WHEREAS, armed criminals pose an increasing and major threat to public safety and can turn any crime into serious injury or death; and

WHEREAS, most violent crime where a firearm is possessed or used is committed by recidivist criminals, and existing laws already prohibit possession and use of firearms by recidivist criminals; and

WHEREAS, vigorous, coordinated enforcement and prosecution of illegal possession and use of firearms by recidivist criminals has been proven to dramatically reduce firearms-related violent crime, and

WHEREAS, partnerships between law enforcement, prosecution and corrections that focus on violent firearm crime have been proven to be an effective means of coordinated cross-jurisdictional and cross-disciplinary efforts on enforcement of prosecution of illegal firearm possession and violent firearm crime; and

WHEREAS, model violent firearm crime coalitions have been implemented in King County, Washington, and Richmond, Virginia and Boston, Massachusetts; and

WHEREAS, the Firearms Committee of the IACP has developed and approved Model Violent Firearm Crime Coalition Guidelines; and

WHEREAS, the Attorney General of the United States has directed all United States Attorneys and all Special Agents in Charge of ATF offices to seek public and private partnerships for an integrated firearms violence reduction strategy; and

WHEREAS, violence in schools is an urgent concern of all IACP members, and the Model Violent Firearms Crime Coalition Guidelines address illegal use and possession of firearms by adults and juveniles, now therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) duly assembled at its 106th Annual Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, approves and endorses the Model Violent Firearms Crime Coalition Guidelines, and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that every member of IACP be provided a written copy of the Model Violent Firearm Crime Coalition Guidelines and be encouraged to form these coalitions as appropriate; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Governing Body of IACP present copies of this resolution and the Model Guidelines to the national organizations whose partnerships are essential to success; these include the National Sheriffs' Association, American Correctional Association, American Probation and Parole Association, and the National District Attorneys Association.

Support of the Use of Microstamping Technology

Submitted by the Firearms Committee

FC.026.a08

WHEREAS, reducing the prevalence of gun crime and gun related homicides in the United States and around the world is a priority of law enforcement; and

WHEREAS, each year many incidents of crime, including homicides, go unsolved due to a lack of evidence in the case; and

WHEREAS, law enforcement agencies are in critical need of additional investigative tools and technologies that would provide accurate and timely intelligence and further leads in investigations of gun crime and give substantial investigatory links; and

WHEREAS, in a large number of violent incidents involving firearms, shell casings are left at crime scenes and law enforcement agencies have no way of identifying these casings; and

WHEREAS, microstamping technology would give each firearm the ability to stamp that weapon uniquely assigned and identifiable serial number and/or distinctive markings on cartridge casings by way of the firing pin; and

WHEREAS, this technology would be used to help law enforcement identify the first known purchaser of a weapon used in crime, therefore providing leads that would allow for substantial evidentiary information that will help identify, apprehend and arrest criminals; and

WHEREAS, microstamping technology has proven to be an inexpensive, yet effective way to mark and identify firearm shell casings; therefore be it

RESOLVED that the International Association of Chiefs of Police, duly assembled at its 115th Annual Conference in San Diego, California recommends that all firearms produced or sold be fitted with microstamping technology so that law enforcement can further criminal investigations and enhance public safety; and be it further

RESOLVED that the IACP calls on all governments to enact legislation that will allow for the implementation of microstamping technology.

WHEREAS, the membership of the IACP supports efforts to recognize Tribal Police Departments as governmental entities similar to agencies of the United States government, or of a state government or a political subdivision thereof, for purposes of the National Firearms Act (NFA) and the Gun Control Act (GCA); and

WHEREAS, the membership of the IACP recognizes Tribal Police Departments, which number over 165 agencies, as law enforcement agencies of sovereign, federally-recognized Indian Tribes; and

WHEREAS, Tribal Police Departments are vital to providing public safety in Indian Country across the United States; and

WHEREAS, the NFA generally imposes a tax on the transfer of an NFA weapon, it exempts the following government entities from payment: the United States or any department, independent establishment, or agency thereof, and any state, possession of the United States, any political subdivision thereof, or any official police organization of such a government entity engaged in criminal investigation; and

