WHEREAS, at the meeting of the Board of Officers of the International Association of Chiefs of Police held on August 9, 1996, in Concord, New Hampshire, United State Marshals Service Director Eduardo Gonzalez briefed the officers on his efforts to bring more professionalism to the U.S. Marshals Service; and

WHEREAS, on the following day at the Executive Committee meeting a discussion evolved concerning various pieces of federal legislation regarding the Marshals Service; and

WHEREAS, the purpose of such legislation is to bring about the appointment of U.S. Marshals in a professional manner, and establish standards that require a significant law enforcement background; and

WHEREAS, the Executive Committee unanimously agreed to support this concept; and

WHEREAS, this action of the Executive Committee should be ratified by the general membership; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), duly assembled at its 103rd annual conference in Phoenix, Arizona, hereby ratifies the actions of the Executive Committee in supporting the appointment of U.S. Marshals in a professional manner, and establishment of standards that require a significant law enforcement background, not necessarily in the Marshals Service.

WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, meeting at its 102nd Annual Conference in Miami Beach, Florida, in October of 1995, passed a resolution strongly opposing any attempt to legalize the use of Schedule I drugs; and

WHEREAS, an initiative has been placed on the ballot in the State of California, for consideration by voters in November, which would allow a California physician, under certain conditions to “recommend” the use of marijuana for patients; and

WHEREAS, laboratory research in animals and humans has shown that the use of marijuana, which is more carcinogenic than tobacco, compromises brain functions, the immune system, the lungs, and hormonal responses to stress and metabolic change as well as making diseases such as tuberculosis, asthma and multiple sclerosis worse and does not prevent blindness due to glaucoma; and

WHEREAS, not one national health organization accepts marijuana as a medicine and many researchers adamantly state that marijuana has no medical benefit whatsoever; and

WHEREAS, the following organizations have stated that marijuana has not been shown scientifically to be safe or effective as a medicine: the American Medical Association, American Cancer Society, National Multiple Sclerosis Association, American Academy of Ophthalmology, National Eye Institute, National Cancer Institute, National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Strokes, National Institute of Dental Research, and the National Institute on Allergy and Infectious Diseases; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Court of Appeals in 1994 affirmed the decision of the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration that marijuana remain a Schedule I substance; and

WHEREAS, it is neither rational nor compassionate to provide a harmful, addictive drug with no scientifically proven medical efficacy; and

WHEREAS, Proposition 215 in the State of California is dangerous and wrong because it would make marijuana available to the public without following the scientific process of the Food and Drug Administration for approval and regulation; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), duly assembled at its 103rd annual conference in Phoenix, Arizona, strongly opposes California Proposition 215 and urges the citizens of California to soundly defeat this ballot initiative or any other that would legalize the distribution and/ or use of marijuana.

WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, meeting at its 102nd Annual Conference in Miami Beach, Florida, in October of 1995, passed a resolution strongly opposing any attempt to legalize the use of Schedule I drugs; and

WHEREAS, an initiative has been placed on the ballot in the State of Arizona, for consideration by voters in November, which would allow an Arizona physician, under certain conditions to prescribe Schedule I drugs for patients; and

WHEREAS, the dangerous drugs that are restricted under Schedule I include not only marijuana, but heroin, LSD, amphetamines, phencyclidine, and other hallucinogenic drugs; and

WHEREAS, laboratory research in animals and humans has shown that the use of marijuana, which is more carcinogenic than tobacco, compromises brain functions, the immune system, the lungs, and hormonal responses to stress and metabolic change as well as making diseases such as tuberculosis, asthma and multiple sclerosis worse and does not prevent blindness due to glaucoma; and

WHEREAS, not one national health organization accepts marijuana or other Schedule I drugs as a medicine and many researchers adamantly state that marijuana or other Schedule I drugs have no medical benefit whatsoever; and

