Wichita State University Midwest Criminal Justice Institute was awarded an additional $1.3 million from the U.S. Department of Justice to fund Crime Gun Intelligence Training and Education.

This award will supplement a previous award of $1.3 million to create a national model for advancing gun crime tactics and strategy for current and future generations of modern violent crime fighters, in conjunction with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

“Wichita State’s partnership with the Department of Justice and the ATF is helping put Kansas on the map as a hub for digital transformation in the criminal justice field,” said Senator Jerry Moran. “This funding, paired with the applied learning opportunities available at Wichita State, will help train and equip the current and future generations of criminal justice professionals both in the state and around the nation.”

Moran’s support of the resources available at Wichita State has been pivotal in the growth of its criminal justice R&D activity.

This line of funding from the Department of Justice allows Wichita State to create new curriculum and enhance existing efforts for students and law enforcement, specifically focused on preparing them to address violent crime through the development and use of crime gun intelligence and other emerging investigative technologies. It will also serve Wichita State efforts to partner with universities and law enforcement agencies across the nation.

“Wichita State University is eager to take the leadership role to assist in developing new strategies and leveraging emerging technologies to prepare the next generation of law enforcement to address pressing violent gun crime issues,” said Kristin Brewer, executive director of the Midwest Criminal Justice Institute.

This new curriculum will provide Wichita State students with knowledge of and experience using the most advanced techniques in the collection, processing and investigative use of crime gun intelligence as part of a holistic violent crime reduction strategy.

“This announcement is exciting for Wichita State University and our Criminal Justice and Forensic Science students,” said Brewer. “Enhancing WSU applied learning and research capabilities will give students and practitioners unique access to innovative crime gun intelligence strategies.”

The award is the result of strong partnerships with the ATF, Department of Justice and Bureau of Justice Assistance, in addition to Wichita State’s historically successfully Criminal Justice and Forensic Science departments and its reputation for applied learning.

The partnership supports Wichita State’s priorities to fuel the talent pipeline in the region and diversify and boost the state’s economy through innovative education. It serves as a national model of support to law enforcement agencies across the U.S. and provides unique applied learning opportunities for students, including teaching them to process evidence and generate intelligence, as well as the cutting-edge investigative processes now seen in the criminal justice field.  

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