Support of a Recommendation to the U.S. Federal Railroad Administration to
Declare One Week Each Year as "U.S. Rail Safety Week"

Submitted by: IACP Railroad Police Section
RPS.04.t16
Passed: November 2016

WHEREAS, there are nearly 140,000 miles of railroad tracks which run through communities of all sizes along with 129, 582 public rail crossings in the United States (U.S.);

WHEREAS, in 2015, there were 11,530 railroad-related incidents across the U.S., of which 723 resulted in fatalities;

WHEREAS, railroads invest hundreds of millions of dollars each year in maintaining and improving grade crossings and in programs and initiatives related to grade crossing safety, including continuous commitment through dedicated Railroad Police Departments of substantial resources for grade crossing safety, trespasser enforcement, and public education initiatives;

WHEREAS, significant resources are committed by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to promote public safety at and near railroad tracks, grade crossings, and other facilities, in conjunction with railroad police agencies;

WHEREAS, railroads work closely with local, state and federal government agencies as well as other national programs, such as Operation Lifesaver, to educate the public on the risks posed by trespassing and grade crossing violations and to emphasize awareness of safe practices at and near railroads' property and operations;

WHEREAS, a concerted, nationwide focus on rail safety by law enforcement at all levels will have demonstrable positive effects on rail safety awareness, preventing rail- related incidents, and ultimately saving lives;

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) recommends that the Federal Railroad Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation set and declare one week each year as "U.S. Rail Safety Week" in order to augment the continuing efforts by police across jurisdictions and areas of responsibility for prevention of violations at grade crossings and trespassing in order to save lives.

Prohibition of Concealed Carry Weapons (CCW) on College and University Campuses

Submitted by: University and College Police Section

UCPS.05.t16

Passed: November 2016

WHEREAS, our nation's colleges and universities are bastions of freedom of expression and learning, and must continue to address the most controversial subjects of the day. These environments continue to be safe havens for discovery and growth for our nation's young adults. Introducing concealed weapons on our nation's campuses jeopardizes those cherished values; and

WHEREAS, based on Mother Jones' Investigation: US Mass Shootings, 1982-2016, despite high-profile shootings, homicides at our nation's colleges and universities remain rare events. There is no credible evidence to suggest that armed students, faculty, staff and community users would make our nation's campuses safer; and

WHEREAS, in 2013, the homicide rate at our nation's colleges and universities was 0.1 per 100,000 of enrollment, and by comparison. the criminal homicide rate in the United States was 4.4 per 100,000. Further, the Department of Justice found that 93% of violent crimes that victimize college students occur off campus. In 2013, 21 million students were enrolled on our nation's colleges and universities, and only 24 were fatally victimized on campus; and

WHEREAS, in a 2013 poll at 15 colleges and universities, 94 percent of faculty members opposed concealed carry on campus and in a similar 2013 poll, 79 percent of students said that they would not feel safe if concealed guns were allowed on their campus, and

WHEREAS, research shows that approximately half of our nation's college students binge drink or abuse illegal or prescription drugs, and nearly 25 percent of college students suffer from substance abuse and dependence, therefore, leading to an increased danger by adding the availability of a firearm to persons with a reduced ability to use appropriate judgement, and

WHEREAS, suicide is the second leading cause of death for college age young adults. On average, 1,100 college students commit suicide each year while another 24,000 attempt suicide. The firearm suicide rate of 18 to 21 year-olds is nine times higher than the firearm suicide rate of people 17 and under. Suicide attempts with guns are fatal 90 percent of the time; and

WHEREAS, allowing concealed carry firearms upon our nation's campuses would have no positive effect on campus safety and would, inversely, decrease the actual and perceived safety of our students, staff, faculty and community users; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police promotes the prohibition of concealed carry weapons upon this nation's college and university campuses.

Support for Law Enforcement Access to Publicly Available and Accurate Internet Address Registration Data to include privacy protected registrant information and related Forensic Resources to facilitate investigation of Cybercrime and Cyber Enabled Crime

Submitted by: Communications and Technology Committee

CTC.06.t16

Passed: November 2016

WHEREAS, this is an updated version of an expired 2005 adopted resolution then submitted by the Communications and Technology Committee as CT23.a05 and adopted at the 112^th Annual Conference; and

WHEREAS, the lawful investigation of Internet communications is one of the most valuable tools available to law enforcement in identifying both the perpetrators and victims of crime; and

WHEREAS, the Internet is global in nature, and as such, poses challenges when conducting multiagency international investigations, including delays imposed when obtaining international legal process; and

WHEREAS, electronic or digital evidence associated with the Internet is fleeting in nature, and law enforcement officials must obtain timely access to this information to fulfill law enforcement duties; and

