Justice Department plans to end pattern‑or‑practice lawsuits against both cities, leaving ongoing reforms to local consent‑decree structures. Officials cited litigation costs and progress already made under state agreements.
🔗 WSJ
U.S.‑Sourced Guns Fuel Mexican Cartel Violence — The Conversation
Researchers estimate 190k–240k firearms bought in U.S. stores reach Mexican cartels each year, intensifying violence and migration pressures. Many assault rifles traced in Mexico were straw‑purchased in Texas and Arizona before crossing the Sonora and Chihuahua borders.
🔗 The Conversation
Deputy Nathaniel Ansay Dies in Line‑of‑Duty Crash — Officer Down Memorial Page
Florence County (SC) Deputy Nathaniel Ansay, 24, was killed May 20 when his patrol unit collided head‑on with an SUV. Deputy Ansay had served with the sheriff’s office for two years and is survived by his fiancée.
🔗 ODMP
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