Resources
IACP's resources are aimed at helping law enforcement executives do their jobs better and cover a variety of topics, including professional development, leadership, management, and supervision, as well as hot topics such as ethics.
Resources
EXPIRED Retention of the “National School Bus Yellow” Color Scheme
Adopted at the 120th Annual Conference
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 23, 2013
Retention of the "National School Bus Yellow" Color Scheme
Submitted by: Highway Safety Committee
HSC.005.t13
WHEREAS, the safe transportation of school children to and from school each day is of the highest priority; and
WHEREAS, the iconic black-on-yellow color scheme of school buses throughout the United States was developed by school transportation officials, industry advocates, parents, scientists, and law enforcement officials during the first meeting of the National Congress on School Transportation in 1939, in an effort to ensure the safe and economical transportation of school children; and
WHEREAS, the color of school buses provides contrast and visibility during early morning and late afternoon ambient lighting conditions, the times during which the majority of school transportation occurs; and
WHEREAS, the black-on-yellow color scheme renders school buses throughout the United States immediately and unmistakably recognizable by law enforcement, safety officials, and the general public as school buses transporting school children; and
WHEREAS, the National Congress on School Transportation has met 14 times since 1939 to discuss and develop standards for the color of school bus exteriors, with no change to the original recommendation for a black-on-yellow color scheme; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) urges state and local legislators and all other public officials charged with school bus safety oversight in North America to enlist the assistance and acceptance of the 75-year-old National Congress on School Transportation, including all associated school transportation officials, industry advocates, law enforcement officials, and other professionals charged with school pupil transportation safety, prior to authorizing any change to the black-on-yellow color scheme of school buses within their jurisdiction.
EXPIRED Validating the Public Safety Needs for Retro-Reflective Validation Tabs on License Plates
WHEREAS, traffic enforcement activities have proven to be effective in the detection and apprehension of individuals involved in criminal activities; and all means of initial identification, including retro-reflective validation tabs, are essential; and
WHEREAS, motor vehicles are used in the commission of many serious crimes and the quick discovery of such vehicles can help solve these crimes; and
WHEREAS, law enforcement officers routinely, in the normal discharge of their duties, are called upon to determine the validity of a vehicle's registration; and registration tabs have been proven to be an effective tool for law enforcement officers to verify a vehicle's registration; and
WHEREAS, fully reflective validation tabs displaying month and year attached to the license plate provides law enforcement officers with a recognition system and proof of valid vehicle registration while allowing officers to remain in their patrol vehicles; and
WHEREAS, an effort to repeal the requirement for validation tabs is sometimes made in response to budgetary considerations; and
WHEREAS, if such efforts were successful, they would have a serious and negative effect on the ability of law enforcement officers to effectively identify invalid vehicle registrations and to initiate reasonable suspicion to stop suspicious vehicles; 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 public safety and strongly opposes deleting the requirement for fully retro-reflective validation tabs; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the IACP strongly supports the adoption and incorporation of fully retro-reflective validation tabs indicating the month and year and additionally designed for use on the license plates of all motor vehicles registered and operated on highways and roadways.
Submitted by: Highway Safety Committee
HSC.006.t13
EXPIRED Support of Mandatory Active Shooter Training for All Law Enforcement Officers On a Regular Basis
Adopted at the 120th Annual Conference
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 23, 2013
Support of Mandatory Active Shooter Training for All Law Enforcement Officers
On a Regular Basis
Submitted By: Patrol and Tactical Operations Committee
PTO.007.t13
WHEREAS, law enforcement response to, and handling of "active shooter" incidents is critical; and
WHEREAS, the window between incident start and police response needs to be addressed with potential victims; and
WHEREAS, the knowledge "active shooter" perpetrators have of law enforcement, schools and business response tactics and protocols is enhanced by detailed media coverage of prior active shooter incidents; and
WHEREAS, individualized alternatives to standard response protocols of schools and businesses must be addressed by the responsible law enforcement agency; and
WHEREAS, law enforcement needs to work proactively with schools and businesses to develop survival strategies for the time from the start of an incident and the arrival of law enforcement; and
WHEREAS, law enforcement needs to support and reinforce the need for a comprehensive Threat Assessment process to assist in the pre-identification of possible active shooter suspects; and
WHEREAS, such training, cooperation, and policy development enhances both law enforcement's response and a victim's ability to successfully handle "active shooter" incidents; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) duly assembled at its 120th Annual Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania calls upon all law enforcement agencies to mandate "active shooter" training for all law enforcement officers under their authority.