WHEREAS, criminals use the anonymity and international nature of the Internet, and the fleeting nature of electronic or digital evidence, to thwart law enforcement investigations; and

WHEREAS, publicly available databases containing information involving the allocation of Internet resources and who they are assigned to, such as Internet Protocol address space and domain names, are a critical tool used by law enforcement, and because these databases are public in nature, allow law enforcement agencies access to conduct investigations in the most timely manner possible; and

WHERAS, allocation of Internet resources is expanding rapidly due to impending exhaustion of Internet Protocol Version 4 address space and the subsequent and simultaneous implementation of Internet Protocol Version 6 as well as the implementation of numerous new top level domains by the Internet Corporation for the Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), accurate and easily accessible registrant information is now even more important to law enforcement than in 2005 when the original resolution was adopted; and

WHEREAS, ICANN and its International members involved in the creation of policy consensus and administration of this information currently are considering new registrant data policy which may seek to restrict or eliminate fluid public access due to business, privacy, or data-mining concerns; and

WHEREAS, the elimination or restriction of easy fluid access to this information would severely cripple or eliminate the ability of law enforcement agencies to conduct investigation in a timely manner; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) strongly urges the related Internet administration communities, including governments, regional Internet registries, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, Internet Service Providers, domain-name registries, domain-name registrars, and Internet service providers to assist law enforcement by providing continued access to publicly available databases concerning the allocation of Internet resources, and in situations where the maintenance of these databases may conflict with privacy regulation, business concerns, or data-mining prevention efforts, fully consult with the International law enforcement to assist in the resolution of these potential conflicts before removing or restricting law enforcement access to this critical information; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the IACP membership coordinate the above efforts to achieve the goal of providing consistent, equal, and uniform access to the above-referenced resources for all of the international law enforcement community.

WHEREAS, the criminal use of improvised explosive devices is a persistent and evolving threat to the people of the world; and

WHEREAS, improvised explosive devices are used to kill, injure, and intimidate members of our communities, and through their use, take away our sense of security; and

WHEREAS, the explosive precursor chemicals used to make homemade explosives and improvised explosive devices are diverse and often readily available on the commercial market; and

WHEREAS, countries take different approaches to regulating precursor chemicals, which can leave gaps that criminals and terrorists can exploit; and

WHEREAS, law enforcement is uniquely positioned to identify bomb-making activity, and by engaging with industry members and the community, share and receive meaningful information about potential misuse of explosive precursor chemicals; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, the International Association of Chiefs of Police recommends that law enforcement leaders collaborate with criminal justice stakeholders, prosecutors, code officials, fire marshals and elected officials to enhance and, as applicable, close gaps in explosive precursor chemical regulations; and encourage participation in community policing and bomb-making awareness programs that educate distributors and retailers of explosive precursor chemicals how to recognize and report suspicious activity.

Support of the Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Interagency Task Force

Submitted by: Homeland Security Committee

HSC. 08.t16

Passed: November 2016

WHEREAS, it has been determined that many known violent extremists previously established contact and created networks with like-minded individuals both in-person and virtually, and via social media and other similar information sharing platforms;

AND WHEREAS, organizations and individuals often utilize community and information sharing platforms to identify, groom, recruit, and mobilize prospective new members and accomplices to the views of the violent extremist;

AND WHEREAS, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Justice, and other supporting departments, agencies, and organizations are striving to strategically and specifically address this issue;

AND WHEREAS, the "Countering Violent Extremism Interagency Task Force" has been established as a permanent interagency task force hosted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with overall leadership provided by DHS and the Department of Justice, with additional staffing provided by representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Counterterrorism Center, and other supporting departments and agencies;

AND WHEREAS, federal partners have dedicated resources towards the education, prevention and detection of these prospective and existing relationships which are focused on preventing extremists from radicalizing and mobilizing recruits;

AND WHEREAS, federal partners have shared their vision and scope of work in countering violent extremism through the efforts of this interagency task force with the IACP membership,

AND WHEREAS, the IACP members of the Committee on Homeland Security and University/College Police Section support the DHS Office of Community Partnerships mission, vision, and the goals of the "Countering Violent Extremism Interagency Task Force,"

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT, the International Association of Chiefs of Police fully supports the creation and mission of the DHS Office of Community Partnerships and the "Countering Violent Extremism Interagency Task Force", and encourages the law enforcement community nationally to support the efforts of this office.

