Adopted at the 121st Annual Conference

Orlando, Florida

October 21, 2014

Opposition to the Enactment of H.R. 4709 - Removing the Attorney General's Authority to Issue Immediate Suspension Orders Under the Controlled Substances Act

Submitted by: Narcotics & Dangerous Drugs Committee

NDDC.017.T14

WHEREAS, by passage of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) over 40 years ago, Congress made the judgment that that the illegal distribution, and possession and improper use of controlled substances—including pharmaceutical controlled substances—have a substantial and detrimental effect on the health and general welfare of the American people; and

WHEREAS, the United States is in the midst of the most significant prescription drug abuse epidemic in our nation's history; and

WHEREAS, as a result of the ongoing prescription drug abuse epidemic, more Americans are becoming addicted to, and dying from, overdoses of prescription controlled substances than ever before; and

WHEREAS, the CSA requires all lawful distributors and dispensers of controlled substances to be registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); and

WHEREAS, the current prescription drug epidemic is being fueled in large part by rogue DEA-registered distributors, pharmacies, and practitioners; and

WHEREAS, one of the critical tools created by Congress for preventing the diversion of pharmaceutical controlled substances is the immediate suspension order (ISO), which allows the Attorney General to immediately suspend a registration where he finds that doing so is necessary to prevent an imminent danger to the public health and safety; and

WHEREAS, H.R. 4709, passed by the United States House of Representatives in July 2014, would allow rogue DEA registrants to flood the illicit market with dangerous pharmaceutical controlled substances by effectively eliminating the Attorney General's authority to issue ISOs through the creation of a new definition of "imminent danger to the public health and safety" that is essentially impossible to prove; and

WHEREAS, the proposed new definition of "imminent danger" in H.R. 4709 requires a level of proof that is inconsistent with protecting the public health and safety; namely, that the registrant will distribute controlled substances with the intent that they be diverted; and

WHEREAS, the proposed new definition of "imminent danger" in H.R. 4709 fails to recognize that DEA registrants have a duty to take affirmative steps to prevent the diversion of controlled substances; and

WHEREAS, enactment into law of H.R. 4709 will likely increase the number of Americans who become addicted to, and die from the misuse of, pharmaceutical controlled substances; and therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of the Chiefs of Police duly assembled at its 121st Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida, 2014, opposes the enactment of H.R. 4709 and urges the United States Senate and the White House to take all possible steps to prevent its enactment.

Adopted at the 121st Annual Conference

Orlando, Florida

October 21, 2014

Supporting the Collection and Reporting of Data on THC Extraction Laboratories

to the Drug Enforcement Administration

Submitted by: Narcotics & Dangerous Drugs Committee

NDDC.018.T14

WHEREAS, the state decriminalization, medicalization, and legalization of marijuana has led to a flooding of this substance into the public sector; and

WHEREAS, the increased access to marijuana has resulted in an exponential increase in the extraction of delta-9-tetrahydrocannbinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana; and

WHEREAS, the extraction of THC from marijuana allows drug traffickers to provide a higher potency, higher retail cost, unregulated, product to its consumers; and

WHEREAS, the end product has little odor and does not require a significant amount of ingredients, making detection of extraction laboratories and the end product more difficult; and

WHEREAS, the end product is easily portable and can achieve intense effects with small amounts, using a process that can consistently produce THC potency rates exponentially higher than those seen historically; and

WHEREAS, the end product, which resembles a honey-like or caramel-like substance, has also been found in electronic cigarettes and has retailed for as much as $20-80/gram; and

WHEREAS, the lucrative nature of THC-extracted products (typically known as Hash Oil, Honey Oil, Butane Honey Oil (BHO), Dabs, Wax, or Ear Wax) has led to a proliferation of operations designed to expedite such extraction for repackaging and resale to the public; and

WHEREAS, these operations, or extraction laboratories (EL), have increased both the threat to public safety and to law enforcement; and

WHEREAS, state and local law enforcement agencies have reported an increase in EL seizures; and

