Officer safety has always been an issue of paramount importance for the IACP. As police leaders, the IACP membership understands the threats and dangers encountered by officers on a daily basis and the need to provide all possible information, awareness, and training to give officers an advantage when these situations arise. For these reasons, in 2002, the IACP Division of State Associations of Chiefs of Police (SACOP) created the SafeShield initiative.

Dedicated to protecting our nation’s law enforcement officers, the SafeShield Committee is made up of devoted IACP/SACOP members who are committed to officer safety. It is the belief of SafeShield that although police chiefs have limited control over dangerous situations an officer may face in the line of duty, they can control the outcomes through comprehensive planning, awareness, and the use of protective equipment.

In 2006, the IACP membership adopted a SACOP resolution, “A Vision for Officer Safety”, which embraced the philosophy of the SafeShield initiative and the vital role that police chiefs must play. The resolution states that law enforcement leadership must set the tone to create an environment in which officer safety is the top priority of every department, and although no one can control the dangerous situations that officers face in the line of duty, we can control how officers are prepared to face these situations through policies, training, equipment, and uniforms.

Resolutions

• Mandatory Vest Use by Police Officers (2011) – A call on all law enforcement executives to immediately develop and implement a mandatory body armor wear policy for their department.
• Mandatory Seat Belt Use by Police Officers (2011) – A call on all law enforcement executives to immediately develop and implement a mandatory seat belt use policy for their department.