Welfare checks are requests for the police to check on an individual due to concern for their safety or well-being. Reasons for such requests vary widely but might include, for example, not hearing from an individual for an extended period of time, knowledge of health concerns that pose a risk to another's safety, a suspected mental health crisis, or threat of suicidal behavior. Requests for welfare checks are quite common, although estimates of their frequencies vary. 

Since the circumstances of a welfare check can vary so drastically, and the information initially provided may be vague, officer discretion is often required. However, a lack of direction in how to conduct welfare checks has raised concerns over discriminatory application and the potential for increased harm to the subject of the welfare check. Thus, providing policy for response to welfare checks can help provide parameters for officer discretion, facilitating police efforts to keep individuals and the community safe. 

Submitted by: Narcotics & Dangerous Drugs Committee

WHEREAS, The United States is in the midst of an unprecedented fatal and non-fatal overdose epidemic; and

WHEREAS, More than 107,000 deaths were reported in the United States between January 2021to January 2022¹, with the Drug Enforcement Administration warning of the continuing threat: “Already this year, numerous mass-overdose events have resulted in dozens of overdoses and deaths. Drug traffickers are driving addiction, and increasing their profits, by mixing illicit fentanyl with other illicit drugs. Tragically, many overdose victims have no idea they are ingesting deadly fentanyl poison, until it’s too late.”²; and

WHEREAS, The Nation’s drug overdose epidemic affects every state and now is driven by illicit fentanyl, fentanyl analogs, methamphetamine, and cocaine, often in combination or in adulterated forms³; and

WHEREAS, International and domestic criminal drug networks are mass-producing fake pills, falsely marketing them as legitimate prescription pills, and killing unsuspecting Americans⁴; and

WHEREAS, The effects of this epidemic go beyond individuals and families of those who have overdosed, in that ancillary costs for emergency services, addiction counseling and hospitalizations are astronomical. The Joint Economic Committee estimates “that opioid-related costs alone rose to nearly $1.5 trillion in 2020, a $487 billion increase from 2019 and a 37% increase from 2017”⁵; and

WHEREAS, Worldwide, about 500,000 deaths, annually, are attributable to drug use. More than 70% of these deaths are related to opioids⁶; and

WHEREAS, Given the consequences of fatal and nonfatal drug overdoses in the United States, it is essential to enact a comprehensive national anti-drug campaign with messaging warning of the dangers of drug use, illicit fentanyl poisoning, and countering the drug use normalization messaging inundating multiple media outlets and sources; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police, strongly urge Federal, State, and Local Government entities, including public health, public safety, and the educational systems, to work together with the private sector to launch a continuing series of robust anti-drug, anti-illicit fentanyl poisoning and overdoses and dangerous drug messaging to be distributed via public safety alerts on television, social media, billboards, and signage in every school and university across the country.

¹ Advocacy Resource Center, Issue brief: Nation’s Drug-Related Overdose and Death Epidemic Continues to Worsen, American Medical Association, https://end-overdose-epidemic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/American-Overdose-Epidemic-Select-Research-December-2022-1.pdf (last updated December 22, 2022).

² Press Release: DEA Warns of Increase in Mass-Overdose Events Involving Deadly Fentanyl, Drug Enforcement Administration, (April 6, 2022), https://www.dea.gov/press-releases/2022/04/06/dea-warns-increase-mass-overdose-events-involving-deadly-fentanyl

³ American Medical Association, “Issue brief: Nation’s Drug-Related Overdose and Death Epidemic Continues to Worsen,” https://www.ama-assn.org/system/files/issue-brief-increases-in-opioid-related-overdose.pdf, accessed November, 2022

⁴ Public Safety Alert: Sharp Increase in Fake Prescription Pills Containing Fentanyl and Meth, DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION, , (September 27, 2021), https://www.dea.gov/alert/sharp-increase-fake-prescription-pills-containing-fentanyl-and-meth.

⁵ Joint Economic Committee Democrats, The Economic Toll of the Opioid Crisis Reached Nearly $1.5 Trillion in 2020, JOINT ECONOMIC COMMITTEE, https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/67bced7f-4232-40ea-9263-f033d280c567/jec-cost-of-opioids-issue-brief.pdf (last visited November, 2022).

⁶Opioid Overdose, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, August 4, 2021, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/opioid-overdose.

