Early in my term as president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the law enforcement community was shaken by a series of unprovoked, violent attacks against U.S. police officers. In Nov. 2016, four officers in three states were victims of unprovoked, ambush-style attacks, all within a 24-hour period.
The violence has not abated, nor is it limited to the U.S. This year—as in years past—dozens of officers have lost their lives to gunfire or other violent acts in the line of duty both here and abroad. This August, six officers were shot on the same night in three different cities (in Florida and Pennsylvania) leaving two officers dead. In July, NYPD Detective Miosotis Familia was ambushed while sitting in a mobile command post vehicle. French police officer Xavier Jugele was shot sitting in a police van on the Champs Elysees. These are but a few examples of many.
Between 2006 and 2015 nearly 500 officers have been feloniously killed, according to the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division. The most common circumstances are ambushes, unprovoked attacks and arrest situations.
Equally troubling are violent assaults on officers that do not result in death. The FBI’s LEOKA program reported more than 50,000 officers were feloniously assaulted in 2015, with nearly one-third sustaining injuries. This is an astonishing rate—one out of 15 officers will be a victim with well more than 100 daily assaults on officers. Violence against police occurs in big cities and small towns across the globe. From a knife-wielding attack near Buckingham Palace, to a vehicular assault in Goose Creek, S.C., officers face potential danger every time they step out on patrol.
While there are no easy solutions, IACP is doing what it can to provide leaders with resources to help safeguard their officers.
IACP task force
Earlier this year, IACP established a task force of committed law enforcement executives to explore the issue of violence against the police and make concrete recommendations to prevent further tragedies.
The task force convened at IACP headquarters in January 2017. The group’s discussion quickly focused on the perspective of patrol officers. What are their safety concerns? What keeps them awake at night? What are their safety needs relative to violence against the police? What training, resources, guidance or knowledge should be provided by their departments to best ensure their safety on the street?
Recognizing that the best way to answer these questions and truly be responsive to the needs of officers is to hear directly from them, IACP hosted a series of focus groups with line officers, mid-rank officers, and community members to provide input and guidance on these issues. Their feedback is interesting and sobering.
The perspective of line and mid-rank officers
Officers are greatly concerned and rightly so. As the most visible and accessible representatives of government, police are frequently and—sadly—often targets of attack.
Officers participating in IACP focus groups expressed a sense that violence against the police is increasing. Officer hesitation, de-policing and an erosion of public respect for police were also key themes. These results echo findings from a Pew Research Center report released in January, which found 93 percent of officers surveyed have become more concerned about their safety. The same report noted nearly three quarters (72 percent) of officers have become less willing to stop and question people who seem suspicious.
Other key themes surfaced by officers include but were not limited to:
Policy: Some participants noted that policies and procedures—particularly those related to use of force—seem to change in response to incidents that have occurred around the U.S., thereby creating confusion among officers. Further, in some cases use of force policies exceed established case law.
Legal/Judicial System: In some instances, participants voiced concern over the criminal justice system’s inability to keep violent offenders incarcerated. Some participants also noted that whether real or perceived, there was the perception that sometimes local prosecutors were unwilling to litigate cases, opting instead for plea deals resulting in the early release of often violent offenders.
Media: Officers often expressed frustration with both social and traditional mass media, perceiving these media as often overly critical of law enforcement. Negative, premature and often false narratives associated with police amplified by the media further erodes respect for police and threatens officer safety.
Training: Participants expressed a need for departments to invest in more job-relevant and scenario-based training delivered on a frequent basis. Participants also stated officers would benefit from debriefs after critical incidents to assist in learning from past experience.
Departmental Support: Some participants expressed frustration with departmental senior leadership who they perceived, whether real or not, to be at times politicized and seemingly eager to prioritize public opinion over officer support following a justified used of force incident. Participants stated this perceived lack of support has resulted in increased hesitancy to engage in proactive policing, or to act decisively and authoritatively when confronting criminal behavior.
It’s important for officers to know that their leaders support them and that they understand officer fears and concerns relative to safety and preparedness. Police leaders should take a moment to evaluate how their departments are responding to these concerns and the extent to which the department supports and encourages officers, both in words and in action.
Resources for chiefs and their officers
Under the auspices of the task force, IACP has developed a series of new and updated resources addressing the topic of violence against the police.
Preventing Line of Duty Deaths: A Chief’s Duty – This newly updated publication identifies key considerations for improving officer safety and preventing line of duty deaths. This agency self-assessment tool is designed to help law enforcement leaders proactively evaluate their efforts to address officer safety concerns and identify areas for improvement.
Monthly Line of Duty Death Report – IACP is committed to honoring fallen law enforcement officers while also raising awareness about line of duty deaths through analysis of related trends and causal factors. To that end, IACP worked with ODMP to revise the Monthly Line of Duty Death report into a succinct reader-friendly format suitable for ready room display and discussion.
Ambushes – IACP is working with research partners at the University of Cincinnati to analyze officer ambush incidents over the past several years, focusing on individual and situational characteristics.
These and other related resources can be found on the IACP’s Center for Officer Safety and Wellness at www.theIACP.org/cosw.
The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) is a professional association for law enforcement worldwide. For more than 120 years, the IACP has been launching internationally acclaimed programs, speaking on behalf of law enforcement, conducting groundbreaking research, and providing exemplary programs and services to members across the globe.
Today, the IACP continues to be recognized as a leader in these areas. By maximizing the collective efforts of the membership, IACP actively supports law enforcement through advocacy, outreach, education, and programs.
Through ongoing strategic partnerships across the public safety spectrum, the IACP provides members with resources and support in all aspects of law enforcement policy and operations. These tools help members perform their jobs effectively, efficiently, and safely while also educating the public on the role of law enforcement to help build sustainable community relations.
www.theIACP.org
