Officer Safety and Wellness (OSW) Group Meeting Summary 

Officer Safety and Wellness Forum 

March 14, 2016 
 

 

 

This project was supported by cooperative agreement number 2011-CK-WX-K023 awarded by the Office of
 

Community Oriented Policing Services, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions contained herein are those of
 

the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of
 

Justice. References to specific agencies, companies, products, or services should not be considered an
 

endorsement by the author(s) or the U.S. Department of Justice. Rather, the references are illustrations to 

supplement discussion of the issues.
 

The Internet references cited in this publication were valid as of the date of this publication. Given that URLs
 

and websites are in constant flux, neither the author(s) nor the COPS Office, Bureau of Justice Assistance, and
 

Major City Chiefs Association can vouch for their current validity.
 

Recommended citation:
 

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. 2016. OSW Group Meeting Summary: Officer Safety and
 

Wellness Forum, March 14, 2016. Washington, DC: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
 

Published 2016
 

e061601759
 
 

Contents
 

Overview of the Officer Safety and Wellness Group................................................................................................... 1
 

Letter from the Director.................................................................................................................................................... 2
 

Introduction......................................................................................................................................................................... 3
 

History of the OSW Group.......................................................................................................................................... 3
 

Opening remarks............................................................................................................................................................ 4
 

Perception, Training, and Policy ...................................................................................................................................... 5
 

Safety and injury prevention......................................................................................................................................... 5
 

Mental and emotional health ........................................................................................................................................ 6
 

Effects of using de-escalation....................................................................................................................................... 6
 

Understanding Trends in Firearms Assaults Against Officers .................................................................................... 7
 

Officer discretion or tactical decision making?.......................................................................................................... 8
 

Strategies for reducing risk............................................................................................................................................ 8
 

Seatbelt and vest policies............................................................................................................................................... 9
 

Body-worn cameras can also increase safety.............................................................................................................. 9
 

Ambushes: What We Know and What Lessons We Can Learn...............................................................................10
 

What constitutes an ambush?.....................................................................................................................................11
 

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department ambush after-action report...........................................................12
 

The influence of antigovernment rhetoric ...............................................................................................................12
 

Research to practice: Two-person patrols.....................................................................................................................15
 

Research and data collection.......................................................................................................................................16
 

Police Morale and Officer Safety and Wellness – Is there a Relationship?.............................................................16
 

Discussion of the effects of poor morale.................................................................................................................17
 

Officer suicide...............................................................................................................................................................18
 

President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing........................................................................................................19
 

Setting priorities in officer safety and wellness........................................................................................................20
 

Moving to action ..........................................................................................................................................................20
 

Appendix. OSW Group Forum Attendees...................................................................................................................22
 

About BJA..........................................................................................................................................................................24
 

About the COPS Office ..................................................................................................................................................25
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overview of the Officer Safety and Wellness Group
 

THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE’S OFFICE OF COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING SERVICES (COPS 

OFFICE) AND BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE (BJA) ESTABLISHED THE OSW GROUP TO PROVIDE A 

NATIONAL FORUM FOR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW TO REDUCE DEATHS AND INJURIES OF LAW 

ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. WHILE THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY HAS BEEN 

STEADILY DECREASING, POLICING CONTINUES TO FACE IMPORTANT ISSUES IN ENSURING OFFICER SAFETY 

AND WELLNESS. 

Comprised of representatives from law enforcement agencies and associations, federal agencies, and the research 

community, the purpose of the OSW Group is to bring law enforcement thought leaders, criminal justice 

practitioners, and other colleagues together to share their broad perspectives on improving officer safety and 

wellness. Participants contribute information and ideas with the goal of enhancing subject-related products, 

tools, resources, and services available to the field. In addition, the group encourages the nation’s law 

enforcement agencies to adopt cultures of safety and wellness. 

During the initial kick-off meeting held in July 2011, the OSW Group identified the 16 focus areas that would 

guide future meetings as well as the overall mission of the group (see sidebar). The following 16 areas were 

further defined and prioritized in the subsequent September 

2011 meeting, also considered the first official meeting, after 

which the COPS Office produced a summary report (see 

Fiedler 2011): 

1. Injuries and death due to gunfire 

2. Premeditated and unprovoked ambush situations 

3. Rifle/long-gun threats/assault weapons 

4. Education and training 

5. Leadership and safety practices 

6. Emergency vehicle operation and safety 

7.	 Physical health (e.g., fatigue, alcohol, weight, and 

nutrition) 

8. Psychological health 

9. Foot pursuit safety 

10. Task force operations (federal and local) 

11. Offenders (behavior during incident and history) 

12. Court security 

13. Deployment strategies and communications technologies 

14. Maintaining good health 

15. Equipment 

16. Former military in law enforcement 

The OSW Group Mission 

The OSW Group will contribute to the 

improvement of officer safety and wellness in the 

United States by convening a forum for thoughtful, 

proactive discussion and debate around relevant 

programs and policies within the law enforcement 

field. Information and insight gained and shared 

will help enhance programs, policies, and 

initiatives related to officer safety and wellness. 

The OSW Group Goals 

• To create an opportunity and environment for 

law enforcement organizations and 

researchers to collaborate on improving officer 

safety and wellness 

• To bring law enforcement organizations and 

researchers together quarterly to share 

knowledge and information about officer safety 

and wellness initiatives 

• To disseminate information and best practices 

to the field through the government and law 

enforcement organizational communications 

mechanisms 

All meeting summary reports as well as information about future meeting topics are available on the COPS 

Office OSW Group web page: www.cops.usdoj.gov/Default.asp?Item=2603. 

1
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Letter from the Director
 

Dear colleagues, 

To engage law enforcement leaders in concerted efforts to support the well-being of the men and women 

who courageously put themselves in harm’s way to protect our safety, former Attorney General Eric Holder 

asked the COPS Office and the Bureau of Justice Assistance to create the Officer Safety and Wellness Group 

(OSWG) in 2011. 

Since then, this group has brought health and law enforcement experts together numerous times to review 

research, policies, and practices that impact officer health and safety in a wide range of areas, including 

physical fitness, drug abuse, and officer shootings. This report summarizes the findings of their March 2016 

meeting, in which key stakeholders convened to discuss issues related to ambush prevention, officer morale, 

and future topics for OSWG focus. 

As the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing made clear in Pillar 6 of their report, the safety and 

wellbeing of our officers is a paramount responsibility for law enforcement leaders. Our officers must be in 

good physical and mental health to fulfill their mission of protecting and serving their communities, and we 

as law enforcement leaders must do everything we can to reduce stress, illness, injuries, and death. 

I am proud of the COPS Office’s collaboration with BJA Director Denise O’Donnell in the OSW Group and 

of all that our teams have accomplished. In the past five years, they have provided many workable strategies, 

including messaging and branding guides for creating a culture of safety in law enforcement agencies. 

