The Weekly Briefing 🇺🇸
Mass Shootings Leave Clues
A new study published in The Trace examining more than 150,000 pages of police records, court transcripts, and after-action reports found that nearly half of mass shooting perpetrators discussed killing others before their attacks — and that most people who encountered those warnings failed to report them. Researcher Jaclyn Schildkraut of the Rockefeller Institute of Government found that perpetrators most commonly leaked their intentions through Facebook and Instagram — not the dark web — and often simply told people directly in conversation. Nearly two-thirds had prior contact with law enforcement, representing missed intervention opportunities. Schildkraut, whose team actually averted a shooting by reporting a Reddit post to the FBI during the study, says mass shootings are both preventable and predictable — if people act on what they see. Her recommendation: report credible threats to the FBI tip line or local law enforcement, document everything, and don’t assume someone else will handle it. “I would rather err on the side of caution and be wrong than say nothing and be right,” she said. 🔗 More here
Teen Takeovers Test Police
Large gatherings of teenagers organized through social media — dubbed “teen takeovers” — are prompting police responses across the country ahead of summer, with incidents reported in Chicago, Washington D.C., Tampa, and Clearwater, Florida, according to Good Morning America. In Clearwater, a gathering that grew to over 500 teens ended with a 17-year-old shot; Tampa police arrested 22 young people at a similar event in May on charges including weapons possession and narcotics. Washington D.C. has established juvenile curfew zones citywide since July 2025, while federal prosecutors there have pushed to hold parents accountable. Police departments are pairing enforcement with alternatives — Tampa launched “Takeover with a Purpose” events and Midnight Basketball programs, while Chicago nonprofits are hosting conversations with teens about why they attend and how to keep gatherings safe. Clearwater police have identified 11 such events this year alone and are increasing beach staffing on weekends with county sheriff support. 🏁 More here
Drones Ready to Respond
Cocaine Surges Ahead of World Cup
Kansas City police recorded a 200% spike in cocaine seizures in 2025 — and officials say they were warned to expect it, according to KCUR. Law enforcement was told ahead of the World Cup to anticipate a significant influx of narcotics, particularly cocaine, with one recent bust netting nearly 400 pounds headed toward the Kansas City area. Officers from 11 states will supplement KCPD’s 1,200-member force during the tournament. The surge mirrors global trends — the UN’s 2025 World Drug Report found cocaine users worldwide jumped from 17 million to 25 million between 2013 and 2023, driven in part by a resurgence in coca cultivation following Colombia’s decision to halt a U.S.-backed fumigation program. A study in England found cocaine use spikes significantly during World Cup matches. ⚽️ More here
Swatting Schools: New Threat
A wave of AI-generated bomb threat calls hit seven Vermont schools simultaneously Wednesday — all using the same script, the same voice, and sent in bulk from what investigators suspect is a single automated source, possibly overseas, according to VTDigger. The calls forced evacuations across four cities, displaced thousands of students, and consumed significant law enforcement resources before police cleared all buildings. It is the latest example of a growing national threat: researchers tracked 728 school swatting incidents across the country in the 2023-24 school year alone. Vermont’s Public Safety Commissioner called it “a really low level type of domestic terrorism” — candid about the challenge of stopping it: “Many of these cases are done in bulk and volume, automated processes that are very easy to mask, and frequently, when you think you’ve found an IP address, it’s in another country.” With AI making these calls cheaper, faster, and harder to trace, officials warn the tactic is unlikely to disappear — and schools are left absorbing the disruption with no clear way to prevent it. 📚 More here
Armed Police: No Rise in Shootings
A peer-reviewed study published in Police Quarterly examining 50 years of officer-involved shootings in Australia found that requiring officers to routinely carry firearms did not lead to an increase in shootings — and in fact was associated with declining rates in both states studied. Researchers analyzed 581 shooting incidents across New South Wales and Victoria from 1970 to 2020, using rigorous statistical modeling to compare what actually happened after routine arming policies were introduced in 1991 and 1993 against what would likely have occurred without those policies. In Victoria, shootings declined an estimated 63% relative to the projected counterfactual following the policy change. The authors caution that the policy changes did not occur in isolation — both states simultaneously implemented enhanced use-of-force training and de-escalation protocols — and that organizational culture, training, and accountability structures appear to shape shooting outcomes at least as much as firearm availability alone. The findings directly counter the assumption that increasing firearm access for police inevitably leads to more people being shot. 🇦🇺 More here
Iran's One-Man Terror Network
A 32-year-old Iraqi man who pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan federal court last week appears to have been the single architect behind 18 coordinated attacks on Jewish communities across Europe between March and April 2026, according to The Guardian. Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, a militia operative with deep ties to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, allegedly ran the campaign from an office in Baghdad — directing attacks on synagogues, Jewish schools, and a Jewish charity’s ambulances in north London through encrypted messaging apps while claiming responsibility under a fictitious organization called HAYI. Court documents show al-Saadi had met with Iran’s then-Supreme Leader Khamenei in January before the campaign began, and was arrested in Istanbul after unknowingly communicating with an undercover FBI agent about potential attacks in the United States, including a discussed plot targeting Ivanka Trump. Dozens of low-level recruits — many of them minors offered as little as €300 — now face lengthy prison terms across the UK, France, and Belgium, largely unaware they were pawns in an Iranian proxy operation. No attacks have occurred since al-Saadi’s arrest. 🇮🇷 More here