WHEREAS, the following organizations have stated that marijuana and other Schedule I drugs have not been shown scientifically to be safe or effective as a medicine: the American Medical Association, American Cancer Society, National Multiple Sclerosis Association, American Academy of Ophthalmology, National Eye Institute, National Cancer Institute, National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Strokes, National Institute of Dental Research, and the National Institute on Allergy and Infectious Diseases; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Court of Appeals in 1994 affirmed the decision of the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration that marijuana remain a Schedule I substance; and

WHEREAS, it is neither rational nor compassionate to provide a harmful, addictive drug with no scientifically proven medical efficacy; and

WHEREAS, Proposition 200 in the State of Arizona is dangerous and wrong because it would make Schedule I drugs available to the public without following the scientific process of the Food and Drug Administration for approval and regulation; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), duly assembled at its 103rd annual conference in Phoenix, Arizona, strongly opposes Arizona Proposition 200 and urges the citizens of Arizona to soundly defeat this ballot initiative or any other that would legalize the distribution and/ or use of any Schedule I drug.

WHEREAS, the widespread use and possession of concealed firearms and handguns in public places poses a substantial threat to the safety of law enforcement officers, as well as to the safety of all citizens; and

WHEREAS, the ease with which firearms and handguns can be concealed facilitates and increases crime, and particularly violent crime, in this country, and inhibits the ability of investigative and law enforcement officers to perform their duties safely and effectively, and to assist in the prevention of crime and the protection of persons and their property; and

WHEREAS, it is vital for the effective law enforcement for all federal, state, county, tribal and local law enforcement officers to be able to cooperate to utilize available technology to assist one another in the investigation of crime, the apprehension of suspects while protecting themselves from serious injury or being killed in the line of duty; and

WHEREAS, the possession and use of concealed firearms and handguns continues to pose a threat to the safety and well-being of all of our citizens and there is an overwhelming public interest in deterring crimes committed by persons with concealed firearms and handguns; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), duly assembled at its 103rd annual conference in Phoenix, Arizona, supports any legislative proposal(s) which support the development of gun detection technologies and facilitates the use of such technologies by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in order to control the illegal possession and use of firearms and handguns and criminal activity.

WHEREAS, Subtitle A, Title XX of P.L. 103-322, the Crime Bill, authorized the Police Corps Program to provide funding for college tuition assistance in furthering the education of high school students in exchange for time commitments to serve as police officers; and

WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police opposed, and continues to oppose, the Police Corps Program as an inefficient means to provide for higher educational opportunities and greater professionalism within the field of law enforcement; and

WHEREAS, the Police Corps Program has received increased funding through the Congress in the past two yearly appropriations at $10 million in 1995 and $20 million for 1997; and

WHEREAS, the appropriations have been restricted only for offering scholarships to non-law enforcement officers in exchange for a four year commitment to serve as a police officer upon graduation from a four year college program; and

WHEREAS, International Association of Chiefs of Police believes that this money would be better spend providing tuition assistance for current police officers who have already made the commitment to a career in law enforcement; and

WHEREAS, Subtitle B of Title XX within P.L. 103-322 – does allow for the funding of current police officers’ higher education; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), duly assembled at its 103rd annual conference in Phoenix, Arizona, urge Congress, the President of the United States, and the Attorney General to cooperatively allow for the transfer of all current and future Police Corps Program funding to provide for the further education of current police officers as proscribed by Subtitle B; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the position of the membership of the IACP be conveyed in writing to all members of Congress, to the President of the United States, to the U.S. Attorney General, and to the Director of the Community Oriented Policing Services (C.O.P.S.) Office upon ratification.