EXPIRED The Importance of CJIS Systems Officers to the National Data Exchange
Adopted at the 120th Annual Conference
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 23, 2013
The Importance of CJIS Systems Officers to the National Data Exchange
Submitted by: Criminal Justice Information Systems Committee
CJIS.008.t13
WHEREAS, state CJIS Systems Officers (CSOs) are appointed in each U.S. state and territory and are responsible for the overall maintenance, operation, reliability, training, audit, and security of the various information sharing systems under their command, and
WHEREAS, such CJIS Systems Officers are so placed in these highly responsible and visible positions due to their experience, wisdom, background, and training and report to the leader of the state CJIS Systems Agency (CSA), and
WHEREAS, the National Data Exchange (N-DEx) is the nationally scaled information sharing system containing millions of criminal justice records, corrections data, law enforcement reports and photographs and also hosts a robust set of operational features towards increased investigative effectiveness, enhanced officer safety and situational awareness, tactical pre-planning and threat assessment, expanded fusion center analysis, and homeland security endeavors, all of which are available without cost, and
WHEREAS, N-DEx is a proven, effective information sharing system that should immediately be made available to the eligible criminal justice community, including the over 800,000 police officers, sheriff deputies, fire marshals, probation and parole agents, conservation wardens, corrections guards, dispatchers, and fusion center analysts who have a demonstrated need to access these records without obstruction, now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that by resolution at the 2012 International Association of Chiefs of Police annual conference held in San Diego that they strongly support N-DEx and identify it as a vital tool that will enhance the capabilities of the state, local, campus, tribal, and federal law enforcement officials as well as corrections, probation, and parole colleagues, and declaring it to be the nationally scaled system of information sharing, and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Criminal Justice Information Systems (CJIS) committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police recommends to the members of the association increased engagement in the furtherance of N-DEx across the nation in an effort to strengthen the investigation of all criminal activities, increase homeland security, enhance officer safety, and promote information sharing across geographical and jurisdictional lines, and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the International Association of Chiefs of Police calls upon all CJIS Systems Officers of any state or territory and strongly recommends to their respective CSA heads, to increase the availability of N-DEx to the criminal justice community in the purview of their areas of responsibility, underscoring the critical nature of this expanding database.
EXPIRED Implementation of Administrative Screening at All State and National Capitols
WHEREAS, it is important for all state and national Capitols and associated facilities and legislative bodies therein to operate in a safe and open environment; and
WHEREAS, history has demonstrated that persons have repeatedly caused harm or attempted to cause harm to elected officials (i.e. most recently January 8, 2011 - U.S. House of Representatives Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords' assassination attempt) and congressional/Capitol facilities have been targeted by terrorists in the past (i.e. September 11, 2001 – Flight 93 was intended for the U.S. Capitol Building); and
WHEREAS, we as law enforcement leaders want to ensure that elected officials, employees, visitors, and state and national Capitol facilities remain protected from crime, disruption, and/or terrorism; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) duly assembled at its 120th Annual Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, recommends that all state and national Capitols implement reasonable administrative screening protocols to detect, deter, and mitigate individuals who wish to cause harm/damage to its legislative processes, elected officials, employees, visitors, and facilities.
Submitted by: Capitol Police Section
CAP.009.t13
EXPIRED Support for Development of a Next Generation 911 (NG911) System
Adopted at the 120th Annual Conference
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 23, 2013
Support for Development of a Next Generation 911 (NG911) System
Submitted by: Communications and Technology Committee
CTC.011.t13
WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police recognizes the importance of Next Generation 911(NG911) and that NG911 technologies offer significant potential benefits to law enforcement agencies in fulfilling their mission; and
WHEREAS, NG911 technologies increase officer safety; enhance public safety; ensure faster and more accurate delivery of caller information to the responding officer; improve resource management; improve interoperability; enhance evidence capture and investigations capabilities; and will lead to further public safety benefits from future innovations; and
WHEREAS, IACP, along with fellow public safety stakeholders, participated in the U.S. Department of Transportation's/Transportation Safety Advancement Group's Next Generation 911 "What's Next" Forum in September 2010; and
WHEREAS, IACP recognizes the initial recommendations developed in collaboration with our fellow stakeholder groups during the "What's Next" Forum; and
WHEREAS, IACP recognizes the critical importance of further stakeholder input from law enforcement and other emergency responder groups in developing an NG911 system; and
WHEREAS, IACP coordinated on and supported the release of NG911: Next Generation 911 for Leaders in Law Enforcement, a 16-page special publication distributed in IACP and other law enforcement association publications; and
WHEREAS, IACP identifies the need for additional education and communication about NG911 and increased police leadership involvement in NG911 efforts; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police supports the development of a Next Generation 911 (NG911) System; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police appreciates and commits to the opportunity for continued representation, input and collaboration in ongoing efforts to prioritize the need to communicate the benefits of NG911 to police chiefs and public safety nationwide.
Background: Next Generation 911 (NG911) refers to an initiative aimed at updating the 911 service infrastructure in the United States to improve public emergency communications services in a wireless mobile society. In addition to calling 911 from a phone, it intends to enable the public to transmit text, images, video and data to the 911 center (referred to as a Public Safety Answering Point, or PSAP, which is predominately operated by law enforcement, both police and sheriff – especially in rural areas).
