This project was supported by cooperative agreement number 2008-CK-WX-K008 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 publication. Given that URLs and websites are in 

constant flux, neither the author(s) nor the COPS Office can vouch for their current validity. 

Recommended citation:

Hill, Julia, Sean Whitcomb, Paul Patterson, Darrel W. Stephens, and Brian Hill. 2014. Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One: 

A Guide to Educational Campaigns. Washington, DC: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. 

Cover photos (left to right): (c) auremar, Steven Frame, LeventeGyori, AlexRoz, topseller, and AVAVA / Shutterstock

ISBN: 978-1-932582-95-6 

Published 2014
iii

Contents

Letter from the Director.... iv

Letter from the MCCA. 

Acknowledgments ... vi

Contributing Police Departments . . vii

Introduction ...

...

...

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1

Creating a Safety and Wellness Culture....

 ...................... ....

5

Defining culture 5

Changing culture, the leadership imperative9

Campaign Strategy 13

Developing a Campaign 15

Step 1. Identify and analyze issues 18

Step 3. Identify target audiences.23

Step 4. Develop strategies 26

Step 5. Consider key messages, branding, and design 27

Step 6. Develop tactics and an implementation plan 34

Step 7. Identify a budget and resources ............................ .............................

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44

Step 8. Establish evaluations and measurements ................... 46

Conclusion 49

Appendix A. Generational Chart 51

References65

Resources 69

About the Major Cities Chiefs Association71

About the COPS Office 72
iv

Letter from the Director

Dear colleagues,

We are all aware of the dangers of police work and do our best to ensure our officers’ safety. 

But it isn’t easy to address the stress and other factors that take their toll in the form of drug 

abuse, heart attacks, mental health problems, and even suicide.

In response to a growing number of law enforcement injuries and deaths, on the job and off, 

the COPS Office and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) formed the Officer Safety and 

Wellness (OSW) Group in 2011. This publication, Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority 

One: A Guide to Educational Campaigns, is the result of two years of their work with law enforcement, safety, health, and other experts. 

A must-read for every law enforcement professional, it provides practical communications 

strategies for improving safety and wellness in all areas of your department, with specific suggestions for operational and emergency responses, leadership and management, mental and 

physical health programs, wellness communications campaigns, and training. 

To achieve law enforcement’s mission to serve and protect, an officer must be in good health 

and practice safety on the streets. But because of the pressures of getting the job done, the 

development of compelling communications campaigns to reinforce officer safety and wellness practices aren’t always an agency’s top priority. 

In these pages, you will find examples of how other police departments have improved wellness and safety, along with detailed guidance on developing a communications plan which 

can not only reduce fatalities and injuries, but create a culture that supports each individual’s 

physical fitness and psychological health. 

Campaigns to support safety and wellness not only protect our officers, but benefit their families and the communities we serve. And I am very pleased that the COPS Office can support 

your efforts with this important new publication. 

I encourage you to not only develop your own safety and wellness campaign, but to share your 

success with others in the field through the COPS Office online newsletter, the Community 

Policing Dispatch, and our podcast series, The Beat.

Sincerely,

Ronald L. Davis, Director

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services
v

Letter from the MCCA

Dear colleagues,

When Attorney General Eric Holder requested in 2011 that the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services and Bureau of Justice Assistance form the Officer Safety and Wellness 

(OSW) Group, we had seen the third straight year of increases in line-of-duty deaths of 

law enforcement officers. The OSW Group’s work has since focused not only on preventing 

deaths but also on ensuring we provide the safest possible environment for the men and 

women who work in law enforcement. The importance of this initiative cannot be stressed 

enough: our officers’ safety and well-being must be a top priority. Beyond the obvious impacts 

that deaths and injuries have on officers, their coworkers, and families, the associated financial 

and staffing challenges also merit consideration. 

Improving safety and wellness can be accomplished only with concerted, long-term commitments to programs, policies, and processes that support this goal. Through the work of the 

OSW Group, we more clearly understand the critical roles organizational culture and communication play in advancing the changes necessary to achieve these improvements. 

We developed this guide to provide ideas for making safety and wellness part of an agency’s 

DNA. This guide lays out a step-by-step approach for creating educational campaigns designed 

to support departments’ efforts. Throughout, you will find examples from more than a dozen 

different agencies that describe initiatives they’ve undertaken to increase safety, decrease injuries, and improve employees’ physical and mental health. 

All too often, work-related injuries are accepted as part of policing. And line-of-duty deaths, 

while grieved, seldom lead to substantive changes in how agencies operate. We must do better. 