Arrested for ISIS Support
Three U.S. citizens — from Kansas and California — were arrested Friday on charges of conspiring to provide material support to ISIS following a 16-month FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force investigation, according to NBC News. The three allegedly provided more than $2,000 combined to a person they believed was an ISIS member to purchase drones intended to kill U.S. service members overseas, and communicated via Discord and other platforms pledging allegiance to ISIS and its leader. One defendant allegedly had his name written on a rocket-propelled grenade purportedly intended for an overseas attack targeting American troops. All three also expressed a desire to travel abroad to fight for ISIS. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the arrests demonstrate the government’s commitment to “taking down terrorist networks — anywhere.” 🔗 More here
Jiu-Jitsu Joins Toolkit
Following officer-involved fatalities involving people in mental health crises, Louisville and surrounding Indiana law enforcement agencies are spotlighting jiu-jitsu as a less-lethal tool for managing dangerous confrontations, according to WHAS11. LMPD Chief Paul Humphrey’s department has incorporated jiu-jitsu into its basic recruit curriculum, annual in-service training, and subsidizes off-duty training at approved gyms — calling it part of a “well-rounded program for controlling behavior.” Floyd County Sheriff’s Department in Indiana takes a similar approach. Lt. Noah Pollert, a practitioner himself, said the discipline allows officers to safely control subjects much larger than themselves — calling it “a long-term investment in your job, your family, the community you work for and serve, and your coworkers.” Indiana mandates just four hours of hands-on defensive tactics training annually — a threshold Pollert called far from sufficient. 🥋 More here
Elections: Police Always on Duty
As threats against election officials have grown, local law enforcement has become an increasingly essential and year-round partner in securing the democratic process, according to NPR. A Brennan Center survey found that 32% of election officials have experienced threats, harassment, or abuse because of their jobs, and 89% plan to coordinate with at least one other agency ahead of the 2026 midterms. Green Bay Police Chief Chris Davis described a significant shift — election planning now occupies his department year-round, including educating officers on election laws and potential flashpoints like voter eligibility challenges at polling sites. Officials credit extensive tabletop exercises and law enforcement coordination with keeping the 2024 election cycle — which saw a record number of bomb threats — running smoothly despite the elevated threat environment. At the same time, experts caution that a visible police presence at polling sites can inadvertently intimidate voters, urging departments to maintain a “light touch” where ballots are being cast while focusing security resources on ballot tabulation centers, which have increasingly become targets of protest and disruption. 🗳️ More here
🎙️ New Pod This Week!
This week’s guest is Miami Beach Police Chief Wayne Jones — and it’s a wide-ranging conversation. Chief Jones discusses how his department became nationally recognized for its innovative approach to homelessness, the critical importance of human trafficking and sex trafficking enforcement, and how technology is being used to keep a city safe when hundreds of thousands of visitors descend for events like Spring Break on South Beach. Along the way, the conversation takes a turn — including a discussion about the murder of Gianni Versace. Available this week wherever you listen to podcasts.
Minneapolis Names Interim Chief
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has appointed Bill Peterson, a 30-plus-year department veteran and current First Precinct inspector, as interim police chief following the resignation of Brian O’Hara, according to MPR News. Peterson, who has led emergency response to major incidents and implemented officer training throughout his career, said his focus will be on bringing stability during the transition. He said he does not intend to apply for the permanent position. Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette said the search for a permanent chief is expected to take about six months, with internal candidates considered. The Police Officers Federation praised Peterson as widely respected by rank-and-file officers, while some community advocates expressed skepticism that an internal candidate can deliver the cultural change the department needs. 🔗 More here
New Border Patrol Chief Named
Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott has appointed Rosario “Pete” Vasquez as the new chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, following the retirement of Mike Banks, according to The Texan. Vasquez brings more than 26 years of Border Patrol experience to the role. Banks, who had led the agency since the start of Trump’s second term after previously serving as Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s border czar for Operation Lone Star, told Fox News it was simply “time” to retire after 37 years, saying he felt he had “gotten the ship back on course.” The appointment comes as DHS itself is under new leadership — Secretary Markwayne Mullin replaced Kristi Noem following a $220 million no-bid advertising contract scandal. 🔗 More here
Pursuit Sparks Policy Debate
Arkansas State Police are defending their vehicle pursuit policies after a high-speed chase ended May 24 with a rollover crash that ejected an unrestrained 4-month-old from a fleeing SUV, according to KATV. The driver, 28-year-old Tyrice Fletcher, fled a traffic stop at speeds exceeding 100 mph before losing control and crashing, with four children under age 6 inside the vehicle. All four were treated for minor injuries. Fletcher faces a lengthy list of charges including felony fleeing, weapons possession, drug charges, and four counts of endangering the welfare of a minor. State Police Col. Mike Hagar placed responsibility squarely on the driver: “As a father, I cannot fathom a parent making the decision to drive recklessly, much less flee from law enforcement, with their children in the vehicle.” The incident adds to a national debate over pursuit policies, particularly when chases originate from nonviolent traffic stops and endanger innocent passengers. 🔗 More here