Another result of their efforts has been a significant expansion of the Department of Justice’s portfolio of 

resources related to suicide prevention, nutrition, on-the-job safety, and other wellness issues. 

But there is still much to accomplish, and we are committed to the important work of the OSWG going 

forward. On behalf of the COPS Office, I want to express our deep gratitude to the physicians, police 

trainers, health experts, police chiefs, rank and file officers, and others who have contributed their time and 

expertise to these efforts. 

Supporting safety and wellness is a critical concern to all of us: it not only protects our officers, but benefits 

their families, their fellow officers, and the public. I am sure you will find this report compelling, and hope 

you will share it with others in your organization. Working together, we can make a lot of progress toward 

these goals. 

Sincerely, 

Ronald L. Davis 

Director 

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services 

2
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction
 

Ronald L. Davis, Director, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) 

Denise E. O’Donnell, Director, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) 

History of the OSW Group 

Our law enforcement officers expose themselves to danger every day they are on duty. As a result, their 

occupational fatality rate is three to five times greater than the national average. Though an alarming number 

of officer deaths and injuries come from assaults, many others are the result of vehicular accidents and poor 

physical or mental health. Though progress has been made, too many officers still die young, often from 

health problems and vehicular accidents. The police lifestyle, which can be marked by both high stress and 

fatigue, is seen as a major contributor. 

The goal of all OSW Group meetings is to create opportunities for law enforcement and researchers to share 

knowledge, collaborate on improving officer safety and wellness, and disseminate the latest information and 

best practices to the field. The four major themes for OSW Group meetings are operational and emergency 

response, leadership and management, mental and physical health and wellness, and training. 

In the past five years, the OSW Group has held ten forums on a wide variety of topics, including injury 

prevention and cardiac health. To share its findings, the COPS Office publishes meeting reports and case 

studies of promising practices. This report summarizes the discussions of the March 14, 2016 meeting of the 

OSW Group, which focused on four major topics: 

•	 Perception, Training and Policy 

•	 Firearms Assaults 

•	 Benefits and Drawbacks of Two-Person patrols 

•	 Effect of Morale on Officer Safety and Wellness 

There was also discussion of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, which contained a section 

devoted to Officer Safety and Wellness. 

In many ways, the participants in this meeting served as a steering group to help establish the OSW Group 

agenda for 2016 and explore critical issues which could not wait until later meetings to be addressed. The 

main goals of the meeting were to 

•	 identify the key issues impacting officer safety and wellness; 

•	 discuss and develop a research project based on NAPO’s recommendation for two-officer units; 

•	 examine recent officer killings to discern any trends; 

•	 discuss officer morale amid increased scrutiny and high profile negative incidents, and identify steps for 

addressing this issue; 

•	 establish the 2016 goals and objectives for the OSW Group. 

3
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Opening remarks 

Mr. Davis opened the Officer Safety and Wellness Forum by thanking the attendees for participating. He 

asked for a moment of silence for the 13 law enforcement officers who had been killed by gunfire in the line 

of duty since the beginning of the year. 

Mr. Davis briefly described his law enforcement experience before working in the COPS Office. He recalled 

how difficult it is when an officer is killed in the line of duty. 

As he noted, though fewer police officers are now being killed—approximately 50 in 2014, down from a high 

of 72 in 2011 according to the FBI’s Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA)1 database— 

the numbers are still too high. 

Officer safety continues to be a top priority of the COPS Office. 

On the day of the meeting, COPS, BJA, and the Major Cities Chiefs Association released a report, 

Understanding Firearms Assaults Against Law Enforcement Officers in the United States.2 The report examines policies, 

training, and other factors that reduce the risk of officer injuries and deaths. 

The forum included short presentations to provide a springboard to discussion. Forum participants were 

asked to contribute their ideas on how to ensure officer safety and wellness. 

Ms. O’Donnell talked about the OSW’s history and current initiatives. Of the group’s 16 areas of focus, the 

following three are considered top priorities which began in 2011s: 

• Injuries and death due to gunfire

• Premeditated and unprovoked ambushes

• Threat posed by rifles, long guns, and assault weapons

About 13,000 officers were injured as a result of assaults last year. 

This work is an important priority at BJA and includes some programs that were discussed during the 

meeting, including the Violence Against Law Enforcement and Ensuring Officer Resilience and Survivability 

(VALOR) Initiative and the Destination Zero programs. 

The VALOR Initiative is a training program designed to prevent violence against law enforcement officers 

and ensure officer resilience and survivability following violent encounters during the course of their duties. 

Destination Zero programs enable law enforcement agencies to share their safety and wellness programs that 

have worked well. 

James Copple of Strategic Applications International moderated the forum and discussions. Eric Nation of 

the National Alliance for Drug Endangered Children cofacilitated. Mr. Copple said that the purpose of the 

forum was to identify action steps and recommendations to protect officers and keep them healthy. 

1 A summary of this data 2004-2013 is available at https://www.fbi.gov/aboutus/cjis/ucr/leoka/2013/tables/table_1_leos_fk_region_geographic_division_and_state_2004-2013.xls 

2 The report is available at http://ric-zai-inc.com/ric.php?page=detail&id=COPS-W07971. 

4
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perception, Training, and Policy

It was noted that officers’ opinions of safety and wellness programs are influenced by how they are presented 

and how well they mesh with what the officers feel they need. These perceived needs vary across generations, 

though officers of all ages consider equipment and training to be important. 

Most programs focus on safety over wellness, because safety is immediately critical to survival, while the 

consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle are deferred to the future. However, young people today generally 

have a greater interest in health and well-being than previous generations. They know more about nutrition 

and take better care of themselves than many of the older officers, and have greater expectations of wellness 

support from their agencies. 

Multi-generational branding in messages about safety and wellness is important. 

But defining “officer safety and wellness” is difficult because some groups prefer a more expansive definition 

than others, feeling that job satisfaction contributes to wellness, for instance. Others believe that cynicism, 

fatigue, and officer attitudes toward their own department affect safety and wellness. 

Because most officers are more worried about threats to their physical safety, getting them to buy into the 

wellness part of a program will require a well-crafted message. Multigenerational branding is important too. 

Different generations have different training needs and concerns, as do men and women. For example, 

though older officers want better medical coverage, many younger ones are more focused on salary. 

Suggestions: 

• Consider officers’ preferences when developing a safety and wellness program and show how it meets

their needs when presenting it.

• Learn how different generations define “officer safety” and determine which issues are important to each

group.

• Develop the data infrastructure to determine how officers view safety and wellness.

• Define “health” and “wellness” in a way that will help measure them.

• Conduct studies to measure the effectiveness of wellness programs.