WHEREAS, due to the use of extremely volatile and often colorless solvents that can accumulate on the floor to explosive levels and be easily ignited from static electricity, fan motors, discarded cigarette butts, or turning on a light, in combination with the potential of mishandling the chemicals involved in making the product, and poor ventilation, the possibilities of fire or explosions is a high probability and an increasing reality; and

WHEREAS, such fires and/or explosions can cause heavy structural damage to immediate and surrounding buildings and present risk of serious bodily injury to first responders; and

WHEREAS, information concerning EL is vital to ensure the safety of law enforcement and to educate the public about the dangers of these products; and

WHEREAS, federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies (LEA) should collect and report data on EL seizures; and

WHEREAS, LEA will report pertinent EL data to a central repository at the Drug Enforcement Administration; and, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police, duly assembled at its 121st Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida, 2014, strongly supports law enforcement agencies collecting and reporting data on THC extraction laboratories to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

WHEREAS, law enforcement is the most visible component of the criminal justice system; and

WHEREAS, law enforcement commonly serves as the lead body in conducting a criminal investigation; and

WHEREAS, a community empowers and trusts law enforcement to impartially and fully investigate crime; and

WHEREAS, a criminal investigation is a search for the truth to charge the guilty and exonerate the innocent; and

WHEREAS, as services and technologies continue to evolve, law enforcement must retain the ability to lawfully obtain valuable evidence in a digital and/or electronic format; and

WHEREAS, law enforcement is faced with two overlapping challenges, to secure evidence from both lawfully authorized real-time interception data and court-ordered searches of stored data; and

WHEREAS, law enforcement must effectively compile and use this evidence to demonstrate to a court of competent jurisdiction the existence of probable cause that leads a reasonable person to conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that a definable criminal act has occurred, is occurring, or will occur and that the accused was the likely perpetrator; and

WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) has long recognized the importance of excellence in conducting criminal investigations; and

WHEREAS, the IACP continues to provide a broad spectrum of support to law enforcement through comprehensive research, model policies, issue papers, training, agency audits, public education and legislative initiatives all designed to improve and institutionalize the quality and integrity of criminal investigations across the law enforcement profession; and

WHEREAS, the IACP is a leader in forming and maintaining collaborative efforts as evidenced by continuing work with the communities, private sector businesses, academia and organizations to ensure excellence in public safety; and

WHEREAS, the IACP has a long history, dating to 1994, of assisting in the development and passage of balanced and thoughtful legislation such as the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA); now, be it

RESOLVED, the International Association of Chiefs of Police urges all law enforcement agencies, the information technology and communications industries as well as Congress and the President to embrace, support and adopt the enhancement of public safety through legislation and policies that will insure that technology providers have the technical ability to comply with lawful court orders to the same degree that other industries (banking, financial, etc.) are held and work with law enforcement to ensure the interests of the public's privacy and public safety are secure now and in the future.

FURTHER RESOLVED, an updated CALEA and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), as well as reasonable data retention regulations, should be pursued be used as foundational legislation to provide a balance that ensures safety and security; doesn't inhibit industry; and protects the rights of citizens.

Adopted at the 121st Annual Conference

Orlando, Florida

October 21, 2014

Support for the Non-Abolition of ATF

Submitted by: International Policing Division Steering Committee

IPDSC.020.T14

WHEREAS, the ATF provides valuable assistance to international law enforcement organizations through firearms tracing and identification; and

WHEREAS, ATF provides valuable explosive training and instruction to the international law enforcement community including training provided by the ATF National Center for Explosives Training and Research (NCETR), which is delivering a Homemade Explosives-Identification, Process, Disposal (HME-IPD) program in Europe; and

WHEREAS, the ATF provides critical assistance to international law enforcement organizations through its International Response Team (IRT), which responds to large scale international fires and bombings, such as the Israeli Embassy bombing in Argentina, the prison fire in Honduras, and the nightclub bombing in Bogota; and

WHEREAS, the ATF has played an important role in both domestic and international investigative operations, showing the quality of training and competency that the ATF is known for; and

WHEREAS, the ATF is recognized worldwide for its leadership and its expertise and consults with the global law enforcement community firearms experts to assist and solve major crimes; and

WHEREAS, the abolition of ATF is very likely to jeopardize the current crime-fighting capabilities established with partner law enforcement agencies around the world, with specific emphasis in the Caribbean and Central and South America; now, be it

RESOLVED, the IACP International Policing Division Steering Committee (IPDSC), which represents worldwide IACP interests through its diverse and global membership, strongly supports the need of maintaining the highest standard of credibility, training, support, and coordination provided by ATF among law enforcement agencies worldwide and strongly disagrees with H.R. 5522, the ATF Elimination Act, or any effort to abolish the ATF or transfer its functions.