While the profession as a whole is advocating for improved safety and wellness policies and 

practices, individual agencies are in the best position to better protect those who protect our 

communities every day. We encourage you to put these ideas to use in your own agencies and 

to inspire additional campaigns we can share in the future.

Sincerely,

Darrel W. Stephens, Executive Director

Major Cities Chiefs Association
vi

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance for its 

partnership with the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services in the Officer 

Safety and Wellness Group initiative. 

Many thanks to the following people who contributed to developing this guide through 

meetings and reviews of its material:

 Robert Cherry, Detective, Baltimore Police Department and 

Baltimore City FOP Lodge #3

 Tony Landato, Sergeant, Mesa (Arizona) Police Department

 Julie Parker, Director of Media Relations, Prince George’s County (Maryland) 

Police Department

 Peter Simpson, Sergeant, Portland (Oregon) Police Bureau

 Sean Smoot, Director and Chief Legal Counsel, Police Benevolent and 

Protective Association of Illinois

 Jonah Spangenthal-Lee, Online Content and Brand Strategist, 

Seattle Police Department
vii

Contributing 

Police Departments

The following departments provided examples of their safety and wellness 

initiatives that are included in this guide: 

 Arlington (Texas) Police Department

 Charlotte-Mecklenburg (North Carolina) Police Department

 Columbus (Ohio) Division of Police

 Honolulu Police Department

 Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

 Long Beach (California) Police Department

 Mesa (Arizona) Police Department

 Montreal Police Department

 Peel (Canada) Regional Police

 Philadelphia Police Department

 Phoenix Police Department

 Prince George’s County (Maryland) Police Department

 Sacramento (California) Police Department

 Seattle Police Department

 Tampa Police Department

 Vancouver Police Department

1

Introduction

Detective Elizabeth Butler and Sergeant Loran Baker of the Santa Cruz (California) Police Department 

were killed February 26, 2013, when a sexual assault suspect fatally shot both officers as they approached 

a house in which he was located. Butler, 38, had served with the Santa Cruz Police Department for 10 

years. Baker, 51, had served with the department for 28 years. Baker’s son also serves with the same 

department.

On February 16, 2013, Officer Josh Lynaugh of the St. Paul (Minnesota) Police Department died from 

a heart attack while involved in a foot pursuit and search for a suspect. He caught and took the subject 

into custody before becoming ill and was transported to a local hospital where he remained until passing 

away eight days later. Lynaugh, 30, had served with the St. Paul Police Department for five years. 

Officer Ivorie Klusmann of the DeKalb County (Georgia) Police Department died on August 10, 2013. 

He was responding to a request for assistance when his patrol car left the roadway and struck a tree. 

Klusmann, 31, had served with the DeKalb County Police Department for only 10 months. 

Special Agents Stephen Shaw and Christopher Lorek of the Federal Bureau of Investigation were killed 

in a training accident 12 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach, Virginia, on May 17, 2013. The helicopter 

in which the agents were riding encountered difficulties during training maneuvers, causing them to fall 

a significant distance into the ocean. After being recovered from the water, they were flown to Norfolk 

General Hospital where they were pronounced dead. Shaw, 40, had served for eight years, and Lorek, 

41, had served for 17 years. Both were assigned to the Hostage Rescue Team based out of Quantico in 

Prince William County, Virginia. 

On May 13, 2013, Officer Daryl Raetz of the Phoenix Police Department was struck and killed by an SUV 

while making an arrest for DUI. The driver of the SUV fled the scene but was arrested the following day. 

Raetz, 29, was a veteran of the Iraq war and had served with the Phoenix Police Department for six years. 

These are just seven of the 111 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2013 (NLEOMF 

2013). This is an 8 percent decline from the 121 deaths in 2012 and represents the smallest number of 

line-of-duty deaths since 1959. In fact, “since 2011, all categories of officer fatalities have dropped by 34 

percent and firearms-related deaths have declined by 54 percent” (NLEOMF 2013). 

While there are some fluctuations from year to year in the number of officers injured or killed in the line 

of duty and in other key markers of safety and wellness, the mortality and morbidity rates among law enforcement professionals are unacceptably high. However, numbers alone will never tell the tales. Whether 

their deaths resulted from gunfire, an accident, or a heart attack, each officer’s story foretells far-reaching 

impacts and long-lasting sorrow for their families, friends, colleagues, and communities.

There is little dispute that policing is a dangerous profession. Nor is there much disagreement about the 

challenges officers face on the job or the ramifications the job can have on an officer’s personal life. There 

are too many examples and mountains of data that identify the range of risks and threats associated 
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

2

Introduction

with a career in law enforcement. Even the nature of shift work required in policing presents 

dangers. For example, 2013 research found that after controlling for age and gender, officers 

working night shifts were 3 times more likely than those on a day shift and 2.2 times more 

likely than those on an afternoon shift to suffer injuries that require long-term leave from work 

(Violanti et al. 2013).

