Presidential Roundtable: Discussing Armed Versus Unarmed Officers

SESSION INFO

Tuesday, August 30, 2022
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Session Type: Workshop

Probation and parole departments across the country are faced with many tough decisions. One debatable and recurring topic of discussion is about whether officers should carry firearms while at work. In some jurisdictions, officers are expected to carry weapons; in others, officers have a choice whether or not to carry; and then there are agencies that do not allow officers to carry while at work. During this sit-down conversation, chiefs, probation and parole staff, and individuals on supervision will talk about the pros and cons of arming staff.

SESSION PRESENTERS

Dr. Brian Lovins
Principal, Justice System Partners


Dr. Lovins earned his PhD in Criminology from the University of Cincinnati. He is currently president-elect for the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA). Prior to JSP, Dr. Lovins worked for Harris County CSCD as the assistant director. He was tasked with developing and implementing agency wide change plans to drive increased successful completion rates. In addition, he was the associate director for the University of Cincinnati's Corrections Institute— the School of Criminal Justice's training and research department. He has developed a state-wide juvenile risk assessment (Ohio Youth Assessment System: OYAS) and adult risk assessment (Ohio Risk Assessment System: ORAS), as well as validation of a series of pretrial risk assessments. Dr. Lovins has been invited to present to over 200 agencies and routinely delivers trainings on the principles of effective intervention, risk assessment, and the delivery of cognitive-behavioral interventions.