Adopted at the 121st Annual Conference

Orlando, Florida

October 21, 2014

Support for the National Move Over Initiative

Submitted by: Highway Safety Committee

HSC.21.T14

WHEREAS, the National Sheriffs' Association and the International Association of Chiefs of Police are concerned with the safety of law enforcement officers, firefighters, utility workers, and other emergency personnel as they perform their duties on our nation's roadways; and

WHEREAS, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 1,715 law enforcement officers—17 percent—in the United States between 1987 and 2011 were victims of struck-by-vehicle incidents, 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, the National Sheriffs' Association was a founding member of the Move Over America initiative of 2007, working to save first responder lives, initiate or change state laws, and raise awareness of Move Over responsibilities of the motoring public; and

WHEREAS, in an effort to safeguard law enforcement officers, firefighters, utility workers, and other emergency personnel whose duties require them to utilize the roadside, all 50 states have enacted Move Over legislation that typically requires motorists to either change lanes or slow down when approaching a law enforcement or emergency services vehicle that is parked or stopped on the roadside; and

WHEREAS, the effectiveness of this legislation in every state is compromised by motorists' being unaware of the existence of these statutes, as is demonstrated by a national poll sponsored by the National Safety Commission, in 2007, that found that 71 percent of U.S. residents had not heard of such legislation; and

WHEREAS, the #MoveOver campaign reached more 29 million Twitter streams and initiated similar posts and videos on other social media sites including Facebook and YouTube from May 13 to May 20, 2014; and

RESOLVED, that the National Sheriffs' Association and the International Chiefs of Police support the increased enforcement of Move Over legislation; and

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the National Sheriffs' Association and the International Association of Chiefs of Police support international efforts to ensure the roadside safety of law enforcement officers, firefighters, utility workers, and other emergency personnel in countries around the world.

Adopted at the 122nd Annual Conference
Chicago, Illinois
October 2015

Support for Mandatory Body Armor and Seatbelt Wear Policies

Submitted by: Highway Safety Committee
HSC.001.t15

WHEREAS, each year, traffic crashes and firearms-related incidents are the leading causes of death among law enforcement officers who are killed in the line of duty (1) and;

WHEREAS, in 2013, 59 of the 100 officers killed in the line of duty were killed in automobile crashes or shootings, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (2), and;

WHEREAS, traffic-related incidents were the number one cause of officer fatalities 13 of the last 15 years (3), and;

WHEREAS, preliminary reports for 2014 indicate that deaths due to these causes increased since last year (4), and;

WHEREAS, body armor and seatbelts have been proven to save lives and help reduce injuries to officers. Yet officers' use of body armor and seatbelts remains dangerously uneven. Research shows that:

• Between 2003 and 2012, 36% of the officers who were feloniously killed in the line of duty were not wearing body armor (5);
• When it is worn properly, body armor has been proven to be effective. Since 1987, more than 3,000 law enforcement officers have survived life-threatening injuries because they were protected by body armor (6). In one year alone, protective ballistic vests were directly attributable to saving the lives of at least 33 law enforcement and corrections officers (7);
• Seatbelt use among law enforcement officers is well below that of the general public. Studies indicate that seatbelt wear among the general public is at 86%, (8) whereas it is estimated that roughly half of all officers do not wear seatbelts while on duty (9), and;

WHEREAS, in 2012, 10 of the 26 (38%) officers killed in automobile crashes were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the incident. (10) Over the past three decades, 42% of the officers killed in automobile crashes were not wearing seatbelts (11); now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) supports the mandatory use of body armor and seatbelts in all law enforcement agencies, and is calling upon all law enforcement executives, employee associations, and police unions to join in this effort. It is critical that police leaders and employee representatives work together to adopt and enforce sensible mandatory wear policies and to develop strategies that will increase the use of body armor and seatbelts among officers; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the IACP supports mandatory wear policies is conditioned on the following:

• Failure to comply with the policy should not be used by any police agencies or governmental entities as a basis for denying death or disability benefits to officers or their families.
• The language in some federal and state disability laws states that officers may be denied benefits if their deaths or injuries are caused by their intentional misconduct or gross negligence, or if their actions were a substantial contributing factor to the death or injury.
• We believe that this language should be amended to state that the failure to wear body armor or a seatbelt does not constitute the type of intentional misconduct, gross negligence, or substantial contributing factor that would warrant denial of benefits.
• Law enforcement executives should work closely with their employee associations and police unions when developing mandatory wear policies, and officers should be involved in testing and selecting equipment.
• Law enforcement agencies should provide their officers with up-to-date equipment that meets all applicable safety requirements. This includes ensuring that agency vehicles are in good working condition and making best efforts to provide the newest and best vehicles possible.
• Police executives and labor leaders should work together to develop strategies for increasing the use of body armor and seatbelts among officers. This should include: selecting body armor that is climate-appropriate, individually tailored, and meets gender-specific needs; providing tactical training on safe seatbelt usage; and implementing educational campaigns on the importance of wearing body armor and seatbelts; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, by working together to enact mandatory wear policies and to encourage body armor and seatbelt use among officers, police executives, employee associations and police unions can make a difference. We believe that mandating body armor and seatbelt use can reduce the number of officers who die in auto crashes and shootings by nearly half.

1 National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Causes of Law Enforcement Deaths
http://www.nleomf.org/facts/officer---fatalities---data/causes.html.
2 Ibid
3 National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Drive Safely Campaign
http://www.nleomf.org/programs/drive/.
4 National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Preliminary 2014 Fatality Statistics
http://www.nleomf.org/facts/officer---fatalities---data/
5 Federal Bureau of Investigation: 2012 Law Enforcement Officers Killed & Assaulted
http://www.fbi.gov/about---us/cjis/ucr/leoka/2012/officers---feloniously---killed/felonious_topic_page_---2012
6 U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs: Bulletproof Vest Partnership Initiative (Updated May 2014)
http://ojp.gov/bvpbasi/
7 Ibid
8 U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Seat Belt Use in 2013—Overall Results (January 2014)
http://www---nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811875.pdf
9 Below 100 Campaign
http://below100.com/below---100---frequently---asked---questions/
For police, not wearing seat belts can be fatal mistake (October 14, 2012), Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/for---police---not---wearing---seat---belts---can---be---fatal---mistake/2012/10/14/78a8dd10---f207---11e1---892d---bc92fee603a7_story.html
10 National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Changing the Culture of Safety (June 2013)
http://www.nleomf.org/assets/pdfs/nhtsa/NSA---Traffic---Safety---Committee---June---2013_NHTSA---web---version.pdf
11 Ibid

Adopted at the 122nd Annual Conference
Chicago, Illinois
October 2015

Modernizing Nationwide Crime Reporting and Updating Data To Be Collected To More Accurately Reflect Current Crime and Other Data Such As Use of Force By and Against Police

Submitted by: Research Advisory Committee and Victim Services Committee
RAC.002.t15

WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), in collaboration with the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCC), National Sheriffs' Association (NSA), and Major County Sheriffs' Association (MCSA), has recognized the need to modernize crime reporting and to update data to be collected to more accurately reflect current crime and other data such as use of force by and against police, and

WHEREAS, the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program established in 1929 is in need of modernization and in recent years has been gradually transitioning from the Summary Reporting System (SRS) to the National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS), and

WHEREAS, the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) provides agencies with critical information needed for law enforcement administration, operation, and management, as well as provides more enhanced data resources for government leaders, community advocates, researchers, and others outside of the justice system, and

WHEREAS, the IACP has been an active leader in the development and the long - term support of the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, which was originally developed to provide a standardized summary reporting process for tracking serious crime at the national, state, and local levels, and

