Traffic-related fatalities are annually ranked as one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The IACP is dedicated to addressing priority roadway safety initiatives, including impaired driving, distracted driving, speed enforcement, occupant protection, and officer safety. The traffic safety initiatives of the IACP are designed to provide resources, guidance, and best practices to the law enforcement community, in an effort to help prevent future loss of life on our roadways and to improve the overall quality of life in our communities.

What are the Distracted Driving Infographics?

The Distracted Driving Infographics can be used by law enforcement chief executives, command staff, first-line supervisors, and patrol officers to improve distracted driving education, enforcement in their communities, and reduce officer distraction in patrol vehicles.

The infographics, The Dangers of Distracted Driving and The Dangers of Distracted Driving by Law Enforcement Officers, are offered in five different languages (listed below) and are also available for download.

• English
• Arabic
• French
• Portuguese
• Spanish

Drug Impaired Driving Laboratory Toxicology Testing Recommendations

Submitted by: Drug Recognition Expert Section

DRE.04.22

WHEREAS, an alarming number of drivers report driving under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or a combination thereof (over 30 million in the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health); and

WHEREAS, drugged driving and drug-related crashes, deaths, and injuries continue to occur at an alarming rate; and

WHEREAS, timely, consistent, and accurate drug toxicology testing and reporting are critical components in the overall efforts to deter drugged driving; and

WHEREAS, an increasing number of police officers are being trained to detect drug-impaired drivers through the Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) and the Drug Evaluation and Classification (DEC) Program; and

WHEREAS, toxicology laboratories are being increasingly requested to conduct toxicological analysis of blood and/or urine of suspected drug-impaired drivers for relevant medicinal, illicit, and synthetic drugs; and

WHEREAS, there is a lack of consistent, comprehensive, toxicology testing of impairment-causing drugs and compounds by laboratories nationwide; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the IACP joins with the National Safety Council’s Alcohol, Drugs, and Impairment Division in supporting the testing recommendations set forth in the Recommendations for Toxicological Investigation of Drug-Impaired Driving and Motor Vehicle Fatalities – 2021 Update (D'Orazio, Mohr, Chan – Hosokawa et al, Journal of Analytical Toxicology, 2021) and the American Academy of Forensic Sciences Standards Board (ASB) in supporting ASB Standard 120, Standard for the Analytical Scope and Sensitivity of Forensic Toxicological Testing of Blood in Impaired Driving Investigations (First Edition 2021), or updated versions of these documents as they are adopted, that establishes a set of minimum recommendations for the toxicological investigation of suspected alcohol and drug-impaired driving cases and motor vehicle fatalities involving drugs and alcohol; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that all state highway safety offices, law enforcement officials, and DEC Program state coordinators should work in partnership with their toxicology laboratories to obtain the appropriate level of funding and resources needed to use the above mentioned publication recommendations for identifying and testing, at a minimum, Tier 1, and preferably Tier 1 and 2 drugs listed in the publication, using the recommended detection sensitivity, as well as, testing all impaired driver blood samples for drugs, regardless of the determined blood alcohol concentration.

Crime Prevention Strategy

Submitted by: Crime Prevention Committee

CPC.05.22

WHEREAS, the prevention of crime is fundamental to a free and safe society; and therefore, sustaining and maintaining the quality of life in communities worldwide is in the interest of every citizen; and

WHEREAS, the IACP has championed the value of Crime Prevention Programs in modern law enforcement; and has taken a leadership role in the prevention of crime and adopted the slogan that “Community safety is everybody's responsibility and crime prevention is everyone's business”; and

WHEREAS, it is incumbent upon every police agency to effectively and efficiently address the concerns of the community it serves. Crime Prevention programs can rally community support by encouraging and empowering the community to recognize and resolve issues of crime and safety; and

WHEREAS, crime prevention establishes an organizational framework and an environment for individual development, job enrichment, and personal satisfaction for law enforcement practitioners at every level; and

WHEREAS, the IACP has long recognized that successful Crime Prevention Techniques require the support of all public, private and community agencies; therefore, be it 

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) reaffirms its commitment to Crime Prevention and encourages every police executive to embrace Crime Prevention as a guiding philosophy to support and promote crime prevention as a key element of effective policing; and be it 

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the IACP endorses the concept that community safety and crime prevention are linked together, and that the IACP is committed to lead a collaborative effort among all crime prevention practitioners to share crime prevention leading practices.