WHEREAS, the GCA generally prohibits the interstate shipment of firearms to unlicensed persons, but contains an exception for shipments to the United States or any department or agency thereof or any state or any department, agency, or political subdivision thereof; and

WHEREAS, the GCA generally prohibits the transfer or possession of machineguns manufactured after May 18, 1986, except with respect to a transfer to or by, or possession by or under the authority of, the United States or any department or agency thereof, or a state or a department, agency, or political subdivision thereof; and

WHEREAS, Tribal Police Departments are not part of, or agencies of, the United States government, a state government, or a political subdivision of a state. Therefore, Tribal Police Departments under the NFA or the GCA generally: " Do not qualify for the exemption from payment of the transfer tax for NFA firearms, " Are not eligible to receive firearms interstate, and " Cannot possess a machinegun manufactured after May 18, 1986; and

WHEREAS, Tribal Police Departments can participate in a cross-deputization program offered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), United States Department of the Interior, in which tribal officers receive BIA special law enforcement commissions. Once deputized (and while the deputization remains in effect), the tribal officers are considered federal law enforcement officers for purposes of the NFA and GCA. Accordingly, when deputized, the Tribal Police Departments qualify for the tax exempt transfer, interstate transfer, and can possess machineguns manufactured after May 18, 1986; and

WHEREAS, the IACP supports efforts to allow all Tribal Police Departments to have access to NFA firearms to ensure tribal officers can effectively carry out their duties and protect tribal communities in Indian Country; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the IACP strongly supports legislation to amend the NFA and the GCA so that Tribal Police Departments are recognized as governmental entities for purposes of the NFA and the GCA, similar to agencies of the United States government, or of a state government, or a political subdivision thereof without the requirement of special law enforcement commissions so that Tribal Police Departments: " Are exempt from payment of the transfer tax for NFA firearms, " Are eligible to receive firearms interstate, and " Can possess a machinegun manufactured after May 18, 1986.

Submitted by the Firearms Committee

FC.008.a10

Adopted at the 119th Annual Conference
San Diego, CA
October 3, 2012

Support for Additional NIBIN Funding at ATF
Submitted by: Firearms Committee
FC.027.a12

WHEREAS, the ATF National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) has vitally assisted state, local, and tribal law enforcement in the examination of ballistics comparisons and has played a role in reducing the nation's crime rate; and

WHEREAS, state, local, and tribal law enforcement are on the frontlines against firearms crime; and

WHEREAS, ATF maintains this system of 138 state and local agencies who have over 195 IBIS machines on which they collect digital images; and

WHEREAS, state, local, and tribal law enforcement need a national, over?arching federal organization to oversee and maintain the NIBIN program; and

WHEREAS, the NIBIN system currently maintains a database of more than 2 million acquisitions; and

WHEREAS, the NIBIN system has allowed the users of the system to establish over 45,000 links of unique crime scene investigations; and

WHEREAS, the NIBIN program recently underwent a $10,000,000 program reduction by the Office of Management and Budget; and

WHEREAS, this program reduction was proposed "to fund higher priorities and achieve cost savings" and because "participants and customers are primarily non?Federal government law enforcement entities"; and

WHEREAS, due to this program reduction, ATF has recently released over 30 NIBIN contractors who provided valuable assistance on the NIBIN program; and

WHEREAS, due to this program reduction, ATF has recently removed 40 systems from State and local partners that had participated in the NIBIN program; and

WHEREAS, this NIBIN technology routinely needs to be refreshed, upgraded, and deployed to State and local law enforcement which is costly; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police duly assembled at it 119th Annual Conference in San Diego, California, calls upon Congress to approve a supplemental funding package that will immediately restore the $10,000,000 in funding reductions to the ATF NIBIN program.

