WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 17, 2023) – The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) today announced the winners of the prestigious Destination Zero National Officer Safety and Wellness Awards, which highlight best-practice, agency-level achievements in the areas of officer safety and wellness.
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, whose mission is to honor the fallen, tell the story of American law enforcement, and make it safer for those who serve, launched Destination Zero in 2014 with the goal of identifying agencies who conduct unique and innovative programs aimed at reducing risk factors for line-of-duty deaths, and to share the design and outcomes of these programs with the national law enforcement community. Agencies with successful programs are asked to submit details of their initiatives and be considered for a national officer safety and wellness award.
Awards are presented in the following five categories:
- General Officer Safety: Programs that directly affect officers’ physical safety while performing their jobs.
- Officer Traffic Safety: Initiatives designed to reduce automobile crashes and limit the risk factors of operating a motor vehicle or managing traffic. Programs that increase seatbelt use, limited distractions, or reduce driving speeds are also included in this category.
- Officer Wellness: Fitness programs, mental health programs and initiatives, such as peer support groups and nutrition.
- Comprehensive Wellness: Robust approaches to holistic wellness and resilience programs.
- Comprehensive Safety: Programs that demonstrate the most comprehensive approach and implementation of well-rounded safety efforts.
Following months of review and evaluation of the submitted programs, five finalist agencies were selected by a diverse committee of experts representing federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to carefully consider each finalist program and ultimately select the award recipients for each of the five categories.
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund proudly announces the following 2023 National Officer Safety and Wellness Award winners:
- General Officer Safety: Lafayette (IN) Police Department
- Officer Traffic Safety: Chesterfield County (VA) Police Department
- Officer Wellness: McHenry County (IL) Conservation District Police Department
- Comprehensive Wellness: Irving (TX) Police Department
- Comprehensive Safety: Gloucester Township (NJ) Police Department
The awards, sponsored by Verizon, will be formally presented to the winners at the National Law Enforcement Museum in Washington, DC, during the organization’s Annual Awards Ceremony and Reception and Police Weekend events in late September.
“It is extremely important to highlight agency-level achievements in the areas of officer safety and wellness, while recognizing agencies that demonstrate creativity and innovation within their departments all across the country, all of which aid the goal of reducing line-of-duty injuries or deaths,” said Troy Anderson, Executive Director of Officer Safety and Wellness at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. “We congratulate our 2023 National Officer Safety and Wellness Award winners for their outstanding programs in their respective categories.”
Law enforcement agencies are encouraged to submit details about their successful safety and wellness programs by applying for the annual 2024 Officer Safety and Wellness Awards through an online application process at nleomf.org.
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About the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund
Established in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring the fallen, telling the story of American law enforcement, and making it safer for those who serve. The first pillar of this mission, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., honors the names of all of the 23,785 officers who have died in the line of duty to date throughout U.S. history. Additionally, NLEOMF maintains and publishes comprehensive details on the circumstances surrounding official line-of-duty deaths. The Officer Safety and Wellness pillar uses that data, coupled with best-practice program models, to produce programming directed at solutions to improve survivability and enhance wellness. NLEOMF’s third pillar, the National Law Enforcement Museum (LawEnforcementMuseum.org) is committed to preserving the history of American law enforcement and sharing the experiences of service and sacrifice for generations to come.