Safety and injury prevention 

According to LEOKA, which contains assault data from state reporting systems, there were 48,315 assaults 

against officers in 2014, resulting in 13,824 injuries. However, though statistics on assaults are available, more 

specific statistics on injuries while on duty are not collected. Some are available through LEOKA and the 

Bureau of Labor Statistics, but it is impossible to tell what led to the injury. Was it a body armor problem? Or 

a failure to use a seatbelt or helmet? 

5
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

More than 100,000 officers are injured each year. Assaults are not the primary cause of officer injuries; many 

officer injuries result from non-emergency situations, such as tripping down the stairs. A study by the IACP 

found that 35 percent of on-duty injuries were strains and sprains, accounting for 68 percent of lost 

workdays. However, safety is being taken more seriously than it was in the past, as evidenced by the fact that 

more officers are wearing seatbelts and body armor. 

35 percent of on-duty injuries are strains and sprains, accounting for 68 percent of 

lost workdays. 

It is important that both the federal government and national organizations make a long-term commitment to 

data collection. It will take at least two years to set up a good system and another three to discern any trends. 

But there is data regarding officer wellness to begin that research now. Some more could be obtained through 

the employee assistance programs, which have information on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), officer 

suicides, and other issues. 

Suggestions: 

•	 Analyze officer injuries in more detail, including which are related to safety on duty and which to nonemergency work. 

•	 Work with the different generations to develop better-targeted officer safety and wellness information. 

Mental and emotional health 

It is also important to focus on mental and emotional health. Officers leave the profession because of these 

issues. The Department of Defense (DoD) collects data on military personnel that may also be applicable to 

police. They have made progress in understanding the role that PTSD plays in overall health and their data 

could be helpful in determining the effects of stress on police officers. Likewise, the DoD could also benefit 

from research on police. 

Suggestions: 

•	 The DOJ could work with the DoD to obtain data that would be applicable to police wellness. 

•	 Agencies should include mental health in officer wellness programs. 

Effects of using de-escalation 

Meeting participants brought up that they have heard from officers that they do not like de-escalation training 

programs, believing they are media driven, forced upon them, and ultimately make them less safe. 

Furthermore, some view de-escalation training as suggesting that they are doing something wrong and that 

criminal offenders are the victims. Particularly now, in an era of mass demonstrations and with the wave of 

recent police killings, officers feel they are under siege, and those feelings must be acknowledged for new 

studies and programs to move forward. 

6
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Officers need to know that de-escalation training can help make their jobs safer. It can not only positively 

affect their safety and wellness, but help reduce everyday stress. However, they must be convinced by 

research before they will accept it. 

Officers need to know that de-escalation can help make their jobs safer. 

Suggestions: 

•	 Improve messaging to officers in order to make the case that de-escalation training does make officers 

safer. 

•	 Study whether treating people with respect will make an officer less safe, and what role fatigue, cynicism, 

and attitude toward the department play in officer safety. 

•	 Continue to collaborate across organizations on this effort for the long-term. Too many studies are “oneoffs,” in which the study is done but not built upon. 

Understanding Trends in Firearms Assaults Against Officers 

Joe Kuhns, University of North Carolina at Charlotte 

Dr. Kuhns presented a study he did with his colleagues, which was jointly released the day of the meeting by 

BJA, the COPS Office, and the Major Cities Chiefs Association. The study, Understanding and Reducing the 

Use of Deadly Force and Firearms Against Law Enforcement Officers,3 identified the types of calls that have 

resulted in the fatal shootings of police officers. Knowing which calls pose the greatest risk could allow law 

enforcement to minimize their risk when they respond. 

Past studies have found that police are often shot at but seldom hit, and gunfire fatalities are even rarer. But 

Kuhns’ study found that police are more likely to be killed in states in which there are more guns—and 

because firearm ownership has increased rapidly, officers who respond to calls are now more likely to 

encounter somebody with a firearm. 

LEOKA and Uniform Crime Reporting Program data show the following over the past five years: 

•	 148 officers were killed by firearms 

•	 1,014 were injured 

•	 10,149 officers were fired upon 

3 The report is available at http://ric-zai-inc.com/ric.php?page=detail&id=COPS-W0797. 

7
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Using the two merged databases to compare cities with a similar population range, the study identified those 

with an elevated risk of officers being fired upon. The study investigators spoke with police in those cities to 

try to understand why the rates are elevated in some and not others. They also examined written departmental 

policies for handling various situations, such as routine traffic stops and the serving of arrest warrants. 

Among other things the study pointed out was the importance of knowing which calls pose the greatest risks. 

The following are its recommendations for responding to high-risk calls: 

•	 A two-officer car response 

•	 Ongoing communication with the officers 

•	 A policy on the extent to which officer discretion can be used in the situation 

•	 Body armor worn by the officers 

•	 Assistance from police specialists in complex situations, such as calls involving individuals with mental 

illnesses 

Because firearm ownership has increased rapidly, officers who respond to calls 

are now more likely to encounter somebody with a gun. 

Officer discretion or tactical decision making? 

Participants questioned the term “officer discretion.” Are problems the result of officer discretion or of the 

lack of training in sound law enforcement practices? What the researchers called “officer discretion” may 

actually be what practitioners consider a tactical error. Perhaps it could be called “tactical decision making.” 

The question is, how many officer shootings resulted from tactical errors, and how many happened when 

officers followed training and department protocols? Officers do not always have discretion, and there may 

be times when a department should not allow it. 

Officers make decisions based on their training, not necessarily on department policy. Also, the officers may 

not have been trained to follow their department’s policy. What’s more, policies are sometimes in place and 

trained on, but not regularly enforced. 

Strategies for reducing risk 

What firearms safety policies could be adopted that would increase officer safety and prevent felonious 

assaults? One way to determine which policies would be effective is to analyze how police shootings occur 

and use the analysis to develop prevention strategies. In some departments, these strategies are presented 

during roll call, training, or refresher training. The problem with this approach is that the lessons learned stay 

in the department. More systematic means are needed for sharing event after-actions and lessons learned 

across agencies. 

8
 
 

 

 

 

 

With support from the COPS Office, the Police Foundation has created a near-miss database that could serve 

as a national clearinghouse for information about close calls, but many recent officer shootings have not been 

included in it. However, several agencies have committed to reporting data, which can be entered 

anonymously, and those working on the database are hopeful it will catch on. The Police Foundation plans to 

do outreach to departments so that they know about it. 

Suggestion: 

•	 Create a national clearinghouse for lessons learned from firearms assaults against officers to be 

transmitted across departments. 

Seatbelt and vest policies 

The OSW Group felt that the problem of police not following vest and seat belt policies must be addressed. 