WHEREAS, the advances in technology have made financial transactions increasingly vulnerable to fraudulent criminal acts utilizing easily produced documents; and

WHEREAS, the fuel economy of motor vehicles is double that of twenty years ago; and

WHEREAS, emissions for motor vehicles have been reduced by 96 percent during that same time period; and

WHEREAS, federal motor vehicle safety standards, along with improvements in education and enforcement, have reduced the highway death toll by 30 percent during this period of time; and

WHEREAS, Congress is considering legislation that would freeze corporate average fuel economy standards at the current 27.5 miles-per-gallon for passenger cars and 20.7 miles-per-gallon for light trucks; and

WHEREAS, significant increases in fuel economy can only be accomplished through enormous reduction in the size and weight of vehicles; and

WHEREAS, Congress has consistently allowed larger and heavier commercial vehicles to ply our nation’s highways; and

WHEREAS, research has shown that as cars and light trucks are downsized, their occupants are less likely to survive traffic crashes without death or serious injury; and

WHEREAS, the occupants of police vehicles are especially likely to be involved in traffic crashes due to the nature of their duties; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), duly assembled at its 103rd annual conference in Phoenix, Arizona, urges Congress to freeze corporate average fuel economy standards at current levels until technological advances or other circumstances allow higher gas mileage standards without compromising highway safety.

WHEREAS, the lawful interception of telecommunications is one of the most valuable investigative tools available to law enforcement in identifying and crippling illegal drug activities and drug trafficking organizations and has led to 654 criminal convictions in 1999, according to the 1999 Wiretap Report published by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, and over 20,000 convictions from 1989 - 1999; and seventy-two percent of all applications for intercepts authorized in 1999 cited drug offenses as the most serious offense under investigation; and

WHEREAS, telecommunications systems and networks are used in the commission of criminal activities; and lawfully authorized electronic surveillance preserves public safety; and

WHEREAS, advances in telecommunication technology have adversely impacted court authorized interception of communications leaving law enforcement incapable of intercepting certain manufacturers/carriers technology and full implementation of the Communication Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) legislation has been delayed; and WHEREAS, to accomplish intercepts within new and sophisticated telecommunications systems, law enforcement is spending limited resources on expensive interface circuits and paying exorbitant fees for provisioning and maintenance of intercepts by carriers, now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police duly assembled at its 108th Annual Conference in Toronto, Canada, strongly urges that telecommunications carriers provide law enforcement service for cost and not retail value; and, additionally, provisioning charges should not be predicated on the number of instruments being used; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police supports continued Congressional appropriations into the Telecommunications Carrier Compliance Fund (TCCF) at commensurate levels in order to assist in preserving law enforcement’s ability to conduct electronic surveillance.

WHEREAS, two million commercial vehicles were inspected at the roadside last year; and

WHEREAS, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration anticipates at least another two million inspections will be performed this year; and

WHEREAS, the national average time of inspection is approximately 42 minutes for a complete level one inspection; and

WHEREAS, a significant number of commercial vehicle operators can proceed past a roadside inspection site if their vehicle has been recently inspected and passed, using the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance out of service and decal application criteria, resulting in a minimum of roadside exposure and lost travel time; and

WHEREAS, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is actively seeking local enforcement agencies to participate in commercial vehicle roadside inspections; and

WHEREAS; a significant amount of lost productivity on the part of inspectors and drivers can be avoided if a uniform criteria of inspection procedures is applied to each inspection, and enforcement agencies recognize the proficiency of other jurisdictions inspections; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the IACP support adoption of state laws that require if an agency is going to conduct roadside commercial vehicle safety Level I, II, and III inspections, all persons performing said inspections be certified in the North American Standard Truck Inspection series.

WHEREAS, impaired driving is one of the most frequently committed crimes in the United States; and

WHEREAS, over 38 percent of vehicle related deaths involve alcohol; and

WHEREAS, research has shown that legislation such as .08 BAC, minimum age 21, repeat impaired driver, and zero tolerance laws are effective in reducing alcohol-related fatalities; and

WHEREAS, research has shown that strong laws, combined with highly visible enforcement, reduced alcohol-related crashes and fatalities and, at the same time, reduces other crimes as well; and

WHEREAS, the public supports laws and traffic safety enforcement of those laws to reduce impaired driving; and

WHEREAS, all drivers, even experienced drinkers, are impaired at .08 BAC, with regard to critical driving tasks such as braking, steering, lane changing, judgement, and divided attention; and

WHEREAS, repeat offenders of driving while impaired (DWI) account for about one third of all drivers arrested for DWI each year; and

WHEREAS, Congress enacted legislation to:

• Establish .08 BAC as the national standard for impaired driving as part of the Transportation spending bill (October 2000). States that don’t adopt .08 BAC by 2004 will have certain highway construction funds withheld.
   