Support to Enhance Protection of Animal Welfare and Public Safety

Submitted by: Forensics Committee

FC.06.22

WHEREAS, animal cruelty is a crime and includes felony provisions in all 50 states, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) recognizes law enforcement leaders have an obligation to enforce animal cruelty laws and work together to enhance protection for animals[1],[2]; and  

WHEREAS, commission of violence to animals (abuse) and cruelty by a failure to provide adequate care (neglect) signal the risk of maltreatment of household members with heightened risk to children[3], elders[4] and disabled persons[5]; and

WHEREAS, forms of animal maltreatment are often accompanied by domestic violence[6], financial crimes[7],[8], drugs[9], human trafficking10[10], sexual coercion[11] and weapons crimes[12]; and

WHEREAS, the IACP recognizes the value of collecting data on criminal activity and the sharing of this information on a local, regional and national basis[13]; and

WHEREAS, animal control officers unaffiliated with the public safety department and private animal welfare charities comprise approximately 50% of animal cruelty investigating agencies, and they lack Originating Agency Identification (ORI) numbers and therefore are unable to submit data to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS)[14],[15]; and

WHEREAS, thorough investigation of animal cruelty crimes using the full suite of forensic and investigative techniques available to law enforcement increases effective engagement[16]; and

WHEREAS, responding effectively to animal cruelty crimes increases animal welfare, human safety and enhances community engagement[17]; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the IACP urges the steadfast enforcement of animal cruelty laws at the federal, state, and local levels; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that agencies should collaborate with other law enforcement entities and animal cruelty investigators in their jurisdictions, regions, and states to ensure NIBRS data related to animal cruelty incidents are recorded, and when feasible, to increase the provision of forensic resources for animal cruelty investigations; and, to advance and support the protection of animals for enhancement of human and animal wellbeing; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police recognizes that fully participating in or cooperating with animal cruelty investigations increases law enforcement departments’ effectiveness for animal welfare and public safety.

[1] Schlueter, S., 2008. Law enforcement perspectives and obligations related to animal abuse. International handbook of animal abuse and cruelty: Theory, research, and application, pp.375-391.

[2] Palais, J., 2020. Animal Cruelty Hurts People Too : How Animal Cruelty Crime Data Can Help Police Make Their Communities Safer for All,” Police Chief 87, no. 12; pp 42–48.

[3] Bright, M.A., 2018. Huq, M.S., Spencer, T., Applebaum, J., Hardt, N., 2018. Animal cruelty as an indicator of family trauma: Using adverse childhood experiences to look beyond child abuse and domestic violence, Child Abuse & Neglect, Volume 76, pp 287-296.

[4] Frieze, I.H., Newhill, C.E. & Fusco, R., 2020. Other Forms of Family Violence: Elder Abuse, Sibling Abuse, and Animal Cruelty. Dynamics of Family and Intimate Partner Violence, pp.223–261.

[5] Ascione, F. and Shapiro, K., 2009. People and animals, kindness and cruelty: Research directions and policy implications. Journal of Social Issues, 65(3), p.569.

[6] Arkow, P. 2015. A link across the lifespan: Animal abuse as a marker for traumatic experiences in child abuse, domestic violence and elder abuse. Academy on Violence and Abuse

[7] Smith, R., 2011. Investigating financial aspects of dog‐fighting in the UK, Journal of Financial Crime, Vol. 18 No. 4, pp. 336 - 346.

[8] Albanese, J.S., 2018. Illegal gambling businesses & organized crime: an analysis of federal convictions. Trends Organ Crim 21, 262–277.

[9] Lockwood, R., 2012. Dogfighting: A Guide for Community Action, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, and American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

[10] Sollund, R., 2020. The victimisation of women, children and non-human species through trafficking and trade: Crimes understood through an ecofeminist perspective. In Routledge international handbook of green criminology (pp. 512 -528). Routledge.