Adopted at the 119th Annual Conference

San Diego, CA
October 3, 2012

Regional Crime Gun Processing Protocols Submitted by the Firearms Committee
FC.028.a12

WHEREAS, a "Crime Gun" for the purposes of this resolution includes any firearm used in crime or suspected to have been used in crime. This may include firearms abandoned or otherwise taken into law enforcement custody that are either suspected to have been used in a crime or whose proper disposition can be facilitated through a firearms trace; and

WHEREAS, crime Gun Tracing and NCIC (National Crime Information Center) queries can help police identify and track purchasers, owners and possessors of firearms; and

WHEREAS, ballistics Evidence, bullets and cartridge cases discharged from a crime gun can be used to link a firearm to prior crimes and to link two or more crimes together; and

WHEREAS, forensic Evidence such as DNA, latent fingerprints, and other trace evidence like hairs and fibers can help police link Crime Guns and Ballistics Evidence to a criminal; and

WHEREAS, the armed criminals of today are mobile and evidence of their crimes is easily dispersed across police districts, cities, states and international borders as well; and

WHEREAS, a regional approach is necessary because a law enforcement officer's degree of success in solving a murder in one city can be dependent upon what an officer in the next town over does or does not do with the crime gun he or she seizes in a traffic stop; and

WHEREAS, scientific and information technology tools like eTrace for crime gun tracing, NCIC for stolen firearms reporting and recognition, NIBIN for ballistics evidence, CODIS for DNA, and AFIS for fingerprints, can help police develop and share information about the identity of armed criminals across wide geographic regions; and

WHEREAS, maximum benefits from these intelligence-led policing tools can be achieved through collaboratively defined crime gun processing protocols consistently applied by the law enforcement agencies operating within a region where armed criminals are likely to be crisscrossing multiple police jurisdictions; and

WHEREAS, regional crime gun and evidence processing protocols can provide law enforcement agencies with timely and actionable information to help identify and apprehend armed suspects quickly thereby denying them the opportunity to re-offend and to perfect stronger criminal cases against them; and

WHEREAS, more armed criminals convicted and Justice served helps to preserve the peace and protect the public; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the IACP views regionally applied crime gun and evidence processing protocols as a best practice for the investigation of firearm related crimes and encourages law enforcement officials, prosecuting attorneys and forensic experts to collaborate on the design of mutually agreeable protocols best suited for their region. The protocols should address each of the following critical areas: • The thorough investigation of each gun related crime including the safe and proper collection of all crime guns & related evidence. • The performance of appropriate NCIC transactions (e.g. stolen, recovered). • The timely and comprehensive tracing of all crime guns through ATF & eTrace. • The timely processing of crime gun test fires and ballistics evidence through NIBIN. • The timely lab submission and analysis of other forensic data from crime guns and related evidence (e.g. DNA, latent fingerprints, trace evidence). • The generation, dissemination and investigative follow-up of the intelligence derived from the application of the regional protocols.

Adopted at the 119th Annual Conference

San Diego, CA
October 3, 2012

Support for ATF Requirement to Report Multiple Sales of Long Guns
Submitted by: Firearms Committee
FC.030.a12

WHEREAS, the ATF in August 2011 required Federal Firearms Licensees in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas, to submit reports of multiple sales or other dispositions to an unlicensed individual of two or more rifles within five consecutive business days having the following characteristics: (1) semiautomatic; (2) a caliber greater than .22 (including .223/5.56 mm); and (3) the ability to accept detachable magazines; and

WHEREAS, the program was being implemented to assist in investigating and combating the illegal movement of firearms along and across the Southwest border; and

WHEREAS, The Gun Control Act (GCA) of 1968 requires federal firearms licensees (FFLs) to report multiple sales of handguns to the same purchaser [18 U.S.C. § 923(g)(3)]. The sale of two or more handguns must be reported if they occur at the same time, or within five business days of each other. The report must be filed with ATF no later than the close of business on the day the multiple sales or other disposition took place and includes information that identifies the purchaser and the firearms purchased. By law, a copy of this handgun multiple sale report must be provided to designated state or local law enforcement agencies. These reports provide ATF with potential intelligence and almost real-time investigative leads that can indicate illegal firearms trafficking. ATF began requiring the FFLs to report the multiple transactions in 1975. The federal statute that codified the multiple sales of handguns reporting requirement went into effect in 1986; and