Though the Public Safety Officers Benefits (PSOB) Program does not deny benefits to officers who were 

killed or injured when not wearing their vest or seatbelt, there have been cases of officers who were injured or 

killed while speeding when not on an emergency call being denied benefits. The PSOB has been working on 

that issue. 

Some meeting attendees noted that public service announcements have been effective in changing officers’ 

attitudes about seatbelts; and there is technology which can alert supervisors if officers aren’t wearing their 

belts. Although disciplining officers for not following seat belt policies is an option, the group believed that 

non-punitive polices focused on education and changing the culture and social mores within departments 

could actually be more effective. The follow-up with officers is critical to ensuring that these policies work. 

Many officers believe body-worn cameras are meant to spy on them. Agencies 

need to do a better job to communicate that they can actually make them safer. 

Body-worn cameras can also increase safety 

Footage from body-worn cameras can be helpful in training, and departments should use the information 

from these cameras in a productive, not punitive, way to improve training and response. Footage showing 

policy violations could be used to help officers better understand and retain information through real-life 

examples. Law enforcement departments should check out the body worn camera guides4 available on the 

COPS Office website. 

4 Implementing a Body-Worn Camera Program: Recommendations and Lessons Learned, http://ric-zaiinc.com/ric.php?page=detail&id=COPS-P296; Police Officer Body-Worn Cameras: Assessing the Evidence, 

http://ric-zai-inc.com/ric.php?page=detail&id=COPS-P289 

9
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many officers believe that mistrust of the police is the reason they are required to wear body cameras, and are 

opposed to wearing them, as they believe the cameras are meant to spy on them. But historically, in-car dash 

cameras are more likely to exonerate officers of wrongdoing than to incriminate them, and many in the OSW 

Group believe the same is likely to be true of body cameras. Cameras may also encourage citizens to be more 

law abiding, given they also will be aware of being recorded. 

Broader acceptance of body-worn cameras can be accomplished by working with the officers’ union and 

sending the right message, noting instances in which the cameras benefited the officers. Union support is 

critical and more training is needed. Moreover, the message to officers must be that the cameras will help 

them and make them safer. 

Suggestions: 

•	 Mandate the use of seatbelts and vests and encourage compliance with the proof of their protective 

value. 

•	 Use video from body-worn cameras for after-action training reviews, with the message that the review is 

meant to reduce injuries in future events, not to punish the officers. 

•	 Obtain the support of rank-and-file officers for the body camera policies. 

It should be noted that these recommendations may help officers survive firearm assaults, but even the best 

training and policies cannot stop someone who is determined to murder a police officer. However, the more 

we do to understand assaults and build evidence-based prevention programs, the more likely it will be that 

officers survive. 

Ambushes: What We Know and What Lessons We Can Learn 

George Fachner, COPS Office and Zoë Thorkildsen, CNA Safety and Security 

Mr. Fachner introduced a COPS Office publication5 which examines ambush assaults to find out how to 

prevent them, respond to them, and improve officer survivability. The study examined the following: whether 

the characteristics of communities and police agencies influence whether ambushes occur, whether incident 

dynamics influence officer survivability, and how often post-incident reviews should take place. 

65 percent of agencies where an ambush occurred conducted a review of the 

event, resulting changes including new policies, training, strategies and 

equipment. 

5 George Fachner and Zoe Thorkildsen, Ambushes of Police: Environment, Incident Dynamics, and the Aftermath of 

Surprise Attacks Against Law Enforcement (Washington, DC: COPS Office, 2015). http://ric-zaiinc.com/ric.php?page=detail&id=COPS-P340. 

10
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The report reviewed data on ambushes from 2007 to 2011, examining a wide variety of variables, including 

equipment, training, post-incident reviews, officer characteristics, and community crime levels. An analysis of 

187 ambushes found the following: 

•	 Officers assisted by other officers are more likely to survive. 

•	 Staying more than 10 feet away from the assailant increases survival odds. 

•	 Poor lighting gives police an advantage. 

•	 Body armor greatly improves survivability. 

•	 Vests are the best protection, but many officers in rural areas do not have them. 

•	 Officers receive more head and neck wounds now, probably because assailants assume they are protected 

by vests. 

What constitutes an ambush? 

OSW Group meeting participants disagreed on the definition of “ambush.” Some said that a traffic stop in 

which the officer is shot should be included, but others said that it should involve an element of planning and 

entrapment. 

The LEOKA Program categorizes ambush incidents as those which involve entrapment and premeditation.

6 

These are situations in which an unsuspecting officer was targeted or lured into danger as the result of 

conscious consideration and planning by the offender. They agreed, however, that this lack of a clear, agreedupon definition exists across the field. 

Mr. Fachner said that the ambushes analyzed in the COPS-Office-sponsored study had been reported to 

LEOKA by law enforcement agencies which may have defined “ambush” in different ways, and that these 

definitional differences could complicate measurement. 

Of the agencies where an ambush had occurred, 65 percent conducted a review of the event. All reviews 

covered tactics, but only 26 percent mentioned industry best practices. Agencies conducting reviews were 

more likely to implement changes. 

Changes that came about as a result of reviews included new policies (e.g., first aid, directed cover fire), new 

trainings (e.g., officer approach to a motor vehicle), new strategies (e.g., two officers dispatched on 911 hangup calls), and new equipment (e.g., ballistic helmets, tourniquets). 

The OSW Group also suggested better intelligence gathering and dissemination (e.g., tracking violent groups). 

They agreed that training, including simulation-based training, is important, as well as post-incident analysis. 

Self-aid and medical kits were described as necessary equipment. 

6 Melissa J. Blake and Roger D. Miller, “Ambushes on U.S. Law Enforcement Officers," Officer Safety Corner, The 

Police Chief 82 (August 2015): 12–13 

11
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suggestions: 

•	 Define “ambush” and rely on that definition for future data collection efforts 

•	 Research the impact of law enforcement philosophies and operations on violence against the police 

•	 Conduct systematic reviews of ambushes so that all law enforcement agencies can learn from them 

•	 Use reality-based training to prepare officers for high-stress events and evaluate how the officers handle 

the events 

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department ambush after-action report 

Ms. Thorkildsen presented the after-action report7 on the ambush of two Las Vegas police officers while they 

were eating lunch in 2014. The two assailants fled to a nearby store, where they killed a man who tried to 

shoot at one of them. One of the assailants was killed in a gun battle with police; the other died from a selfinflicted gunshot. 

Because the officers who responded to this event had been trained in reality-based and Multi-Assault 

Counter-Terrorism Action Capability, they responded effectively. Afterward, they said that the reality-based 

training had been particularly helpful. But though the officers’ response was good, there were some lessons 

learned by the department: 

•	 The incident command system was not properly established, resulting in confusion and 

miscommunication 

•	 Staging areas were not established during the initial response, resulting in confusion for arriving units 

As a result of the shootings, the department expanded Incident Command System (ICS) training and 

temporarily instituted two-person patrols, which officers said made them feel safer and provided greater 

emotional support. The officers also praised the department’s support programs. However, they noted that 

these efforts were focused on officers in the same unit as those who were killed, and that others who were 

close to these officers, but not in their unit, did not receive that same level of support. 