• Establish a transfer program (under TEA-21 Restoration Act) that encourages states to enact Repeat Impaired Driver and open container laws; and
   

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police fully supports the passage and enforcement of effective impaired driving legislation, which includes .08 BAC per se, repeat impaired driver provisions, open container laws, a minimum drinking age of 21, and zero tolerance by the states and territories.

WHEREAS, funding for technology and other initiatives has always been a challenge for state police and highway patrol agencies; and

WHEREAS, federal funding assistance has helped state police and highway patrol agencies meet this challenge; and

WHEREAS, federal grants that have been provided to state police and highway patrol agencies have always been spent judiciously and used to the advantage of their full constituencies, the citizens of the jurisdictions, the states they serve, and other law enforcement agencies within those jurisdictions; and

WHEREAS, the traditional mission of state police and highway patrol agencies has been to provide service, protection, and enforcement for its constituent citizens and to provide assistance, backup, technological support, training, and supplemental manpower to local law enforcement agencies within their states and jurisdictions; and

WHEREAS, heretofore state police and highway patrol agencies have been ineligible for federal Block Grant funding; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police Division of State and Provincial Police does hereby support and urge that all future Block Grant funding include state police and highway patrol agencies as eligible recipients.

WHEREAS, there has been an increased amount of media and special interest attention to allegations of bias by law enforcement officers; and

WHEREAS, this has resulted in numerous attempts to pass legislation that requires law enforcement to record the race of persons they stop for traffic infractions, reasonable suspicion of criminal activities or proactive law enforcement and traffic safety purposes; and

WHEREAS, determination of an individual’s race based solely on personal observation is subjective and, in our multi-cultural society, frequently impossible; and

WHEREAS, asking an individual his/her race may heighten tensions in interactions between law enforcement officers and the public; and

WHEREAS, implementing data collection and analysis requirements of such legislation requires significant expenditures for personnel and equipment; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that it is the position of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Division of State and Provincial Police that any legislation requiring law enforcement agencies to collect racial data during traffic stops or other law enforcement activities should also require that drivers’ licenses include a self-designated race identifier; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that it is the position of the IACP Division of State and Provincial Police that all such legislation should include full funding for the equipment and personnel needed to comply with the legislative requirements.

WHEREAS, the integrity and professional conduct of law enforcement officers is essential to the impartial administration of justice and to maintaining public trust and confidence in the profession; and

WHEREAS, recent widely publicized instances of police misconduct have resulted in public demands for increased police accountability and expanded efforts to identify and deal with patterns or practices of individual officer behavior that may lead to serious misconduct; and

WHEREAS, following investigations of several high profile incidents, there have been demands for police departments to establish data collection systems that would assist in identifying officers who may be at risk for serious misconduct or corruption, thereby allowing the department to take preventive action in these cases; and

WHEREAS, establishing such systems requires significant investments in computer hardware and software, additional internal affairs and human resource specialists, and specialized training; and

WHEREAS, many law enforcement agencies do not have the resources needed to make these investments; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that it is the position of the International Association of Chiefs of Police that discretionary funding to develop early warning systems and provide increased staffing should be included as a part of the COPS program, and a priority for the United States Department of Justice; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that similar to COPS funding for video cameras in patrol vehicles, funding to develop Early Warning Systems should be part of an overall proactive and preventative police accountability strategy designed to fund prevention measures, and which are the preferred course of action prior to, the imposition of a consent decree