WHEREAS, Mexican law enforcement officials have reported that certain types of rifles are regularly being used to commit violent crimes in Mexico. These rifles typically include AK-47 and AR-15 variants with detachable magazines; and

WHEREAS, ATF has capitalized on the investigative leads generated from this reporting requirement by referring over 100 defendants for prosecution, in approximately 28 cases, during the first eight-months of the program; and

WHEREAS, by requiring the reporting of multiple sales of the specified rifles, this requirement has provided significant investigative leads to law enforcement in pursuing firearms trafficking to Mexico and in the United States; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police duly assembled at it 119th Annual Conference in San Diego, California, calls upon Congress to support the ATF Multiple Sales Reporting requirements as currently enacted.

Adopted at the 119th Annual Conference

San Diego, CA
October 3, 2012

Validating the Public Safety and Homeland Security Needs for Retro-Reflective Front and Rear License Plates
Submitted by: Highway Safety Committee
HSC.022.a12

WHEREAS, heightened homeland security concerns and procedures 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 approximately four million miles of highways and roads within the United States; and

WHEREAS, 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, 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, retro-reflective front and rear license plates are essential in the quick and accurate identification of motor vehicles even at highway speeds; 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, 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), duly assembled at its 119th Annual Conference in San Diego, California, 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 that States issue new plates as required to maintain effective vehicle identification and to protect the security and integrity of the vehicle registration process; and , be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the IACP supports the use of the Best Practice Guide for Improving Automated License Plate Reader Effectiveness through Uniform License Plate Design and Manufacture published by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators.

Adopted at the 119th Annual Conference

San Diego, CA
October 3, 2012

Reduction of Secondary Crashes
Submitted by: Highway Safety Committee
HSC.024.a12

WHEREAS, a traffic incident is an unplanned, randomly occurring traffic event that adversely effects normal traffic operations; and

WHEREAS, according to the Traffic Incident Management Handbook, traffic incidents cause about one-quarter of the congestion on U.S. roadways; and

WHEREAS, for every minute a freeway lane is blocked by an incident, four minutes' travel delay time results; and

WHEREAS, a secondary crash is a collision resulting from the original traffic incident that occurs within an incident scene or within the queue, including in the opposite direction; and

WHEREAS, according to the Traffic Incident Management Handbook , the likelihood of a secondary crash increases by 2.8 percent for every minute that the primary incident remains a hazard; and

WHEREAS, on average, one law enforcement officer has been struck and killed by a vehicle each month over the past 24 years; according to Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2010, five firefighters were killed in 2010 in "struck by" collisions, one tow truck operator is struck and killed every six days, and an even a greater number of highway workers are victims of "struck by" crashes; and

WHEREAS, secondary crashes alone are responsible for a significant number of fatalities and collisions; and

WHEREAS, traffic incident management practices and performance measures have demonstrated a reduction in crashes, in roadway clearance times, and in incident clearance times; and

WHEREAS, the 4th edition of the Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria includes attributes designated to assist in identifying roadway circumstances that contribute to secondary crashes; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), duly assembled at its 119th Annual Conference in San Diego, California, acknowledges that to the degree that law enforcement and other disciplines effectively, efficiently, and safely prepare for—and respond to—the primary incident, congestion, as well as the frequency and seriousness of secondary crashes, will be reduced; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the IACP calls upon state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to commence collecting and analyzing data concerning secondary crashes with an eye toward adopting Traffic Incident Management performance measures to reduce these crashes and the death and serious injuries they produce.

WHEREAS, at least one major corporation is experimenting with—and road-testing—driverless vehicles capable of transporting persons on public highways without manual intervention; and

WHEREAS, these vehicles use a combination of radar/lidar, global positioning, digital video, and other state-of-the-art technologies to control the vehicle without human intervention; and

WHEREAS, such vehicles may be marketed to the general public by 2017 or earlier; and

WHEREAS, as these driverless vehicles proliferate, serious traffic safety implications will arise if any vehicle component fails and no human driver is present to assume control of the vehicle; and