Ms. Thorkildsen also noted that it is important to look at the Las Vegas ambush as two distinct events. The 

first was an execution-style murder, while the second was an active shooter situation. Officer training also has 

to address those events differently in order to maximize survivability. 

7 Zoe Thorkildsen, Ashley Shultz, Thomas Woodmansee, and Drew Tracy, Las Vegas After-Action Assessment: 

Lessons Learned from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's Ambush Incident (Washington, DC: COPS 

Office, 2016). http://ric-zai-inc.com/ric.php?page=detail&id=COPS-W0798. 

The influence of antigovernment rhetoric 

The OSW Group discussed the fact that the killers were extremists who had written about their hatred of 

police, although not enough to be flagged. They told their roommates that day that they were going out to kill 

cops. It was noted that this parallels what was found in San Bernardino, California, where people had relevant 

information but did not tell the police. 

12
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With so much antigovernment rhetoric, how can officers be trained to be vigilant without becoming 

paranoid? In the past two years, officers have been ambushed by people with antigovernment and antipolice 

attitudes. Police are feeling under attack and need support from citizens. 

Asked what the group could suggest to protect officers against ambushes, one participant noted that federal 

hate crime legislation has helped protect people against hate crimes based on race, religion, ethnicity, gender, 

and more. Similar legislation protecting police could therefore be beneficial. 

However, it is necessary to look at each shooting individually. Some police shootings are related to an 

antipolice climate; others are not. One source of information which may be beneficial to agencies in reviewing 

their safety training and policies is the LEOKA Program’s study of the profiles of cop killers.8 

In addition to the annual Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted report and the Officer Safety Awareness 

Training the FBI offers, LEOKA has additional resources available for law enforcement via a special interest 

group that can be accessed through the FBI’s Law Enforcement Enterprise Portal (LEEP) at 

https://www.cjis.gov. It includes three major case studies entitled Killed in the Line of Duty, In the Line of Fire, 

and Violent Encounters. This work focuses on felonious assaults and killings of law enforcement, critically 

examining officer perceptions, offender motives, and the circumstances that brought them together. 

There is also a forthcoming FBI study which contains information that can be used to reduce the risk to 

officers. It contains interviews with assailants as well as the officers who were ambushed. The researchers 

found that one out of four assailants had a history of assaulting officers, and many had self-identified as 

future cop killers. Repeat violent offenders will continue to commit crimes and place police at risk. A deeper 

dive into this study’s data may help law enforcement agencies respond. 

Suggestions: 

•	 Develop an online incident-based command training program that would be compatible with a range of 

electronic devices, including tablets. 

•	 Update the incident command system and develop software to provide online training. 

•	 Build on the current incident command system, but encourage more agencies to use it and to train and 

retrain periodically 

•	 Create a public campaign to reinforce the importance of passing along information about threats to the 

police. 

•	 Find ways to reduce antipolice rhetoric in the media and in public discourse to reduce the number of 

ambush attacks on cops. 

•	 Designate law enforcement officers as a protected category under the federal hate crimes statute. 

•	 Study the characteristics and motivations of people who ambush law enforcement officers. 

8 “Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program,” FBI, accessed June 16, 2016, 

https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/leoka-resources. 

13
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Past research showed that 65 percent of officers who were attacked did not see their attack coming. By 

comparing data from past research to current research, we can confirm whether current training is helping. 

When a firefighter is killed on duty, an extensive amount of data is collected for a federal repository, and a 

similar system could be helpful to police. But though better-informed research is a good idea, one participant 

said that there should not be an additional federal reporting mandate imposed. 

Also, the group reiterated that constantly telling officers to be vigilant 24 hours a day and to keep in mind 

that they could be killed when they least expect it might ultimately cause more harm than good. There is a 

need for a balanced approach. It is necessary to think about the mindset that trainings could create as well. 

The OSW Group also discussed the reality that sometimes the right choice is something that makes officers 

feel safer, even if data do not indicate that it actually is. Specifically they noted the move to two-person cars 

by the LVMPD in the wake of the ambush killings. There was no evidence to suggest that it would actually 

protect officers. But if a two-person patrol gives officers a greater sense of security, then it could support 

officer wellness and demonstrate to officers that their commanders are concerned for their general wellbeing. 

Suggestions: 

•	 Compare past research to current research to see whether training is reducing the risk of officer ambush. 

•	 Create a national violent death review system for law enforcement officers. Some data are already being 

collected and can be included. This system should be available to researchers and include tactical and 

medical treatment reviews; it could produce data that would inform officer training in less than two years. 

•	 Create online training programs which officers in isolated or low-resource areas could access. Online 

programs would ensure they receive the latest training. 

•	 Conduct new studies on whether two-person patrols make officers safer. 

•	 Strengthen laws that apply to repeat violent offenders. 

•	 Make protective equipment more widely available to all officers. 

•	 Conduct a study of the impact of community emotional climate on law enforcement officers, including 

communities which acknowledge officers’ work and show they care for their wellness and safety. 

•	 Create more collaborative efforts among agencies in which data and ideas are shared. 

Blue Lives Matter 

The Fraternal Order of Police, which represents more than 300,000 officers and may be the world’s largest law enforcement 

organization, sent formal letters* to President Barack Obama and congressional leaders in 2015, urging them to expand the law 

to include targeted crimes against law enforcement officers. 

And in March of this year, Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colorado), introduced a bill in Congress which would make it a hate crime to target 

a police officer. The bill, dubbed The Blue Lives Matter Act of 2016,

† would expand the federal hate crime statute to include law 

enforcement officers who are targeted for acts of violence because of their jobs. 

*

Fischler, J, “Top Police Union Calls For Expansion Of Hate Crimes Law To Cover Cops,” Buzzfeed News, January 6, 2015. 

†Blue Lives Matter Act of 2016, H.R. 4760, 114th Cong. (2016). 

14
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Research to practice: Two-person patrols
 

Most of the data on two-person patrols are old, dating back to the mid-1970s. At the time, one study found 

that two-officer units were safer and more productive, providing more visibility and shorter response times. 

Many officers also preferred them to a one-person car. However, some smaller studies done later found that 

officers feel equally safe in a one-person car. 

Immediate backup is one advantage of a two-person patrol. Officers feel safer, have a feeling of being more 

prepared to meet the situation, and enjoy the camaraderie. It is also easier to observe what is happening. One 

officer drives; the other observes. On the other hand, officers in a two-person car are more likely to become 

complacent because they can assume their partner is being vigilant. 

