WHEREAS, public safety is the highest priority of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Transport Canada, and law enforcement agencies; and

WHEREAS, the best efforts of law enforcement and other government agencies and private organizations have made significant gains in the past in reducing impaired driving; and

WHEREAS, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2005, 16,972 people were killed in crashes involving alcohol, constituting 39 percent of the 43,200 people killed in all traffic crashes and representing a 1.7 percent increase over the previous year; and

WHEREAS, research indicates the effect of drugs, alone or in combination with alcohol, contribute significantly to the number of fatal and injury crashes; and

WHEREAS, law enforcement officers experience firsthand the devastating emotional, mental, and physical effects of impaired driving; and

WHEREAS, research has shown strong and effective laws, combined with highly visible enforcement, not only reduces impaired driving, but also reduces other crimes as well; and

WHEREAS, there are many strategies that can and should be deployed in our fight against impaired driving; and

WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) encourages allied organizations, both public and private, to work cooperatively with law enforcement to eliminate impaired driving; and

WHEREAS, the IACP encourages all other components of the criminal justice system, including prosecutors and the judiciary, to work cooperatively to eliminate impaired driving; and

WHEREAS, according to NHTSA, sustained high visibility law enforcement is clearly the best strategy for reducing impaired driving; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED that the International Association of Chiefs of Police encourages all law enforcement agencies to engage in a renewed effort against impaired driving, by taking full advantage of known best practices, in particular aggressive high visibility enforcement, to work vigorously toward the elimination of impaired driving; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the IACP supports the use of the IACP Highway Safety Committee’s "Impaired Driving Guidebook: Three Keys to Renewed Focus and Success" as a resource tool in our effort to eliminate impaired driving.

WHEREAS, the versatility of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) for carrying passengers and equipment, coupled with the necessity of four-wheel drive in adverse driving conditions, have made SUVs advantageous for use by law enforcement agencies; and

WHEREAS, any SUV utilized by uniformed law enforcement personnel can become involved in an emergency response or a pursuit; and

WHEREAS, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics, SUVs involved in single-vehicle crashes are more susceptible to rollover than passenger cars; and

WHEREAS, electronic stability control (ESC) improves dynamic vehicle control and reduces rollover crashes by automatically braking individual wheels and reducing engine power; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED that the International Association of Chiefs of Police urges federal, state, provincial, municipal, county, and tribal purchasing authorities to incorporate electronic stability control as required equipment in their specifications for the purchase of all new SUVs intended for use by uniformed law enforcement personnel.

WHEREAS, in 1998 the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) supported the use of red light cameras at intersections for more effective and efficient traffic law enforcement, in conjunction with normal enforcement efforts; and

WHEREAS, the use of red light camera systems can deter and reduce red light running violations by motorists, and more importantly, can reduce the number of crashes, injuries and deaths attributable to red-light running; and

WHEREAS, crashes caused by motorists running red lights are, on the average, more deadly and damaging than other types of crashes at signalized intersections; and WHEREAS, a comprehensive approach to using red light camera systems involving partnerships inclusive of all stakeholders is more effective in the mitigation of red-light running violations; and

WHEREAS, the proper implementation of red light camera systems will improve transportation safety and operations; and

WHEREAS, the Red Light Camera Systems Operational Guidelines (January 2005) developed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is for use by state and local agencies for the development and operation of such systems; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the IACP supports the use of red light camera systems to detect and reduce the incidence of red light running violations; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the IACP endorses and supports the Red Light Camera Systems Operational Guidelines for use by state and local law enforcement agencies during the implementation and operation of red-light camera systems.

WHEREAS, speed-related crashes, deaths, and injuries have not declined in the past decade, despite roadway and vehicle safety improvements; and

WHEREAS, today’s motor vehicles are capable of being operated at extremely high speeds that exceed the design criteria for both highways and safety devices, with drivers traveling at those high speeds in relative comfort and silence; and

WHEREAS, there is a great disparity in the weights and sizes of vehicles on roadways today, making speeding by heavy commercial vehicles particularly dangerous; and

WHEREAS, our streets and highways have become increasingly congested and in need of repair; and

WHEREAS, our contemporary culture is one in which many drivers are rushing to get from one destination to another, and this may lead to excessive driving speeds, which in turn could lead to aggressive driving and road rage, speed-related crashes, deaths, and injuries; and

WHEREAS, vehicle stopping distances increase and effective maneuvering space decreases exponentially as speed increases; and

WHEREAS, the extent to which law enforcement officers and their agencies allow tolerances when enforcing speed limits can encourage or discourage speed violations; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police joins with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Federal Highway Administration in urging all state, county, local and tribal law enforcement agencies and individual officers assigned to patrol duties to place a renewed emphasis on the management of speeds on our streets and highways; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that law enforcement agencies join the effort to reduce speed-related deaths, injuries and property damage by making speed enforcement a high priority; by encouraging the public, through education and enforcement, to reduce their travel speeds to the speed limit; and by encouraging departments and officers to re-examine carefully the extent to which their approach to speed enforcement tolerances impact travel speeds.