WHEREAS, driverless vehicle technology is new and emerging, and public safety concerns—such as the ability of driverless vehicles to respond to temporarily reduced speed zones, to hazardous weather conditions, to approaching emergency vehicles, to be deployed as incendiary devices, and to have the computers controlling their operation compromised via hackers—must be addressed during the development of such technology; and

WHEREAS, few states currently have statutes controlling the road testing and ultimate public sale and use of these vehicles on public streets and highways; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police, duly assembled at its 119th Annual Conference in San Diego, California, urges its state and provincial, local, and tribal members to coordinate with highway safety officials; governors, mayors, and other political leaders; and legislators in securing passage of legislation to regulate the testing and eventual operation of these vehicles on public roadways, including the requirement for the presence of a licensed human driver; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be forwarded to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials, Federal Highway Administration, Governors Highway Safety Association, National Conference of State Legislatures, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Sheriffs' Association, and Transport Canada.

Submitted by: Highway Safety Committee
HSC.026.a12

WHEREAS, fatigue is a common health and safety concern for all law enforcement officers; and

WHEREAS, overtime, special duty assignments, secondary employment, and shift work are contributing factors to fatigue; and

WHEREAS, other occupations recognize the negative impacts of fatigue on safety, health, and performance and minimize their impact by restricting duty hours; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) recommends that all law enforcement agencies provide training and adopt policies, which shall minimize the effects of fatigue on officers prior to and during their duty assignments.

WHEREAS, resources allocated for law enforcement activities are frequently insufficient to keep pace with the demands placed on agencies to respond to calls for service and threats to public safety; and

WHEREAS, decreasing social harm and improving quality of life for communities continue to be primary missions of law enforcement agencies; and

WHEREAS, the need for law enforcement executives to provide timely and accurate data to justify expenditures and deployment decisions will only increase as Federal, State, and local officials, along with the public, continue to scrutinize the allocation of tax dollars; and

WHEREAS, community-focused, location-based law enforcement has emerged as an effective strategy for addressing current issues of social harm and concerns for public safety; and

WHEREAS, the shortage of law enforcement resources is likely to continue in the foreseeable future, law enforcement executives should adopt effective strategies to further improve quality of life in communities that suffer from the effects of high crime and motor vehicle crash rates; and

WHEREAS, implementation of a data-driven approach is a vital point, along with other strategies, for executing long-term change in which law enforcement professionals take an integrated approach to the deployment of personnel and resources; now, therefore be it

WHEREAS, Data-Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety (DDACTS) is a law enforcement operational model integrating location-based crime and traffic crash data to establish effective and efficient methods of deploying law enforcement and other resources and using geo-mapping to identify areas that have high incidences of crime and crashes; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) recommends that all law enforcement agencies adopt and implement the Data-Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety (DDACTS) model.

Adopted at the 117th Annual Conference
Orlando, FL.
October 27, 2010
Seat Belt Use by Police Officers
Submitted by: Highway Safety Committee
HSC.004.a10

WHEREAS, the FBIs Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) program indicates that automobile and motorcycle crashes are the primary cause of accidental police officer deaths, accounting for 66 percent of those killed accidentally between 1999 and 2008 (492 officers); and

WHEREAS, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that seat belt use has saved more lives than any other vehicle safety program, and that overall seat belt usage increased from about 11 percent in 1979-82, to 84 percent in 2009, the highest rate in U.S. history; and

WHEREAS, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) indicates that 35 percent of the 37 officers killed in auto crashes in 2009 were not wearing seat belts; and

WHEREAS, wearing seat belts is even more critical today than in the past because so many other safety features are intertwined with, and are dependent upon, their proper use; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), NLEOMF, and NHTSA will partner during 2011 to reduce law enforcement officer deaths to below 100 per year for the first time since 1944; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the IACP, NLEOMF, NHTSA, and the Federal Highway Administration encourage police chiefs, sheriffs, or other agency heads to adopt policies requiring all on-duty officers to wear seat belts and respond to incidents at appropriate speeds and to hold officers accountable for adherence; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that law enforcement agencies pledge to show to all their officers, and to discuss with them, during 2011 the IACP Highway Safety Committee roll-call video Is Today Your Day?