WHEREAS, NIBRS addresses the major limitations of the summary UCR data by providing detail on the victim and offender demographics, the relationship between victims and offenders, weapon use, victim injury, crime location, incident time/day, and arrest outcomes, and

WHEREAS, over 6,500 agencies already regularly report to NIBRS representing 34 states (16 of which are complete NIBRS reporters), and

WHEREAS, it is recognized that the current FBI UCR SRS does not collect data that adequately reflects modern crime and related activities nor does it share crime reporting and related data on a real time basis in the manner of transparency expected by the nation's law enforcement agencies and citizens we serve, and

WHEREAS, one of the major benefits of NIBRS conversion for law enforcement agencies is the increased transparency associated with participating in a standardized program that captures high-quality and detailed crime data for the agency and for the community, and

WHEREAS, when an agency converts from Summary UCR to NIBRS there is a perception that reported crime rates will increase due to the removal of the hierarchy rule that only applies the most serious offense in Summary UCR and a greater level of reporting specificity in NIBRS that covers 49 total offenses versus 10 crime categories in Summary UCR. However, departments with long-term NIBRS experience have not reported significant problems or public scrutiny associated with perceived changes in crime reporting. Furthermore, FBI and BJS reports have found that over 90% of all incidents in NIBRS contain only one offense per incident and that NIBRS reporting does not result in significant increases in agency crime rates, and

WHEREAS, NIBRS provides more specific details on crime which includes data about the victims, offenders, property, and arrests along with elements for each offense, and

WHEREAS, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), the FBI, the IACP, and other organizations are partnering on an initiative called the National Crime Statistics Exchange (NCS-X) to identify the resources and funding required for NIBRS conversion for a statistically-representative sample of 400 additional U.S. agencies, including the nation's largest 72 agencies, and

WHEREAS, NCS-X will serve as a critical step forward in the nation's plans for improving the range and quality of information available on crime within and across U.S. communities, and

WHEREAS, the IACP recommends full support for the NCS-X project, which is targeted towards moving 400 key agencies to NIBRS, and for full NIBRS participation by law enforcement agencies across the country, and

WHEREAS, the IACP actively supports the goal of a 5 year retirement of the UCR Summary Reporting System and a planned transition to a NIBRS-only collection system, with a three year re=assessment of the progress of the transition, and

WHEREAS, the IACP strongly encourages ongoing federal resources to support the necessary needs for local and state law enforcement agencies that are required to ensure they can report the required NIBRS data with minimum burden and that processes can be developed so that reporting agencies themselves can see more direct benefits from NIBRS participation by way of analytic tools and innovations in incident-based analysis; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the IACP supports the efforts of the NCS-X project, the Crime Indicators Working Group (CIWG), the FBI CJIS Advisory Policy Board (APB), BJS, the FBI and others, as they work together to develop additional data to be collected that will more adequately reflect modern crime elements and to develop data to be collected such as use of force by and against police.

WHEREAS, the criminal justice system relies on forensic science methodologies and technologies as well as evidence-based strategies as foundational tools in criminal investigations; and

WHEREAS, advancements in forensic science methodologies and technologies as well as evidence-based strategies have resulted in more efficient, and comprehensive investigation methods; and

WHEREAS, these advancements have allowed for exoneration of persons wrongfully convicted; and

WHEREAS, the true perpetrator of the crime may be later identified as a result of scientific and evidence based investigative advancements, but because of a statute of limitations this person goes unprosecuted; and

WHEREAS, as a result, the crime victim may experience feelings of revictimization, and traumatization as well as a loss of trust in the criminal justice system, and the perpetrator is not prosecuted because of current legislation limiting the prosecution timeframes; and

WHEREAS, courts of law have ruled in favor of the use of scientific and evidence based investigative advancements to both exonerate wrongfully convicted individuals and also to prosecute individuals; and now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) duly assembled at its
122nd Annual Conference and Exposition in Chicago, Illinois encourages law enforcement leaders to work collaboratively with federal and state legislatures to enact legislative changes, which abolish or restart any statue(s) of limitation in cases of wrongful conviction, and thus allow for continuing investigative efforts to identify and prosecute a perpetrator through said scientific and evidence-based methods.