WHEREAS, the pervasive problem of alcohol- and drug-impaired driving is a national problem; and

WHEREAS, the law enforcement community has been committed to removing the impaired driver from our nation’s roadways; and

WHEREAS, any impaired driving arrest will result in the offender’s entering the criminal justice system; and

WHEREAS, the offender will appear in court; and the courts have unique opportunities to heighten accountability of substance abusers and to stop recidivism; and

WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) supports ongoing education, implementation of effective strategies, and collaboration regarding substance abusing offenders; and

WHEREAS, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has made DWI/DUI courts an impaired driving priority. DWI/DUI courts will ensure that substance abuse treatment is ordered and implemented on the basis of adequate information, in accordance with applicable law, and with due regard for the rights of the individual and of the public; and

WHEREAS, DWI/DUI courts incorporate the 10 Key Components, which define DWI/DUI courts, as published by the National Association of Drug Court Professionals; and

WHEREAS, DWI/DUI courts will assist law enforcement in removing the impaired driver from our nation’s roadways; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that Highway Safety Committee of the IACP supports the DWI/DUI courts concept as promoted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

WHEREAS, in 2003, 40 percent of the 42,643 motor vehicle deaths in the United States were alcohol-related, translating into 17,013 alcohol-related motor vehicle deaths and accounting for an average of one alcohol-related fatality every 30 minutes; and

WHEREAS, alcohol-related crashes in the United States cost the public more than $50 billion in 2000, and 81 percent of those costs occurred in crashes where a driver or non-occupant had a BAC of .10 or higher; and

WHEREAS, law enforcement agencies are participating in high visibility impaired driving enforcement efforts to detect alcohol- and drug-impaired drivers; and

WHEREAS, the majority of alcohol and drug impaired driving cases are prosecuted by new or inexperienced prosecutors; and

WHEREAS, these prosecutors must prosecute impaired driving cases against a highly paid, experienced defense attorney; and

WHEREAS, states are developing Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor (TSRP) positions to provide training for prosecutors on traffic safety programs, to provide technical assistance to law enforcement officers and prosecutors, and to serve as second chairs on complex impaired driving cases that include the Frye and Daubert evidentiary standards of reliability for scientific proof; and

WHEREAS, a TSRP can assist law enforcement officers in collecting evidence, in setting up sobriety checkpoints or saturation patrols, in case preparation, in training, and in establishing relationships with prosecutors to ensure the successful prosecution of impaired driving cases; and

WHEREAS, law enforcement officers can provide important information and training to prosecutors regarding current issues relevant to the prosecution of impaired driving and related cases; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police supports the continued implementation of Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutors to assist in the effective prosecution of impaired driving cases and commits to developing working relationships with the TSRPs.

WHEREAS, according to the FBI’s Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted 2003, 16.6 percent of the 697 law enforcement officers accidentally killed between 1994 and 2003 were struck by vehicles, i.e., at the time of their deaths, they were conducting traffic stops or roadblocks, were directing traffic or assisting motorists, or were engaged in similar activities; and

WHEREAS, in an effort to safeguard law enforcement officers and others whose duties require them to utilize the roadside, at least 30 states have enacted “move over, slow down” statutes, typically requiring motorists to slow down and/or move over a lane as they approach police or other public safety vehicles with activated emergency lights stopped on the shoulder of multi-lane highways; and

WHEREAS, the provisions of these well-intended statutes vary widely in terms of the legislated mandates for compliance; and

WHEREAS, the effectiveness of these “move over, slow down” statutes is compromised by motorists’ inability to comply with inconsistent requirements; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) calls upon the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Laws and Ordinances (NCUTLO) to identify these state laws and their provisions, and to develop and promote those requirements deemed essential to model legislation which will ensure the safety of law enforcement officers and others whose duties require them to utilize the roadside and which ultimately will aid in the effectiveness of these statutes, as well as in the ability of motorists to comply with them; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the IACP supports international efforts to ensure the roadside safety of law enforcement officers in countries around the world.