Officers feel safer in a two-person car, but are more likely to become complacent. 

Some also noted that a two-person patrol can better monitor the technology in the car, most of which did not 

exist in the 1970s. Also, a person facing arrest may be more tempted to shoot at a lone officer but may make 

a different decision when there are two. But ultimately the OSW Group agreed that more research is needed 

to determine whether a two-person car is actually protective or just psychologically protective. 

Another related research question is whether one officer can better de-escalate a situation than two. The 

example given was that in rural communities a single officer’s backup could be 20 miles away, which may 

encourage officers to avoid escalating confrontations. Alternatively, with two-person patrols, it may be 

possible for one officer to be ready for a lethal encounter, providing greater protection to both officers. 

Research on this question should take into account the new technology and the younger generation’s 

approach. 

But it was noted that a two-person patrol can be an inefficient use of resources given that 70 percent of 

police activity involves routine tasks that one person can handle easily. Cost is a key barrier—two-person 

patrols double the cost of staffing. There may be times of day when two-person patrols are better, but very 

few municipalities will want to bear the cost. 

A two-person patrol can be an inefficient use of resources, but efficient method of 

response. 

A pilot study of two-person patrols in hot spots, areas where a high number of risky calls are expected, may 

be appropriate. Such patrols would reduce the calls for backup, which require another car to leave its sector. 

Research should take into account the size of the law enforcement agency, size of the patrol area, and the 

number of times officers have to wait for a backup. 

15
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Research and data collection 

It may also be important to understand the dynamic decision making that occurs between two officers, and 

whether it affects officers’ skills and careers. Since police have so much new technology available to them, it 

would also be wise to examine how to handle calls for service in today’s technology-rich environment. 

Studies are needed to gather information on the following: 

•	 the physical effect on safety of both one- and two-officer cars in different circumstances 

•	 the psychological effect of two-person patrols 

•	 if there is a positive psychological effect, under what circumstances the effect occurs and why 

•	 whether new officers who have partners at the early stages of their careers perform better later 

Participants agreed that research on this issue is needed, but there is no one data source that would answer all 

these questions about two-person patrols. A study using various scenarios to see how officers would react 

would be good; it would also be possible to measure officers’ stress levels, but this would not determine if 

officers on two-person patrols are actually safer or merely perceive themselves to be. 

A meta-analysis tapping into data from other countries could be a good place to start the research and would 

be less expensive than immediately launching a randomized control trial. Though meta-analysis is only as 

good as the studies it draws from, it can factor in the strength of the studies from which it draws data. A 

randomized controlled trial could cost between $1.5 million and $2 million. A meta-analysis could cost 

between $50,000 and $80,000. 

No matter the ultimate research plan, the first step should be to conduct a systematic review of the data that 

is available. 

Suggestions: 

•	 Develop a checklist that a commander can use when a police officer is killed. There are many things to 

do and this would be helpful. 

•	 Run a pilot project to determine whether two-person patrols in high-crime areas might be more effective. 

•	 Conduct a systematic review to find out what data are available and see what circumstances increase 

officer safety. 

Police Morale and Officer Safety and Wellness – Is there a Relationship? 

John Bouthillette, VALOR Initiative 

At the beginning of his presentation, Mr. Bouthillette commented that since officer safety and public safety 

are interdependent, trust between police and their communities is more important than ever. VALOR 

training therefore teaches officers how to maintain their safety while maintaining positive relations with 

citizens. 

16
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Valor Officer Safety Initiative 

Created by the BJA in 2010 in response to the increasing number of assaults against law enforcement officers, the VALOR 

Officer Safety Initiative provides all levels of law enforcement with tools that can help prevent violence against law enforcement 

officers and enhance officer safety, wellness, and resiliency. 

VALOR is a comprehensive effort that includes classroom and web-based training, research, and resources for sworn state, 

local, and tribal law enforcement officers. Its officer safety training is free of cost, and available to all levels of law enforcement 

both on site and online. Since it was launched, more than 21,000 law enforcement personnel have received VALOR Training. 

More information is available at https://www.valorforblue.org. 

VALOR training is divided into the following parts: 

•	 Foundation. Teaches officers how to analyze a potentially dangerous encounter. It provides an overview 

of research, current trends, and threats. 

•	 Indicators. Provides training to prevent criminal activity, explains how to minimize unnecessary use of 

force and teaches how to recognize behaviors and movements that indicate an individual could have a 

concealed weapon. 

•	 Response. Focuses on techniques that can help de-escalate an encounter and avoid hypervigilant tactics 

and also provides training in casualty care and rescue, including life sustaining first aid. 

•	 Mindset. Emphasizes officer health and wellness and provides officers with the skills to achieve work-life 

balance. Provides officer survival lessons. 

•	 Executive Briefing. Provides information to executive officers on hiring and career-long training for 

officers. Allows senior law enforcement officers to share experiences and innovative approaches to law 

enforcement. 

The program also provides officers with follow-up training as well as access to the VALOR website, which 

has had about 23 million hits to date. Feedback from participants has been very positive. 

Discussion of the effects of poor morale 

One group member noted that morale effects wellness by increasing stress, and another said that public 

support increases officer morale, as does knowing that department leadership supports them. Officers want 

to feel supported, and just thanking them for their service helps. It was noted that most citizens actually do 

support law enforcement officers and have begun to thank them more often. 

A third group member said that the morale of his officers has not been affected by the negative publicity of 

recent years, and he assures his officers that he will support them for doing their jobs as they are trained. He 

also cautioned that the current antipolice climate should not completely dictate police training. It was noted 

that all morale problems are local problems. Locally, many officers do get good support despite national 

dialogues. 

17
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When officers slack off in their duties, as some may have done because of the recent criticism of police, they 

put their safety and the safety of their fellow officers at greater risk. Officers who do not do their jobs fully 

and to the best of their abilities can put everybody, citizens and their fellow officers, at greater risk. 

Leadership must convey that message. 

Moreover, a department must support an officer accused of wrongdoing until it is proven that the officer did 

something wrong. The officer has due process rights and having the confidence that their department will 

support them through the process is important to their mental wellbeing in dangerous and difficult situations. 

When officers respond to criticism by slacking off in their duty, they put 

everybody’s safety at greater risk. 

In regard to wellness, it was noted that in a survey conducted approximately 20 years ago, officers who have 

collective bargaining rights were shown to have fewer workplace injuries and higher morale. It could be 

worthwhile to explore this research further and on a larger scale. It is also believed that morale is higher in 

departments where the union leaders and department commanders collaborate. All agreed that when officers 

believe they are being treated unfairly by the department, it will negatively affect their work in the community. 

Suggestions: 

•	 Remind officers that not carrying out their duties could make them and their fellow officers less safe. 

•	 Conduct new and continuing research to determine whether having a collective bargaining unit boosts 

department morale. 

