Jason Potts was sworn in July 11, 2022, as the sixth chief for the city of Las Vegas Department of Public Safety, providing the public with law enforcement and detention services. The department manages the city jail and includes the deputy city marshals (who provide public safety at city parks, trails, our tourist corridor and city facilities), as well as animal protection services. They have implemented a problem-oriented policing team, as well as injected evidence-based decision making into the promotional and operational processes of his department.
Potts has more than 26 years of law enforcement experience. He began his policing career with the Vallejo Police Department in Northern California, where he moved up the ranks to captain and the #2, leading the Operations Bureau, Investigations Bureau and Emergency Services Unit. During his career at the Vallejo Police Department, Potts worked in various capacities, including patrol, crime suppression, investigations, SWAT, field training, internal affairs, the FBI’s Solano County Violent Gang Task Force, and the Oakland Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force. He also is a military reserve special agent with the Coast Guard Investigative Service. Potts earned a master’s degree in Criminology, Law, and Society from the University of California, Irvine. He has a bachelor’s degree in Management from St. Mary’s College in California. He holds a certificate of completion from the Police Executive Research Forum, Senior Management Institute of Police. He is a graduate of the California Peace Officers Standards and Training Command College, Executive Development Course, and is a National Institute of Justice Law Enforcement Advancing Data and Science Program alumni with the U.S. Department of Justice.
An advocate for evidence-based policing, Potts serves on the Executive Board for the American
Society of Evidence-Based Policing, is a member of the Council on Criminal Justice (violent crime working group), is a National Policing Institute fellow as well as Futures Policing Fellow. He has been a strong proponent of officer safety and wellness, data-driven patrol deployments, community engagement, practitioner-led research, innovative practices and technology. In June of 2019, he was recognized nationally at George Mason University (evidence-based policing hall of fame) for his collective efforts in advocating and implementing evidence-based policing — both nationally and in his department.
He owns a consulting company – www.jasonpottsconsulting.com
Presentation
Operationalizing and implementing evidence-based policing (EBP) to modernize law enforcement practices and enhance effectiveness.
Operationalizing and implementing evidence-based policing (EBP) to modernize law enforcement practices and enhance their effectiveness in the U.S. has encountered resistance but there are signs it is gaining momentum. EBP emphasizes the importance of targeting, testing, and tracking interventions to ensure they address specific issues, are rigorously evaluated, and continuously monitored for performance. Practitioner-led research plays a pivotal role in this approach, fostering collaboration between police practitioners and researchers to generate actionable insights, develop capacity, and demonstrate the feasibility of replication.
Key areas of research that underscore the value of EBP and are discussed include deterrence strategies, the use of police lights, and effectiveness of license plate readers. Potts discusses lessons learned attempting to implement and the importance of capacity, alignment, leadership, agency values and politics. Data-driven approaches are essential in this context, enabling precise measurement and analysis of intervention outcomes.
A notable example of practitioner-researcher collaboration discussed is the contagious fire phenomenon among U.S. police while leading an organization. This partnership aimed to understand and mitigate these incidents while potentially informing policy and training.
To implement EBP in a police agency, a need for a comprehensive strategy is discussed. This strategy should include training officers in EBP principles, establishing a dedicated crime analytical unit, institutionalizing deployments based on crime analysts, and fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement. Prioritizing EBP may enhance an agency’s effectiveness, build public trust, and ensure that practices are grounded in scientific evidence. This commitment represents a fundamental shift towards a more strategic, accountable, just, and effective policing model.