WHEREAS, the members of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) support and encourage the highest standards of conduct in themselves and the people who serve in their agencies; and

WHEREAS, a crucial component of staffing an ethical law enforcement agency begins in the hiring process; and

WHEREAS, the need to identify prior misconduct of law enforcement applicants is fundamental in hiring qualified, ethical applicants; and

WHEREAS, the need for a cooperative database system for the interstate sharing of information relating to the decertification of law enforcement officers is paramount in avoiding hiring officers that have already been found to be unfit for law enforcement; and

WHEREAS, the IACP supported the Law Enforcement and Correctional Officers Employment Registration Act of 1996, which proposed a comprehensive national registry for all police officers; and

WHEREAS, the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST) began a pilot effort in 1999 of a database for decertified officers that continues today and already has over 6,800 records from 17 states in the database; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED that the membership of the IACP does hereby strongly and respectfully request that federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement leaders support the continued development and funding of the National Decertification Database, as planned and initiated by IADLEST; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the membership of the IACP encourages each state association of chiefs of police to support state legislative efforts to authorize and incorporate its state’s data in the national database.

WHEREAS, the performance of essential tasks by a police officer can be physically demanding; and

WHEREAS, participation in physical training is an important part of the recruit training, but insufficient to sustain a strength and endurance conditioning throughout an officer’s career; and

WHEREAS, numerous studies have concluded that a personal regimen of physical training contributes significantly to mental and physical health; and

WHEREAS, physical training incorporated into each officer’s personal lifestyle is important to the continued capacity of job performance as well as longevity; and

WHEREAS, the Law Enforcement Voluntary Fitness / Wellness Task Group has developed a program, which corresponds with and facilitates the completion of activities that are generally performed by police officers; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED that the Education and Training Committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police does commend the Law Enforcement Voluntary Fitness / Wellness Task Group for the development of this program, and encourages the adoption of career-long fitness wellness standards by law enforcement agencies.

WHEREAS, officers injured, disabled, or killed in performance of their duties is unacceptable; and

WHEREAS, police injuries and disabilities are disruptive to the quality of lives of the impacted police officers, their families and friends, work associates, organizations, and communities; and

WHEREAS, a police death causes great personal pain and suffering to the survivors; and

WHEREAS, these injuries, disabilities, and deaths may be mitigated or prevented, now, therefore be it

RESOLVED that the membership of the International Association of Chiefs of Police hereby adopts a safety vision to minimize officer injuries, disabilities, and deaths in concert with the SafeShield project; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that adoption of the SafeShield project is designed to align all stakeholders to define, analyze, and prevent the causes of police injuries, disabilities, and deaths; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the International Association of Chiefs of Police encourages all police leaders to consistently communicate the importance of a shared vision for officer safety and wellness.

WHEREAS, law enforcement agencies purchase approximately 200,000 patrol vehicles each model year from dealerships representing the automobile industry; and

WHEREAS, the law enforcement patrol vehicle incurs high mileage under extreme use or conditions; and

WHEREAS, the law enforcement fleet will discover potential vehicle problems or failures before the public market; and

WHEREAS, the service and repair of police vehicles past warranty generally fall to law enforcement administrators who have oversight of a local or statewide fleet; and

WHEREAS, the sharing of service and repair information would improve the performance and safety of the law enforcement fleet; and

WHEREAS, a recognized exchange of service information between law enforcement fleet administrators and service technicians of the vehicle manufacturer will better serve law enforcement, the motoring public and the automobile industry; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED that law enforcement through the IACP seeks to partner and exchange information with the automobile industry on issues of service and repair of police vehicles; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that law enforcement through the IACP shall strive to obtain all pertinent information on known or potential problems that are discovered by law enforcement agencies or the manufacturers.

WHEREAS, many law enforcement agencies incorporate the use of teams of officers known as Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT)/ Special Response Team (SRT) or other similar titles who specialize in responding to high risk operations; and WHEREAS, high risk operations mostly include activities where citizens and/or law enforcement officers’ safety is at a higher than normal risk; and WHEREAS, these types of activities demand a well prepared and coordinated law enforcement response; and WHEREAS, SWAT/SRT or other similar teams’ responsibility and commitment varies widely from agency to agency, depending on the size of the agency, the activity levels in that agency’s jurisdiction and budgetary resources; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) recommends that standards be developed and implemented by any law enforcement agency utilizing SWAT/SRT or other similar teams; and be it FURTHER RESOLVED, that those standards should include a well structured policy clearly defining, but not limited to, specific areas of SWAT/SRT focus, decision making authority and individual team member standards for qualification; and be it FURTHER RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police recommends that any agency utilizing a SWAT/SRT or other similar teams develop and implement a well documented training schedule consistent with the written policy expectations of its team.