Submitted by: Roadway Safety Commitee

WHEREAS, vehicle crashes are a leading cause of deaths, injuries, property damage and related costs to communities and its citizens; and

WHEREAS, many law enforcement line-of-duty deaths are traffic related;

WHEREAS, a comprehensive traffic safety program has been proven to decrease vehicle crashes of all types, including vulnerable roadway users such as bicyclists and pedestrians, and also provides ancillary benefits to law enforcement and public safety; and

WHEREAS, educating the public about the purpose and intended goal of traffic enforcement provides an opportunity for voluntary compliance while also bolstering support for the work and building community trust; and

WHEREAS, fair and balanced high-visibility traffic enforcement is a key component of a comprehensive traffic safety program; and

WHEREAS, when legislation is passed limiting the authority of law enforcement to enforce certain traffic laws, such legislation can result in decreased traffic enforcement efforts which in turn could lead to an increase in crashes; be it

RESOLVED, that the IACP urges leaders to make fair and balanced traffic enforcement an operational priority and to work with elected officials and other stakeholders to support traffic education and enforcement to make roads safer for all users.

Submitted by: Roadway Safety Committee

WHEREAS, impaired driving has a profound impact on society and public safety in terms of grievous injuries, senseless death, and significant property damage; and with poly-substance impaired driving fatal crashes increasing, and

WHEREAS, the growing number of states and countries legalizing and/or decriminalizing cannabis, psychedelics, other impairing substances and the poly-substance abuse crisis has given rise to increased concerns related to the appropriate detection, investigation, prosecution, and adjudication of drug-impaired driving, and

WHEREAS, the inability to obtain a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) test result or evidence of drug use, (especially in cases of refusal) effectively impedes or negates an officers’ ability to gather crucial and intensely time-sensitive evidence in the form of blood or other bodily fluids, and

WHEREAS, the establishment and implementation of electronic warrant (eWarrant) programs to compel blood draws or samples of other bodily fluids have proven timely and successful in several jurisdictions (Responsibility.org, A Guide to Implementing Electronic Warrants, 2018; and NHTSA, Practices for Implementing Expedited Search Warrant Programs for Obtaining Evidence From Impaired Drivers, 2021), utilizing a variety of technology based systems to quickly and accurately obtain evidence in the violent crime of impaired driving, and

WHEREAS, in recognition of the technology available to law enforcement agencies, and research by NHTSA, Responsibility.org and the Justice Management Institute clearly identifies a spectrum of eWarrant systems that can assist jurisdictions in their fight against impaired driving; including recommended legislative framework, planning and design, partner engagement, funding, policy and operations, and metrics to assess goals, be it

RESOLVED, that the IACP supports the development, implementation, and legislative engagement of eWarrant systems by law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to assist in timely collection of evidence to enhance prosecution of impaired driving cases, and ultimately assist in the detection and prevention of injury and death on our nation’s roadways.

Submitted by: Roadway Safety Committee

WHEREAS, heightened homeland security concerns emphasize the need for fast and reliable identification of vehicles by law enforcement officers and citizens alike, which is extremely important for law enforcement officers who steadfastly patrol the more than 25 million miles of highways and roads globally; and

WHEREAS, motor vehicles are used in the majority of all serious crimes committed in the United States and the quick discovery of such vehicles can help solve these crimes; and

WHEREAS, in addition to improving safety, traffic enforcement activities have proven to be invaluable in the detection and apprehension of individuals involved in terrorist and/or criminal activities; all means of initial identification, including retro-reflective front and rear license plates, are essential; and

WHEREAS, retro-reflective front and rear license plates are essential in the quick and accurate identification of motor vehicles traveling toward or away from a law enforcement officer, even at highway speeds, whether the officer is using Automated License Plate Reader technology or reliant on personal observance; and

WHEREAS, retro-reflective front and rear license plates serve as a significant safety device, warning motorists of the presence of vehicles that are disabled or that otherwise lack sufficient headlights or taillights and allowing those vehicles to be observed at a safe distance and in a timely manner; and

WHEREAS, fully reflective validation tabs displaying month and year attached to the license plate provides law enforcement officers with an instant recognition system of valid vehicle registration; and

WHEREAS, an effort to repeal the requirement for front license plates and/or validation tabs are sometimes made in response to budgetary or other non-safety centric considerations; and

WHEREAS, if such efforts are successful, they would have a serious and negative effect on the ability of law enforcement officers to effectively identify vehicles or invalid vehicle registrations and to initiate reasonable suspicion vehicle stops; and

WHEREAS, it is important to keep license plates legible and to maintain their retro-reflectivity because they are relied upon by law enforcement and citizens alike for public and traffic safety. Now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) recognizes that the efficient and reliable identification of vehicles is a critical element of national, state and local safety and security, supports the issuance of retro-reflective front and rear license plates with clearly identifiable registration numbers and states of registration, and urges issuance of new plates prior to retro-reflective degradation and as otherwise required to maintain effective vehicle identification; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the IACP supports the issuance of retro-reflective validation tabs indicating the month and year for use on the license plates of all motor vehicles registered to operate on public highways and roadways; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the IACP supports the use of the License Plate Standard for the design and manufacture of license plates published by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators.

