Welfare checks are requests for the police to check on an individual due to concern for their safety or well-being. Reasons for such requests vary widely but might include, for example, not hearing from an individual for an extended period of time, knowledge of health concerns that pose a risk to another's safety, a suspected mental health crisis, or threat of suicidal behavior. Requests for welfare checks are quite common, although estimates of their frequencies vary. 

Since the circumstances of a welfare check can vary so drastically, and the information initially provided may be vague, officer discretion is often required. However, a lack of direction in how to conduct welfare checks has raised concerns over discriminatory application and the potential for increased harm to the subject of the welfare check. Thus, providing policy for response to welfare checks can help provide parameters for officer discretion, facilitating police efforts to keep individuals and the community safe. 

The Mentor Match program was developed by IACP to facilitate the ability of those in the policing profession to connect with their peers for professional guidance and advice. This may be through a formalized long-term mentoring relationship, or it may be a project-specific consultation. Mentor Match can help you find, connect, and share experiences with others from anywhere in the world and the relationships that result may look different for everyone, depending on their unique needs.

Responding to calls for service efficiently is one of a police officer's primary duties, but public safety remains a priority. Inappropriate responses to calls for service can create circumstances in which the safety of the officers and public is compromised. Responding to calls, even under emergency circumstances, does not excuse law enforcement officers from operating their vehicles without reasonable care.

This resource is intended to provide guidance to law enforcement to make informed decisions in their approach to vehicular response to calls for service, depending on the nature of the call, context, and other varying situational factors. Considerations in responding to calls for service should balance the exigency of the nature of the call with public safety, traffic laws, and driving conditions.

Police chaplains assist police agency personnel with personal, spiritual, moral, and ethical consultation. Police chaplains are clergy whose function is to provide support and guidance to department employees and their families and to enhance the holistic wellness of those employees upon request. Working in conjunction with other agency resources—such as a peer support team and/or other behavioral health and wellness programs—police chaplains are meant to be an additional resource for support and to complement other support networks. Police chaplains can also function as a liaison to the local faith-based community to provide support during major events or crisis situations.

This document is intended to provide police agencies with guidance for developing policies regarding the development and implementation of police chaplain programs.