[11] Edwards, M.J., 2019. Arrest and Prosecution of Animal Sex Abuse (Bestiality) Offenders in the United States, 1975–2015, Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online (47) 3. http://jaapl.org/content/jaapl/early/2019/05/16/JAAPL.003836-19.full.pdf

[12] Lockwood, R., 2012. Dogfighting: A Guide for Community Action, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, and American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

[13] IACP, 2001. IACP Support for NIBRS Implementation. https://www.theiacp.org/resources/resolution/iacp-support-for-nibrs- implementation

[14] DeSousa, D., 2017. NIBRS User Manual for Animal Control Officers and Humane Law Enforcement. NIBRS User Manual, National Animal Care & Control Association, Animal Welfare Institute. https://www.nacanet.org/wp- content/uploads/2020/04/17_nibrs_web.pdf

[15] Smith-Blackmore, M., 2018. The Role of Veterinary Forensics in Animal Cruelty Investigations, The Police Chief February, pp 26–31.

[16] Randour, M.L., Smith-Blackmore, M., Blaney, N., DeSousa, D. and Guyony, A.A., 2021. Animal abuse as a type of trauma: Lessons for human and animal service professionals. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 22(2), pp.277-288.

[17] Arluke, A., Levin, J., Luke, C., & Ascione, F. (1999). The Relationship of Animal Abuse to Violence and Other Forms of Antisocial Behavior. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 14(9), 963–975.

All victim services personnel—supervisors, direct services staff, student interns, and volunteers—benefit from comprehensive, specialized training. Whether victim services staff are hired with significant advocacy experience or no relevant experience, agencies are encouraged to establish consistent training for all victim services personnel. Robust training establishes a strong foundation for the role of victim services and promotes consistency of practice. 

Developing training requires a significant amount of time and specialty. The purpose of this publication is to provide core content for victim services training. Materials have been developed through a review of documents from existing law enforcement-based victim services programs. While all material has been vetted by subject matter experts, they do not provide state-, tribe-, or agency-specific information. Agencies should carefully review all material and update content to ensure information is consistent with agency, statutory, and constitutional requirements within local jurisdictions. 

Overview Documents

Activity Workbook

Training Modules & Supplemental Handouts

For more information and resources on the Law Enforcement-Based Victim Services (LEV) Program, please visit the LEV Program's main project webpage. 

The National Consortium on Preventing Law Enforcement Suicide Toolkit is designed to support agencies and departments to address officer mental health and wellness concerns. This suicide prevention toolkit contains information that agencies need to develop and implement a customized agency approach to prevent officer suicide and strengthen officer mental health.

This report outlines recommendations developed by the National Consortium on Preventing Law Enforcement Suicide to assist the law enforcement profession with improving access, quality, and acceptance of mental health resources as well as to advance suicide prevention efforts and support a culture of safety and wellness.

This article from the Police Chief Magazine highlights the National Crime Statistics Exchange (NCS-X) initiative's current progress from its transition that began in late 2012, to produce U.S.-wide estimates of reported crime that included offense details and characteristics. The transition of the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) to the National Crime Statistics Exchange (NCS-X) is funded by the Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). 

The IACP, along with the Integrated Justice Information Systems Institute, SEARCH – the National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics, the Police Executive Research Forum, and the Association of State Uniform Crime Reporting Programs, were partners on the initiative led by RTI International.

For more NIBRS resources, visit the NCS-X page.

Programs offering alternatives to arrest have the potential to positively alter the outcomes for individuals who come into contact with the criminal justice system. By providing alternatives to arrest through formalized programs, law enforcement agencies, in partnership with other community stakeholders, have the ability to decrease crime and recidivism by resolving underlying problems, thereby saving taxpayer funds, reducing repeat calls for service, improving individual health and quality of life outcomes, and enhancing community relationships and safety.

Types of arrest alternative programs include those focused on deflection, where preventative services are offered for individuals thought to be at elevated risk of criminal justice system involvement, and pre-arrest diversion, where charges are held in abeyance or suspended without any prosecutorial or judicial involvement and subsequently not pursued once a prescribed treatment or program has been entered, started, or completed. The terms deflection and diversion are used interchangeably in this document and are collectively referred to as alternatives to arrest.