Support for the Term "Verified Alarm" and Prioritizing Verified Alarm Responses

Submitted by: Communications and Technology Committee and the Private Sector Liaison Committee

CTC. 10.t16

Passed: November 2016

WHEREAS, historically over 98% of alarms calls in the United States are False Alarms and;

WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) recognizes the ever growing burdens placed on state and local law enforcement resources due to responding to false alarm calls and;

WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) also realizes that correctly installed and operated electronic security systems are effective resources which help to deter crime and in protecting the loss of property and in preventing the loss of lives in our nation's local communities; and

WHEREAS, effectively installed, monitored and operated alarm systems are effective tools which can identify criminal offenses in progress, will lead to a reduction in the incidents of false alarms and will enhance the safety of responding law enforcement officers; and

WHEREAS, properly used and operated electronic security systems are essential tools and resources used by local law enforcement in crime prevention in the 21st century. Now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that law enforcement agencies as represented by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP):

1. That, a "Verified Alarm" shall be defined as an electronic security system event in which a trained central station operator utilizing a standardized protocol has determined the presence of human(s) and the high probability that a criminal offense is in progress.

2. That, a local law enforcement department, office or agency having the public safety/law enforcement jurisdiction to respond to "Verified Alarms" has the autonomy and authority to increase the priority of Verified Alarm" calls in order to increase the probability of arresting criminal offenders and in reducing the probability of property loss.

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; and

WHEREAS, in a free society, law enforcement is entrusted and expected to protect the civil rights of all of its citizens; and the vast majority of police officers perform their duty in a professional and impartial manner free of bias; and

WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police recognizes that tensions created by some police contacts with citizens have become a concern to police and citizens alike; and this tension has been heightened by allegations of excessive use of force by the police; and

WHEREAS, the relationship between some departments and their community may have contributed to a rise in assaults on police officers; and

WHEREAS, our members acknowledge that to strengthen trust and confidence between law enforcement and the community, its citizens and officers must have mutual respect; and

WHEREAS, several states have passed legislation that mandates all law enforcement agencies in each of the respective states to report the use of deadly force against a civilian to their respective state: and

WHEREAS, the issue of police use of deadly force is such an important topic that a national database should be created for accurate reporting and tracking rather than a piecemeal system from state to state;

WHEREAS, law enforcement agencies voluntarily contribute Law Enforcement Officers Killed & Assaulted (LEOKA) data to the FBI through UCR; and

WHEREAS, the latest LEOKA report from 2014 shows there is not comprehensive reporting on assaults against police officers; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) recommends the Department of Justice establish nationwide mandatory police use of deadly force reporting standards for law enforcement; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the IACP recommends the Department of Justice make the reporting of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted to the FBI through UCR mandatory; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that law enforcement leaders should embrace the mandatory use of deadly force reporting and the mandatory reporting of law enforcement officers killed and assaulted in order to demonstrate law enforcement's commitment to transparency, fair and impartial policing and to gain trust from the community.

Submitted by: Civil Rights Committee

CRC. 11.t16

Support of Resources for Tactical and Strategic Usage of National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN)

Submitted by the IACP Forensic Science and Police Investigative Operations Committees

FSC. 12.t16

Passed: November 2016

WHEREAS, since the early 1990s, the federal government through ATF has developed and operated NIBIN to assist in the discovery and prosecution of armed violent offenders,

WHEREAS, the NIBIN Program is the only interstate automated ballistics imaging network operating in the United States, and capable of providing actionable investigative leads in a timely manner,

WHEREAS, NIBIN is available to most large population centers in the United States,

WHEREAS, NIBIN continues to serve as an effective tool for combating violent firearms crimes, and

WHEREAS, the following NIBIN needs and/or recommendations have been identified and must be addressed:

• Empower the NIBIN Executive Board to evaluate the administration of the NIBIN program to include, making recommendations for improvements and offer policy guidance to local NIBIN sites,

• Educate stakeholders on the tactical and strategic uses of NIBIN by improving NIBIN data and its availability to state and local agencies,

• Financially support further research to include the ongoing collaboration between NIST and ATF to further research and develop effective practices, emerging technology, and improve performance at NIBIN sites,

• Support the NIBIN National Correlation and Training Center (NNCTC), which serves to support the state and local efforts throughout the nation, and

• The continuing allocation of funds and resources be made available to establish NIBIN Centers of Excellence that fully utilize crime gun intelligence; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, that Law Enforcement and the International Association of Chiefs of Police recognize that solving these needs promotes social health, safety, and stability; and therefore be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that a recommendation for adequate funding be sought from the Executive Branch of the Federal Government to support the NIBIN Executive Board to develop an operational plan for addressing each NIBIN need, the resources and funding required (including likely sources), and an expected time frame to completion.

