WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police and its members remain fully committed to recommending the best training and equipment available for officer safety; and

WHEREAS, each law enforcement agency develops, provides, and maintains officer safety training for their personnel; and

WHEREAS, every law enforcement agency has specific responsibilities to its citizens; thus geography, population, and economy are contributing factors to the techniques that each agency uses to provide such services; and

WHEREAS, the duties of law enforcement personnel involve an inherent danger; it cannot be determined when danger will arise requiring the need for cover and concealment; and

WHEREAS, law enforcement personnel have duties that range from providing medical assistance to apprehending violent felons, often during exigent circumstances, and officers must have discretion in adapting to these circumstances; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED that the State & Provincial Division of the International Association of Chiefs of Police urges the U.S. Department of Transportation to modify the recently promulgated, highway worker visibility regulations to provide more flexibility so each law enforcement agency can establish policies to best reduce the risk to officers and meet the individual needs of their agency, and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that all law enforcement officers are encouraged to use high-visibility vests to protect themselves, in accordance with the policy of their agency and respecting the potential for felonious assaults.

Submitted by: Division of State and Provincial Police

S&P.034.a07