Tactical Safety
The IACP offers the below resources and considerations regarding tactical safety of officers in the field.
This poster provides a comprehensive check-list of considerations that may potentially expose an officer to serious injury or an attack by a perpetrator. Perfect for your roll call or ready room, it covers a wide array of potential vulnerabilities, such as physical, mental, and situational circumstances that every officer should be aware of. Whether an officer is simply checking his vest or is making a traffic stop, this poster highlights the importance of always remaining vigilant, whether an officer is on or off-duty. Request a poster today by contacting the IACP Officer Safety Team. For a complete list of citations please visit: http://www.theiacp.org/fitforduty
Vests Save Lives Poster. Officers are aware that body armor can provide a degree of protection against violent attacks, yet many officers still refuse to wear it. Many feel vests are uncomfortable and hot in the warmer months. The IACP's Vests Save Lives campaign is geared at reminding officers of the importance of wearing soft body armor, making them realize that the benefits far outweigh any perceived negatives. Request a poster today by contacting the IACP Officer Safety Team.
Bulletproof Vest Parternship (BVP) Program
Each year, the Office of Justice Programs BVP Program assists departments by matching up to 50% of the cost of bulletproof vests. Visit https://ojp.gov/bvpbasi/ for current information.
IACP-DuPont™ Kevlar® Survivors’ Club®
The IACP-DuPont™ Kevlar® Survivors’ Club® was created with the one key mission: Reduce death and disability by encouraging increased wearing of personal body armor, recognize and honor those deserving individuals who, as a result of wearing personal body armor, have survived a life-threatening or life-disabling incident, and serve the law enforcement community by collecting this important data and sharing valuable information relating to these survivor incidents. Read more here about eligibility, applications, vest wear information, through the IACP/Du Pont™ KEVLAR Survivors' Club® program.
Related Model Policies
The IACP Law Enforcement Policy Center has several model policies that relate to officer safety in tactical situations. Examples include model policies on policies on
- Body Armor
- Arrests
- Responding to Persons Affected by Mental Illness
- Officer-involved Shootings, In-custody Deaths, and Serious Uses of Force
- and more.
(Note: access to most Model Policies is limited to IACP members only)
Crimes of Domestic Violence & Officer Safety
The resources below speak to officer safety issues as they relate to responding to call of domestic violence.
Training Segment: DV Offender Realities & Threats to Officers
Segment 3 of the Crime of Domestic Violence Training Series addresses the potential danger/lethality of domestic violence calls, including information about offender behaviors that may indicate increased risk for victims and officers, and details that officers should gather before approaching a scene.
The complete video training series can be found on the IACP's YouTube Channel. Visit the IACP's Police Response to Violence Against Women page of additional resources.
Webinar: Officer Safety Considerations for Domestic Violence Calls.
This webinar examines the complexities and challenges that may be faced by officers when interacting with DV offenders, victims, and witnesses. It identifies tactics and protocols for increasing officer, victim, and civilian safety, and presents quantitative research and case studies to demonstrate the possible dangers of responding to and managing on-scene investigations of domestic violence calls. http://www.theiacp.org/dvwebinar
Officer Safety Column: Officer Safety and Violence Against Women Crimes
Traffic Safety
The IACP's Traffic Safety Officer Subcommittee seeks to improve the environment in which officers operate and explores better ways to ensure officer safety during traffic stops and other roadside contacts. Linked below is a series of videos produced by the subcommittee. See also High Visibility Education and Enforcement campaign information.