EXPIRED Support to Maintain the Public Safety T-Band Spectrum
Adopted at the 120th Annual Conference
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 23, 2013
Support to Maintain the Public Safety T-Band Spectrum
Submitted by: Communications and Technology Committee
CTC.012.t13
WHEREAS, spectrum in the T-Band (470-512 MHz) is used by law enforcement and other public safety entities in and around eleven metropolitan areas of the United States to support critical public safety communications and provide regional interoperability among first responders; and
WHEREAS, these areas are Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.; and
WHEREAS, Section 6103 of Public Law 112-96 (The Spectrum Act of 2012) enacted February 22, 2012, directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to begin auctioning the public safety T-Band spectrum for commercial use within 9 years of enactment, i.e., by February 22, 2021 and clear all public safety operations from the band within 2 years of auction close (i.e., by early 2023); and
WHEREAS, that same legislation allows auction revenue to be used for the relocation but does not specify any replacement spectrum or ensure revenues will be sufficient to fund the relocation; and
WHEREAS, after extensive study of the issue in which IACP participated, the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) issued a report on March 15, 2013, and
WHEREAS, that report concluded " Given the lack of alternative spectrum, cost of relocation, major disruption to vital public safety services, and likelihood that the spectrum auction would not even cover relocation costs, NPSTC believes implementing the T-Band legislation is not feasible, provides no public interest benefit, and the matter should be re-visited by Congress." ; and
WHEREAS, the NPSTC found that loss of the T-Band spectrum resource would be particularly problematic for public safety in the Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Philadelphia metropolitan areas; and that relocation of public safety communications systems in all eleven metropolitan areas to alternative spectrum if available would cost an estimated $5.9 billion, now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the International Association Chiefs of Police supports the NPSTC T-Band Report issued March 15, 2013, and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the International Association Chiefs of Police assembled at its 120th Annual Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, strongly supports actions that seek to resolve the T-Band issue favorably for public safety by maintaining the T-Band spectrum for immediate, continued and full use by law enforcement and other public safety entities.
EXPIRED DNA Arrestee Sample Collection
WHEREAS, the criminal justice system relies on forensic evidence as a foundational tool in criminal investigations; and
WHEREAS, advancements in DNA technologies have resulted in efficient, safe and non-invasive collection methods; and
WHEREAS, DNA sampling upon arrest will identify repeat offenders before they continue a pattern of violence; and
WHEREAS, DNA collected upon arrest will save countless public dollars and investigative resources to identify perpetrators; and
WHEREAS, DNA profiles have been instrumental in exonerating and reversing convictions of innocent persons; and
WHEREAS, Courts of law have ruled in favor of DNA collection upon arrest for serious offenses; and now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) duly assembled at its 120th Annual Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania recommends that state legislatures and other bodies adopt laws to allow and fund the collection of DNA samples from all persons at the time of an arrest for a serious offense and, further, that the DNA profiles from these samples be uploaded and searched against DNA profiles from crime scene evidence contained in a DNA database such as the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) in the United States to facilitate solving prior crimes and preventing future crimes.
Submitted by: Victim Services Committee and Forensics Committee
VSC.013.t13
EXPIRED Funding for Forensic Sciences: Support of the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Act
WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police is committed to supporting federal legislation and programs that seek to improve quality and timeliness of forensic laboratory services; and
WHEREAS, the forensic sciences application of advanced technology is instrumental in the successful apprehension and prosecution of criminals and exoneration of the innocent; and
WHEREAS, the vast majority of the nation's forensic science services are delivered by state and local government agencies; and
WHEREAS, a major source of funding for state and local laboratories for non-DNA forensic disciplines is the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Act created in December 2000 to improve the quality, timeliness, and credibility of forensic science services for criminal justice and other purposes with an authorized funding under the Justice For All Act at $35,000,000 currently has no money allocated; and
WHEREAS, due to significant funding deficiencies, forensic science laboratories at the local and state level are experiencing significant caseload backlogs that severely impact the timeliness of examinations critical to solving crimes; and
WHEREAS, these funding deficiencies significantly limit the abilities of local and state forensic service providers to acquire modern technology, provide adequate training, and provide forensic analyses in a timely manner; and
WHEREAS, these funding deficiencies can impede the ability of local and state forensic service providers to attain professional accreditation; and
WHEREAS, while funding has remained at existing levels or cut, there has been a vast growth in the types and amount of requests for forensic testing being made to state and local forensic laboratories including synthetic drugs, cellular phone and computer forensic examinations and other non-DNA forensic services; and
WHEREAS, no sustainable funding source exists for non-DNA forensic disciplines such as digital evidence, controlled substances, toxicology and firearms; and
WHEREAS, the inability of all local and state forensic service providers to become accredited and to meet the ever-increasing demand for services provides a major obstacle to the timely and effective administration of justice; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police duly assembled at its 120th Annual Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, fully supports and strongly encourages funding non-DNA forensic services by funding the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Act at the full $35 million.
