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Training and Administrative Support to the Interstate Firearms Trafficking Compact, Final Report

NCJ Number
203172
Date Published
2003
Length
754 pages
Annotation
This document provides the final report for the training curriculum package of the Guns First: Training for Law Enforcement, the revised curriculum--National Guns First, a curriculum assessment, and an update and supplement developed and conducted by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF).
Abstract
In 1995, the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) received funds from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, under the Training and Administrative Support to the Interstate Firearms Trafficking Compact to develop a train-the-trainers curriculum on illegal firearms reduction strategies, entitled Guns First: Training for Law Enforcement. The training curriculum and related materials were designed to inform and educate State and local law enforcement officers on existing Federal and State firearms laws, improve the investigation of firearms-related offenses, and sensitize trainers to the value of gathering and sharing information that will assist them in the interdiction of illicit firearms. The delivery of the program began with the original 14 East Coast signatory States of the Compact. The format of the program is divided into five modules: introduction, Federal law, State law, investigations, and tracing. In 1997, through additional funds, PERF expanded the Guns First project which continued the train-the-trainers format with a modular approach allowing the training to be tailored to the needs of the particular audience. The curriculum was entitled National Guns First. PERF was funded to provide approximately 50 train-the-trainers programs, and they actually completed 69 programs in 42 States. PERF designed and conducted a two-phase project assessment to identify and operationalize key program goals as they related to both the original and extended program. The first phase of the assessment sought to measure the program format, program content, materials, and delivery, and the program impact on collaboration. The second phase of the assessment attempted to determine the impact of the training objectives which included: program format and dissemination, program impacts, and future training. The assessment indicates that while the train-the-trainers format was considered appropriate for this type of training, sentiments were relayed that the format was actually not a very effective method of disseminating the training material. A major reason cited for format ineffectiveness was that initial training participants were not responsible for department training. It is recommended that more stringent regulations over who may attend the training be considered by State and local law enforcement agencies. This report includes the original Guns First training curriculum and the expanded National Guns First training curriculum instructor’s guides, as well as the project assessment and the 2003 Update and Supplement to the National Guns First Training Program. The Update and Supplement provide a general review of the field’s innovations as related to each module and additional information, such as a review of common State laws, updated tracing procedures, new versions of the trace forms, and other resources useful to law enforcement officers. Slide presentation and appendices