Submitted by: Victim Services Committee, Forensic Science Committee, and Police Investigative Operations Committee
VSC.003.t15

Adopted at the 122nd Annual Conference
Chicago, Illinois
October 2015

Support for Authority of University/College Law Enforcement Agencies as the Primary Investigative Police Agency in Sexual Assault Investigations

Submitted by: University/College Police Section
UCP.004.t15

WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) is the world's largest membership organization of police executives that provides the professional voice of law enforcement for numerous agencies including those on university and college campuses; and

WHEREAS, the impact of sexual violence and rape on university and college campuses affects the psychological and emotional well-being of victims and corrupts the safety and security of these communities; and

WHEREAS, university/college police departments are law enforcement agencies with official state powers and are bound by law to officially report all offenses to state crime reporting venues and prosecutors; and

WHEREAS, university/college police departments are held to a higher standard for the investigation of and response to sexual assaults by Title IX and the Clery Act than their state and municipal counterparts; and

WHEREAS, university/college police departments work closely with other campus support entities and are best positioned to provide a multi-disciplinary support network to the student victims; and

WHEREAS, both federal and state legislative bodies have considered or proposed legislation to remove some or all of the investigatory authority from university/college police departments regarding sexual assault investigations; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the IACP fully recognizes the critical role that university/college police departments fill on our college and university campuses; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the IACP fully supports that full-service sworn university/college police departments with trained sexual assault investigators should be the primary investigative agency for crimes that occur within their jurisdiction, including those involving sexual assault, and opposes any legislation mandating that outside agencies become the primary investigating agency in those cases, understanding the potential negative impact this could have on sexual assault survivors.

Adopted at the 122nd Annual Conference
Chicago, Illinois
October 2015

Support for Law Enforcement Officers and Agencies to Actively Work With Their Schools and Businesses on Alternatives to Lockdown Protocol

Submitted by: Patrol and Tactical Operations Committee
PTO.006.t15

WHEREAS, law enforcement agencies have worked diligently with schools and businesses in preparation of active shooter/ multi-casualty violence incidents; and

WHEREAS, the concern that such protocols have been observed and potentially countered by potential actors; and

WHEREAS, the threat of incidents of active shooter/multi-casualty violence are likely to continue with the potential of becoming more severe through acts of terrorism; and

WHEREAS, the need to consistently re-evaluate lockdown protocols exists within our schools and businesses by conducting ongoing analysis of sole lockdown protocols; and

WHEREAS, there is never a one size fits all protocol to accommodate all incidents; and

WHEREAS, the safety of our children and citizens is and must always be top priority; and

WHEREAS, options through analysis should and will exist; and

WHEREAS, taking full advantage of the identified options will best benefit law enforcement response in minimizing casualties in such incidents; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) duly assembled at its 122nd Annual Conference and Exposition in Chicago, Illinois calls upon the heads of all law enforcement agencies to actively partner with schools and businesses within their jurisdictions to analyze current lockdown protocols working toward potential alternatives that may be more beneficial in minimizing casualties in the event of an attack.

Adopted at the 122nd Annual Conference
Chicago, Illinois
October 2015

Support for the Volunteers in Police Service Program

Submitted by: Police Administration Committee
PAC.007.t15

WHEREAS, in 2002, the President of the United States, created the USA Freedom Corps to foster volunteerism, to create a culture of service, and to establish partnerships with national service organizations; and

WHEREAS, the Citizen Corps was created as a component of the USA Freedom Corps to assist in the coordination of volunteer services within communities throughout the U.S.; and

WHEREAS, the Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) Program was created in 2002 as one of five Citizen Corps partner programs; and

WHEREAS, the "International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) coordinates the Volunteers in Police Service Program in partnership with, and on behalf of, the White House Office of the USA Freedom Corps and the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice"; and

WHEREAS, the Volunteers in Police Service Program has registered more than 2,200 law enforcement volunteer programs since the program's inception; and

WHEREAS, collectively these volunteers contribute several million hours, in a wide variety of ways to significantly contribute to law enforcement efforts worldwide; and