Officer suicide 

Officer suicide is a major concern and should be a subject of more intensive research; more information is 

needed. Though it is known that police are at much higher risk compared to the general public, there is little 

data on officer suicide, including to what extent the fact that men are generally at greater risk than women 

impacts the professional rate within a male-dominated profession. 

One participant also noted that police suicide deaths rose between 2010 and 2013. More police officers die by 

suicide than in the line of duty, according to Breaking the Silence: A National Symposium on Law Enforcement Officer 

Suicide and Mental Health, a report prepared by the IACP in partnership with the COPS Office. 

Some suicides are related to work stress and some to personal problems; it is difficult to say to what extent 

police suicides are job-related. Also, it is more difficult for police to ask for help when they do have personal 

problems. It is important to pursue research on how the job affects the health and wellness of officers and 

their families. 

18
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suicide Prevention Resources 

The Suicide Prevention Resource Centers (SPRC) of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 

(SAMHSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has a program called In Harm’s Way, which
 

provides training for preventing law enforcement suicides: http://www.sprc.org/bpr/section-III/harm%E2%80%99s-way-lawenforcement-suicide-prevention
 

Ongoing screening considerations 

Law enforcement agencies need a way to screen individuals to better determine their capacity to cope with 

the stress of the job. Screening should also be ongoing. It was suggested that there is a highly accurate twoquestion screening measure used with trauma patients which could be adapted for use with police officers to 

flag potential suicides. 

Also, while some departments require each officer to visit with a police psychologist periodically, and feel that 

this offers tremendous benefit in destigmatizing the mental health check by making it automatic, others 

commented that this is unnecessarily costly, and could be replaced with the two-question screening test. 

Suggestions: 

•	 Agencies should routinely post suicide awareness literature that contains contact information for 

confidential sessions with mental health practitioners. 

•	 Agencies can mandate that officers attend counseling when they have been involved in certain situations. 

President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing 

Deborah Spence, COPS Office 

The President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing conducted seven public listening sessions, during which 

a variety of individuals and organizations gave input on policing. 

The task force made 59 recommendations within six areas, called pillars. The sixth pillar is Officer Wellness 

and Safety. Some Pillar Six recommendations, including one for expanding the Bulletproof Vest Partnership 

Program, were addressed to Congress. 

Some were addressed to executive branch agencies, such as DOJ, to promote and enhance officer safety and 

wellness initiatives. Others, such as the recommendation to provide benefits to survivors regardless of the 

cause of line-of-duty death, were made to non-federal agencies, organizations, and insurers. 

The Task Force website contains all of the testimony received during the seven listening sessions, as well as 

other related resources: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/taskforce/TaskForce_FinalReport.pdf. 

19
 
 

 

 

 

 

Setting priorities in officer safety and wellness 

Discussion of future priorities brought up the fact that many agencies have an aging officer population, 

resulting in increasing numbers of wellness and health issues. Also mentioned was a research finding that 

binge drinking off duty is a problem. Alcoholism, use of socially acceptable drugs such as marijuana, and 

prescription drug abuse should be addressed in future meetings. 

Another group member commented that secondary employment may have as negative an effect on officers’ 

ability to perform on the job as binge drinking, as moonlighting officers may not have had enough sleep 

before starting their shifts. Such off-duty factors should be considered when setting officer schedules. There 

was also discussion of how the injudicious use of social media causes stress and ruins some officers’ careers. 

Another topic of discussion was the possibility that negative publicity related to the events in Ferguson, 

Missouri could adversely affect recruitment. If agencies have difficulty recruiting, they may lower their 

standards, leading to safety and wellness problems down the road. Dr. Kuhns, who teaches in a criminal 

justice program, commented that he has heard anecdotal reports that current students are less interested in 

going into law enforcement than past students were. Many of the practitioners at the meeting felt the same 

way about these recruitment challenges. 

Suggestion: 

•	 Respond to biased or erroneous reports in the news and social media by disseminating information and 

developing messaging to set the record straight, provide the full story, or simply present the law 

enforcement side of the story. It is important that law enforcement provide clear, timely communications 

and enter the public discourse. 

Moving to action 

The group proposed possible recommendations and action steps that the OSW Group could take over the 

next two years to further enhance its ability to influence the safety and wellness of the law enforcement 

profession. 

Suggestions: 

•	 Issue joint statements on critical topics in safety and wellness. 

•	 Support and encourage efforts to obtain needed data in the areas under discussion, including those issues 

that affect morale 

•	 Identify best practices for building morale and maintaining a healthy lifestyle and help disseminate them 

to officers and executives. This could be done by putting out a call for presentations from departments 

and agencies which have successful health and wellness programs. Agencies could send one-page 

descriptions of their programs, and the best would be invited to give presentations to the group. 

•	 Encourage agencies and organizations to increase their efforts to counter some of the negative publicity 

that law enforcement has received recently. Call on law enforcement groups to work together to publicize 

positive information about the police. 

•	 Call on agencies to improve their sharing of information related to successful health and safety programs. 

20
 
 

 

 

•	 Look for additional federal agencies the working group can partner with to grow the library of health and 

wellness research, knowledge, and promising practices resources. This could include DoD, HHS, and 

others. The DoD has ways to evaluate the success of wellness programs and has studied issues such as 

alcoholism, PTSD, and suicides. The Army also has a three week program on mental health and wellness. 

Though there is not much data yet on how successful the program is, the working group could benefit 

from the Army’s studies and recommendations. The Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) teams have an 

examination to predict resilience and resistance to combat-related stress, and their data may be available 

too. It would also be helpful to study officers’ strategic thinking and decision making. 

•	 Develop a comprehensive definition of “officer wellness” that the group and its constituent members can 

use to further the national discourse on this important issue. 

•	 Engage with law enforcement leaders to better understand better why they do not currently invest 

significantly in officer wellness initiatives. It could be a lack of funding, or perhaps because wellness 

programs are often seen as employee assistance programs (and therefore not very important). 

21
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appendix. OSW Group Forum Attendees
 

ATTENDEES 

Cedric Alexander, Psy.D. 

Director of Public Safety
 

DeKalb County Police Department
 

Geoff Alpert, Ph.D. 

Professor 

Department of Criminology and Criminal 

Justice 

University of South Carolina 

James W. Baker 

Director of Law Enforcement Operations and 

Support 

International Association of Chiefs of Police 

Shon Barnes 

Captain 

Commander of the Operational Force Division 

Greensboro Police Department 

John Bouthillette 

Program Chief 

Adult Protective Services 

Division of Licensing and Protection 

Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging 

and Independent Living 

Jim Burch 

Vice President for Strategic Initiatives
 

Police Foundation
 

Amanda Burstein 

Program Manager 

International Association of Chiefs of Police 

Al Cannon 

Sheriff
 

Charleston County Sheriff’s Office
 

Major County Sheriffs’ Association
 

Alexander L. Eastman, M.D. 