WHEREAS, in 1994 the Federal Government enacted the DNA Identification Act (42 U.S.C. ss14132(b)); and

WHEREAS, this act authorized the establishment of a Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). CODIS includes the National DNA Index System (NDIS) which contains DNA profiles contributed by federal, state, and local participating laboratories; and

WHEREAS, the DNA act specifies the categories of data that may be maintained in NDIS (convicted offenders, arrestees, detainees, forensic casework, unidentified human remains, missing persons and relatives of missing persons); and

WHEREAS, all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the federal government, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory and Puerto Rico recognize CODIS Labs who have exclusive access to upload DNA profiles into NDIS; and 

WHEREAS, there are over 17,000 law enforcement agencies, federal and state agencies that submit DNA to 261 CODIS Labs in the United States; and 

WHEREAS, as of May 2016, NDIS contained over 12,248,000 offender profiles, 2,363,000 arrestee profiles and 708,000 forensic profiles. These profiles have produced 332,000 hits and have assisted in more than 418,000 investigations; and 

WHEREAS, the use of DNA has become more prevalent among law enforcement agencies in the United States. Due to the numerous investigations of violent and non-violent offenses that have been aided by DNA analysis, many departments are collecting more evidence from crimes scenes than in years past; and 

WHEREAS, the collection of more DNA from persons and scenes, results in a higher submission rate of samples to the CODIS labs for processing; and 

WHEREAS, the majority of these CODIS labs have not been appropriated resources to keep pace with the increase demands for analysis. Therefore, the higher submission rate, combined with the lack of resources, creates a backlog of samples to be processed; and 

WHEREAS, law enforcement agencies, who do not use CODIS labs for analysis, often utilize accredited forensic laboratory service providers for their DNA processing. The costs of these analyses and other resource expenditures of the law enforcement agency are affected by these increased submissions in the same manner as for those that submit evidence to CODIS laboratories; and 

WHEREAS, in order to help solve the problem of the increasing submissions, better training needs to be conducted among the 17,000 law enforcement agencies in the United States; and 

WHEREAS, the 17,000 law enforcement agencies make up approximately 900,000 law enforcement officers in these departments; and 

WHEREAS, while efforts have been made to provide law enforcement with information about DNA evidence collection and submission, there is no standard training across the country for the collection of evidence containing potential biological material. Each department has a different training curriculum with varied levels of concentration on DNA collection. This lack of consistent training often leads to the collection and submission of samples that are of insufficient quality or quantity for analysis, or significant value to the investigation. This influx of "lower value" samples directly contributes to the increased backlog of items to be tested for DNA; and 

WHEREAS, forensic labs could receive a reduced number of samples, without affecting the proven success rate, if law enforcement focused on improving their collection and submission guidelines for evidence that may contain biological material; and now, therefore, be it 

RESOLVED, that law enforcement agencies should collaborate with accredited forensic laboratory service providers to implement a comprehensive, standardized training program for the collection and submission of such evidence to forensic laboratories, with preference given to the submission of evidence that will generate DNA profiles that will be eligible for upload to CODIS; and, therefore, be it 

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police supports law enforcement leaders and their respective agencies by recommending standards for training in the proper collection and submission of evidence containing potential biological material to CODIS participating laboratories to significantly reduce the DNA backlog in the United States and effectively address crime in their communities.

Submitted by: the IACP Forensic Science, Police Investigative Operations, and Victims Services Committees

FSC. 13.t16

Support of 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

PTOC. 14.t16

Passed: November 2016

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 and evacuation protocols exists within our schools, businesses and organizations by conducting ongoing analysis of lockdown and evacuation 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 a 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) calls upon the heads of all Law Enforcement agencies to partner with schools, businesses and organizations where events are held within their jurisdictions to proactively analyze current lockdown and evacuation protocols working toward potential alternatives that may be more beneficial in minimizing casualties in the event of an attack.

Support Active Shooter Training For All Law Enforcement Officers on an Annual Basis

Submitted By: Patrol and Tactical Operations Committee

PTOC. 15.t16

Passed: November 2016

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, The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) calls upon all Law Enforcement agencies to strongly support "Active Shooter" training for all law enforcement officers on an annual basis and during field training. Training would include unified command and establishing hot and warm zones and should include local, fire, paramedic and EMT response.

Support Active Shooter Training For All Law Enforcement Officers on an Annual Basis

Submitted By: Patrol and Tactical Operations Committee

PTOC. 15.t16

Passed: November 2016

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, The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) calls upon all Law Enforcement agencies to strongly support "Active Shooter" training for all law enforcement officers on an annual basis and during field training. Training would include unified command and establishing hot and warm zones and should include local, fire, paramedic and EMT response.