Submitted by: Forensic Science Committee
FSC.015.T13
EXPIRED In Support of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Law Enforcement
WHEREAS, small Unmanned Aircraft Systems operated by law enforcement agencies play a vital role in supporting police operations, including search and rescue, crime scene photography, crash scene reconstruction and photography, tactical operations, etc.: and
WHEREAS, emerging technologies have permitted the development of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems that can be quickly deployed by law enforcement officers to enhance the tactical situational awareness of officers and allow them to improve their decision-making abilities; and
WHEREAS, small Unmanned Aircraft Systems are an efficient manner to deploy airborne law enforcement resources during routine and emergency situations; and
WHEREAS, small Unmanned Aircraft Systems can be safely integrated into the national airspace system and operate safely at or below 400 feet above sea level and within the guidelines of the Federal Aviation Administration; and
WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police Aviation Committee published the "Recommended Guidelines for the Use of Unmanned Aircraft" in August of 2012; and
WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police fully recognizes and supports the privacy citizens; and supports the notion that law enforcement agencies that operate small Unmanned Aircraft Systems must obtain search and seizure warrants for any flight that enters a constitutionally protected area of a citizen or business; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police duly assembled at its 120th Annual Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania support the use and operation of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems by law enforcement, and encourages law enforcement agencies to adhere to the International Association of Chiefs of Police Aviation Committee's "Recommended Guidelines for the Use of Unmanned Aircraft."
Submitted by: Aviation Committee
AV.016.t13
EXPIRED Tribal Law Enforcement Information Sharing Working Group Recommendations
WHEREAS, Tribal Law Enforcement agencies play an integral role in securing the safety and security of all persons in the United States, and
WHEREAS, the inclusion of Indian Country in the development of national law enforcement policy is essential to building trust and cooperation among law enforcement agencies in the interest of protecting the public;
WHEREAS, Tribal Governments control over 260 miles of international borders, which necessitates access to automated information systems within the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS), and
WHEREAS, the 2010 Tribal Law and Order Act (TLOA), a key piece of legislation, addresses some aspects of these issues at the Federal level, and the Tribal Information Sharing Working Group (TISWG) is working to explain why qualified tribal criminal justice agencies from Federally recognized tribes should be equal partners in a national policy of law enforcement information sharing, and
WHEREAS, a national information sharing policy that is not informed by the needs and concerns of Tribal Law Enforcement jeopardizes public and officer safety and is not in the best interest of protecting the homeland security of the United States, now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the IACP Indian Country Section endorse the recommendations of the Tribal Information Sharing Working Group in their efforts to promote justice in protection of all peoples in the United States. Specifically, that the following recommendations be enacted:
a. Federal and state information sharing entities are encouraged to fully engage with law enforcement entities in Indian Country in their areas of responsibility.
b. National-level information sharing policies should include specific procedures, tools, and information standards that tribal authorities can use to ensure responsible information sharing between Indian Country and the federal government.
c. Police Officer Standards and Training (POST)-certified or equivalently trained tribal law enforcement officers should be recognized by federal and state law as peace officers within their respective states with the same right of access to systems, processes, training, communications infrastructure, and organizations as other peace officers and law enforcement agencies.
Submitted by: Indian Country Section
IND.017.t13
EXPIRED Support of the Use of Microstamping Technology
Adopted at the 120th Annual Conference
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 23, 2013
Support of the Use of Microstamping Technology
Submitted by: Firearms Committee
FC.019.t13*
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 violent incidents involving firearms, shell casings are often left at crime scenes and law enforcement agencies have no way of identifying these casings; and
WHEREAS, microstamping technology may provide each firearm the ability to stamp that weapons 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, law enforcement executives require definitive and convincing evidence that microstamping technology is field functional, can produce desired results, and has had a cost- benefit analysis performed prior to recommending full implementation; now, 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 funding be made available for further research and field testing on this promising alternative ballistic approach to include: the durability of microstamped marks under various firing conditions; their susceptibility to tampering; field tests by police agencies; as well as a cost-benefit analysis to determine if it is a sound investment/decision (justification/feasibility) as compared to other technologies available to providing links between crime-scene evidence and the original crime weapon; and be it.
FURTHER RESOLVED that the IACP calls on the United States Department of Justice to provide the necessary funding, within this fiscal year, which will allow for the further in-depth research required of microstamping technology.
*The FAC still supports the use of Microstamping (FC.026.a08), however the language has been edited to reflect a need for further advancements and additional research on effectiveness.