Lieutenant and Deputy Medical Director
 

Dallas Police Department
 

Andrea Edmiston 

Director of Governmental Affairs 

National Association of Police Organizations 

Craig W. Floyd 

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer 

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial 

Fund 

Janeé Harteau 

Chief
 

Minneapolis Police Department
 

Ed Hutchison 

Director of Traffic Safety & Triad Programs 

National Sheriffs’ Association 

Joe Kuhns, Ph.D. 

Associate Professor 

Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology 

University of North Carolina at Charlotte 

Brian McAllister 

Training Instructor 

Officer Safety Awareness Training Program 

Law Enforcement Officers Killed and 

Assaulted Program
 

Criminal Justice Information Services
 

Federal Bureau of Investigation
 

Roger Miller 

Chief
 

Mission Development Unit
 

Engagement & Analysis Branch
 

Terrorist Screening Center
 

Federal Bureau of Investigation
 

22
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Timothy Richardson 

Senior Legislative Liaison
 

National Legislative Office
 

Grand Lodge
 

Fraternal Order of Police
 

Darrel Stephens 

Executive Director
 

Major Cities Chiefs Association
 

Zoë Thorkildsen 

Research Analyst
 

CNA Safety and Security
 

CNA Corporation
 

Tom Wilson 

Director 

Center for Applied Research and Management 

Police Executive Research Forum 

Daniel Zivkovich 

Second Vice President 

International Association of Directors of Law 

Enforcement Standards and Training 

FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES 

Ronald Davis 

Director 

Office of Community Oriented Policing 

Services 

Steven Edwards, Ph.D. 

Senior Policy Advisor
 

Bureau of Justice Assistance
 

George Fachner 

Collaborative Reform Specialist 

Office of Community Oriented Policing 

Services 

Deborah Meader 

Policy Advisor
 

Bureau of Justice Assistance
 

Denise O’Donnell 

Director
 

Bureau of Justice Assistance
 

Nancy Rodriguez, Ph.D. 

Director
 

National Institute of Justice
 

Cornelia Sorensen Sigworth 

Associate Deputy Director
 

Bureau of Justice Assistance
 

Deborah Spence 

Acting Assistant Director 

Office of Community Oriented Policing 

Services 

FACILITATORS 

James Copple 

Principal 

Strategic Applications International 

Eric Nation 

Director of Training and Development 

National Alliance for Drug Endangered 

Children 

23
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

About BJA
 

The Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) mission is to provide leadership and services in grant administration 

and criminal justice policy development to support local, state, and tribal justice strategies to achieve safer 

communities. 

BJA has four primary components: the Policy Office, Programs Office, Planning Office, and Public Safety 

Officers’ Benefits Program Office. The Policy Office provides national leadership in criminal justice policy, 

training, and technical assistance to further the administration of justice. It also acts as a liaison to national 

organizations that partner with BJA to drive policy and help disseminate information on promising practices. 

The Programs Office coordinates and administers state and local grant programs and acts as BJA's direct line 

of communication to state, local, territorial, and tribal governments by providing assistance and coordinating 

resources. The Planning Office coordinates the planning, communications, and budget formulation and 

execution; provides overall BJA-wide coordination; and supports streamlining efforts. The Public Safety 

Officers’ Benefits Program Office provides death and education benefits to survivors of fallen law 

enforcement officers, firefighters, and other first responders and disability benefits to officers catastrophically 

injured in the line of duty. 

BJA's overall goals are to (1) reduce and prevent crime, violence, and drug abuse and (2) improve the 

functioning of the criminal justice system. To achieve these goals, BJA programs emphasize enhanced 

coordination and cooperation of federal, state, and local efforts. BJA's objectives in support of these goals 

are to: 

•	 Encourage the development and implementation of comprehensive strategies to reduce and prevent 

crime and violence 

•	 Encourage the active participation of community organizations and citizens in efforts to prevent crime, 

drug abuse, and violence 

•	 Provide training and technical assistance in support of efforts to prevent crime, drug abuse, and violence 

at the national, state, and local levels 

•	 Reduce the availability of illegal weapons and develop strategies to address violence in our communities 

•	 Enhance the capacity of law enforcement agencies to reduce crime 

•	 Improve the effectiveness and efficiency of all aspects of the adjudication process, including indigent 

defense services 

•	 Assist states in freeing prison space for serious and violent offenders through the design and 

implementation of effective correctional options for nonviolent offenders 

•	 Enhance the ability of criminal justice agencies to access and use new information technologies 

•	 Encourage and support evaluation of the effectiveness of funded programs and dissemination of 

program results 

24
 
 

 

 

 

About the COPS Office
 

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) is the component of the U.S. 

Department of Justice responsible for advancing the practice of community policing by the nation’s state, 

local, territorial, and tribal law enforcement agencies through information and grant resources. 

Community policing begins with a commitment to building trust and mutual respect between police and 

communities. It supports public safety by encouraging all stakeholders to work together to address our 

nation’s crime challenges. When police and communities collaborate, they more effectively address underlying 

issues, change negative behavioral patterns, and allocate resources. 

Rather than simply responding to crime, community policing focuses on preventing it through strategic 

problem solving approaches based on collaboration. The COPS Office awards grants to hire community 

police and support the development and testing of innovative policing strategies. COPS Office funding also 

provides training and technical assistance to community members and local government leaders, as well as all 

levels of law enforcement. 

Another source of COPS Office assistance is the Collaborative Reform Initiative for Technical Assistance 

(CRI-TA). Developed to advance community policing and ensure constitutional practices, CRI-TA is an 

independent, objective process for organizational transformation. It provides recommendations based on 

expert analysis of policies, practices, training, tactics, and accountability methods related to issues of concern. 

Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to add community policing officers to the 

nation’s streets, enhance crime fighting technology, support crime prevention initiatives, and provide training 

and technical assistance to help advance community policing. 

•	 To date, the COPS Office has funded the hiring of approximately 127,000 additional officers by more 

than 13,000 of the nation’s 18,000 law enforcement agencies in both small and large jurisdictions. 

•	 Nearly 700,000 law enforcement personnel, community members, and government leaders have been 

trained through COPS Office-funded training organizations. 

•	 To date, the COPS Office has distributed more than eight million topic-specific publications, training 

curricula, white papers, and resource CDs. 

•	 The COPS Office also sponsors conferences, roundtables, and other forums focused on issues critical to 

law enforcement. 

The COPS Office information resources, covering a wide range of community policing topics—from school 

and campus safety to gang violence—can be downloaded at www.cops.usdoj.gov. This website is also the 

grant application portal, providing access to online application forms. 

25