Police chaplains assist police agency personnel with personal, spiritual, moral, and ethical consultation. Police chaplains are clergy whose function is to provide support and guidance to department employees and their families and to enhance the holistic wellness of those employees upon request. Working in conjunction with other agency resources—such as a peer support team and/or other behavioral health and wellness programs—police chaplains are meant to be an additional resource for support and to complement other support networks. Police chaplains can also function as a liaison to the local faith-based community to provide support during major events or crisis situations.

This document is intended to provide police agencies with guidance for developing policies regarding the development and implementation of police chaplain programs.

Gun Violence Reduction is a Shared Responsibility

Submitted by: Board of Directors

BOD.07.22

WHERAS, in 2020 the United States experienced the biggest rise in murder since the start of national record-keeping in 1960, according to data gathered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for its annual report on crime; and,

WHEREAS, in 2020, the firearm homicide rate in the United States increased nearly 35%, which is the highest increase in more than 25 years, according to data gathered by the FBI; and,

WHEREAS, about 77 percent of reported murders in 2020 were committed with a firearm, the highest share ever reported, up from 67 percent a decade ago[1]; and,

WHEREAS, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), gunfire is the leading cause of death of children and adolescents in the United States; and,

WHEREAS, each year thousands of guns reach the hands of juveniles and criminals by thefts from unlocked vehicles or because they are unsecured in a home; and,  

WHEREAS, guns left unsecured in motor vehicles, sometimes in unlocked vehicles and sometimes left in open view, are the most common source of crime guns.

WHEREAS, gun thefts from cars divert guns away from the legal market, making them particularly dangerous and hard to track.

WHEREAS, a decade ago, less than a quarter of guns thefts were from cars; in 2020, over half were, according to an analysis of FBI NIBRS data, 2011–2020.  

WHEREAS, there are approximately 250,000 gun theft incidents per year, with about 380,000 guns stolen, according to a study published in the Injury Epidemiol Journal[2].

WHEREAS, unsecured firearms in homes can lead to theft or increase the chance of accidental discharge or suicide; and,  

WHEREAS, there also actions that must be taken by the criminal justice system; and,  

WHEREAS, IACP members have expressed concern over the decisions made by some prosecutors to enact blanket policies that dictate that they will not prosecute certain categories of crimes or take a non-enforcement approach to the laws enacted; and,

WHEREAS, experience has shown that prosecutorial and judicial discretion is an important tenet of the justice system, however, there needs to be alignment between the police and prosecutors to ensure agreement on the enforcement and prosecution of offenses to promote the safety of our communities, and,

WHEREAS, this alignment is particularly important when it comes to firearms, because it is imperative that the first crime committed by offenders has severe repercussions and the criminal justice system does not wait for second or third offenses, now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, the IACP believes that both the public and criminal justice system have a shared responsibility, and opportunity, to reduce violent crime, specific to firearms; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that firearm owners have a responsibility to secure their firearms and keep them under lock and key; and be it,

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), has also been encouraging officers to safely secure their firearms through our recent campaign called, “Right to Carry, Duty to Secure.”; and, 

FURTHER RESOLVED, the IACP urges all prosecutors to make every effort to aggressively prosecute firearms violations and ensure that their policies properly prioritize the removal of dangerous criminals from our communities.

[1] Jeff Asher, "Murder Rose by Almost 30% in 2020. It's Rising at a Slower Rate in 2021," New York Times, updated November 15, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/22/upshot/murder-rise-2020.html

[2] Hemenway, D., Azrael, D. & Miller, M. Whose guns are stolen? The epidemiology of Gun theft victims. Inj. Epidemiol. 4, 11 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40621-017-0109-8

As a result of manufacturers making vehicles more difficult to steal, there has been an increase in fraudulently obtaining rental, lease, or financed vehicles. Criminals are using them to commit other crimes, including violent crimes. 

Obtaining a rental, lease, or financed vehicle by theft, fraud, or having someone else rent and fail to return allows an offender to conceal their identity and avoid being connected to other crimes they have committed. 

Identifying them as "Civil Matters" and failing to enter them as a stolen fraudulently obtained vehicle only enables criminals to commit other crimes in vehicles that are difficult to trace back to them and creates an officer safety issue.