Submitted by: Railroad Police Section

WHEREAS, railroad police officers have been respected members of the law enforcement community in the United States for over 150 years and are recognized as bona fide law enforcement officers in the United States; and

WHEREAS, railroad police officer's interstate law enforcement authority is derived from federal statute 49 USC 28101; and

WHEREAS, railroad police officers agents are responsible for the protection of - (1) employees, passengers, or patrons of the rail carrier; (2) property, equipment, and facilities operated, or maintained by the rail carrier; (3) property moving in interstate or foreign commerce and (4) personnel, equipment, and material moving by rail that are vital to the national defense; and

WHEREAS, railroad police officers are dedicated, highly trained certified law enforcement professionals who risk their lives in a variety of situations such as criminal law enforcement, protection of the national defense, hazardous material releases, or terrorist attacks; and

WHEREAS, railroad police officers are routinely subjected to the same perils as their federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, which has throughout history resulted in their own injuries or deaths; and

WHEREAS, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc, more than 450 railroad police officers have been killed in the line of duty in the United States; be it

RESOLVED, the IACP recommends that members of U.S. Congress amend the Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act (LEOSA) to include railroad police officers.

Submitted by: SACOP

WHEREAS illegal immigration and border security issues directly impact the safety of communities around the world and effective national action is needed to meet this challenge; and,

WHEREAS stronger border security can help reduce crime, protect citizens, and disrupt the activities of organized crime syndicates and,

WHEREAS enhanced border security efforts can also help to identify and apprehend individuals who are engaged in criminal activities and prevent them from entering the country; and,

WHEREAS by controlling and managing the flow of people and goods across national boundaries, effective border security allows a nation to better monitor and regulate who can enter the country and what materials they are transporting; and

WHEREAS these controls help to prevent terrorists from entering a country and also prevents terrorists from obtaining materials or resources they need to carry out their plans; and,

WHEREAS the Terrorist Screening Center plays an integral role in identifying, detecting, monitoring, and preventing terrorists and other national security threat actors from entering the United States; and,

WHEREAS increased border security can help to reduce the flow of illegal goods such as drugs, weapons, and stolen goods across the border which, in turn, can help to reduce costs associated with these crimes, to include higher law enforcement costs and broader societal disruptions; and,

WHEREAS stronger border security can help reduce crime, protect citizens, and disrupt the activities and reduce the illicit proceeds gained by organized crime syndicates and,

WHEREAS stronger border security efforts can help to protect the rights of citizens and immigrants. Increased security can help to ensure that immigrants are not being exploited, as well as ensure that immigrants who are applying for visas and other forms of legal documentation are being treated fairly; now therefore be it,

RESOLVED that the International Association of Chiefs of Police firmly believes that effective border security must play a critical role in all governments’ national security plan; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the International Association of Chiefs of Police firmly believes that, in the strong interest of homeland security and the welfare of the national populace, particularly as it applies to the scourge of organized human and drug trafficking, that immigration policy on all of its territorial borders needs to be enforced in conformance with the existing law and those agencies so tasked need to be supported financially and logistically to effectively carry out this policy; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the International Association of Chiefs of Police calls on the leaders of all nations to continue to invest in the necessary resources and personnel to strengthen border control and to fund other initiatives that can help secure national borders, including by engaging in robust information sharing with entities such as the Terrorist Screening Center; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police also urges all governments to focus on providing a safe and secure environment for all individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, or immigration status.

This resource provides a comprehensive overview of wandering by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities or dementia. It explores promising practices for implementing communication, technology, and education strategies for wandering prevention, response to wandering, and recovery of individuals who have wandered.

A compilation of the knowledge and experience of police and service providers across the United States, this document was developed through IACP’s partnership with The Arc’s National Center for Criminal Justice and Disability, The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the Autism Society of America.

The IACP Connector is an online resource designed to help police agencies with their purchasing and procurement decisions. The IACP Connector connects law enforcement agencies with other organizations that have faced similar procurement decisions and are willing to share their experience and lessons learned. The IACP Connector also connects leaders with vendors/providers of related products and services.

It can be beneficial for police leaders to have access to specialized units that are adequately trained, staffed, and equipped to address situations their agencies and communities are likely to face. While there is no single formula for ensuring adequate resources for every possible event, by assessing community and agency needs and resources, police leaders can leverage specialized units to provide a safer environment and a better quality of life for the communities they serve. 

The IACP Policy Center has provided guidance on the creation, implementation, management, and deployment of specialized units. 

States vary on legislative protections and definitions of officer health and wellness. Knowledge of the specific legislation in each state is key to understanding the rights and protections of those working there. Because it constantly evolves, legislation can be challenging to find and understand. This dashboard provides an organized, easy-to-use database highlighting legislation in each state in the following topic areas:

• Peer Support Confidentiality Protections
• Mental Health and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Workers' Compensation