WHEREAS, these volunteer programs support the law enforcement community, enhancing services provided by law enforcement officers and agencies in the communities they serve; and

WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police provides support for law enforcement agencies to further the development, sustainment, and recognition of volunteer programs; and

WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police recognizes the importance and contribution of volunteer programs to police agencies; and

WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police annually recognizes the selected law enforcement agencies for Outstanding Achievement in Law Enforcement Volunteer Programs, and

WHEREAS, the financial support from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, US Department of Justice and the IACP resource allocation for personnel support for the Volunteers in Police Service program has been discontinued; therefore be it

RESOLVED that the International Association of Chiefs of Police foster recognition and support of the efforts of the law enforcement community in developing new volunteer programs, and encourage the growth and sustainment of current programs; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the International Association of Chiefs of Police will endeavor to continue to seek funding through grants to support the research, development, training, and continued growth of these volunteer programs.

WHEREAS, in the United States, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men reported experiencing sexual assault at some point in their lifetime, and

WHEREAS, most perpetrators of sexual assault who are prosecuted are convicted on a single count of sexual assault, however studies show that the average number of victims for rapists interviewed was between seven and eleven, and

WHEREAS, due to socially-perpetuated myths and misconceptions about sexual assault, fear of retaliation, lack of understanding of the criminal justice process, impact of the traumatic event, and other compelling reasons, studies show the vast majority of sexual assaults are never reported, and

WHEREAS, law enforcement agencies around the nation have discovered untested sexual assault kits in storage facilities and the federal government estimates that hundreds of thousands of sexual assault kits sit untested in police and crime laboratory storage, facilities and

WHEREAS, DNA evidence contained inside sexual assault kits can be a powerful tool to solve and prevent crime, and

WHEREAS, untested sexual assault kits are defined as those in police custody or other evidence storage locations that have never been submitted to a crime laboratory for testing, and

WHEREAS, submitting and analyzing DNA samples increases the likelihood of identifying unknown perpetrators of crimes and confirms the presence of a known assailant, and

WHEREAS, submitting and analyzing DNA samples can corroborate the victim's account of the assault that occurred, and

WHEREAS, submitting and analyzing DNA samples increases the likelihood of holding perpetrators of sexual violence accountable and can connect the perpetrator to other crimes by allowing forensic scientists to compare the profile of the perpetrator against Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), the FBI's national database of millions of DNA profiles containing DNA profiles obtained from crime scene evidence, and

WHEREAS, submitting and analyzing DNA samples can help to prevent future sexual assaults from occurring by increasing the chances of removing the perpetrator from the streets and, in the event that prosecution is not possible, perpetrator DNA will be added to CODIS, making it easier to link perpetrators to future crimes, and

WHEREAS, submitting and analyzing DNA samples can exonerate the innocent, and

WHEREAS, submitting and analyzing DNA samples is an important part of the recovery process for victims of sexual assault and may increase their overall confidence in and satisfaction with law enforcement and the criminal justice system overall, and

WHEREAS, many jurisdictions nationwide have taken steps to address the backlog by implementing effective protocols and procedures, establishing partnerships and collaborations, and seeking available funding to submit and test sexual assault kits; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that law enforcement agencies should implement comprehensive training efforts regarding the crime of sexual assault, including its impact on victims, the recidivism of sex offenders, and the importance of DNA evidence to all types of sexual assault prosecutions, and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that law enforcement and criminal justice partners should take the steps to collaboratively address the backlog, and prevent future backlogs, by allocating funding and staffing in order to process and test sexual assault kits, and follow up on investigative leads developed from these examinations, and, be it

FURTHER RESOLOVED, the International Association of Chiefs of Police strongly urges the U.S. Congress to provide funding for law enforcement agencies so they have the necessary resources and personnel to test backlogged kits and prevent future backlogs.

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police assembled at its 122nd Annual Conference and Exposition in Chicago, Illinois supports law enforcement leaders ensuring the submission of sexual assault kits to a crime laboratory for DNA testing in order to effectively address crime in their communities.

Submitted by: Forensic Science Committee, Police Investigative Operations Committee, and Victim Services Committee
FOR.008.t15