Officers who speed when not on emergency calls or who abuse drugs 

or alcohol pose serious risks to themselves and others. Officers who 

commit suicide can indicate critical deficiencies in programs designed to 

help people deal with the tremendous stress and emotional toll the job 

can exact from even the best-trained and well-equipped departments. 

Officers who fail to maintain a level of fitness that enables them to 

withstand the physical demands of a foot chase or an altercation should 

be a concern for any agency. 

None of these are easy topics to discuss, and the costs for providing 

the necessary support services can be substantial. However, the costs of 

avoiding the discussions and not providing the programs are too great. 

Having them could be the difference that saves an officer from injury, or 

even death, or spares others from harm.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Jr. requested that the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) and Bureau of Justice 

Assistance (BJA) form the Officer Safety and Wellness (OSW) Group 

in 2011. The group’s purpose is to bring together thought leaders, law 

enforcement practitioners, and researchers to compile, parse, and share 

information that reduces risks, increases safety, and enhances wellness 

among the ranks of policing professionals. This is a vital and yet complex 

charge with interrelated external and internal forces at play. Even without considering the environmental variables external to the agency that 

make the job inherently dangerous, leadership, policies, training, procedures, support services, and equipment as well as individual approaches 

to fitness, nutrition, and mental health all impact the levels of risk to 

officer safety.

During the last two years, the OSW Group amassed data, heard from experts and researchers 

in various areas, identified priorities, and began developing action plans to address these issues 

as a profession and at the agency and individual levels.

About 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.

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 government and 

law enforcement organizational communications mechanisms
3

The OSW Group identified 16 priorities and grouped them into four themes: operational and 

emergency responses, leadership and management, mental and physical health and wellness, 

and training. Of the following 16 priorities, the attorney general, the COPS Office, and BJA 

established the first three as top priorities: 

I. Operational and emergency responses

1. Injuries and death due to gunfire

2. Premeditated and unprovoked ambush situations

3. Rifle/long–gun threats / assault weapons

4. Task force operations (federal and local)

5. Offenders (behavior during incident and history) 

6. Court security

II. Leadership and management

7. Leadership and safety practices

8. Equipment

9. Deployment strategies and communication technologies

III. Mental and physical health and wellness

10. Physical health (e.g., fatigue, alcohol, weight, and nutrition)

11. Mental health

12. Maintaining good health

13. Former military in law enforcement

IV. Training

14. Education and training 

15. Emergency vehicle operation and safety

16. Foot pursuit safety

The two factors that cut across each of these elements, and thus are the focus of this guide, 

are organizational culture and communication. This publication is designed to provide agencies with the tools necessary to develop effective campaigns that address some of the most 

persistent and prevalent safety and wellness issues facing law enforcement officers today. 

This guide includes examples of different campaigns agencies have developed and provides 

resources for departments to utilize in creating meaningful and sustainable change. 

For details about the research and conclusions of the OSW Group, see the National Officer 

Safety and Wellness Group page on the COPS Office website at www.cops.usdoj.gov.

5

Creating a Safety 

and Wellness Culture

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” This statement is usually attributed to management guru Peter 

Drucker and famously hangs in the War Room at Ford Motor Company. It succinctly and powerfully sums 

up the overarching importance an organization’s culture has on its operations and people. 

The best equipment, training, and policies can be undermined by an unhealthy, destructive, or even corrupted organizational culture that not only fails to support these operational areas but also diminishes 

their value. Conversely, “having ‘the right kind of culture’—a culture that is appropriate to the kind of enterprise in which an organization is engaged—is widely acknowledged to be among the most important 

determinants of how effective or successful the organization will be” (Desson and Clouthier 2010, 3). 

Organizations with strong, healthy cultures are more likely to achieve goals and tend to attract and retain 

desirable employees, project positive public images, and build good relationships with stakeholders (ibid.). 

Any discussion of improving officer safety and wellness necessitates a focus on what impacts the culture 

has on employees, what must change, and how to begin the process.

Defining culture

Every organization has a culture, and even subcultures. Superficially, culture is often explained as “how 

things are done around here.” While a single, universally accepted definition of organizational culture is 

lacking in scholarly literature, there are some consistent premises that can help police agencies identify 

and impact issues related to safety and wellness. 

For example, Harrison and Stokes (1992, 1) define organizational culture as

the pattern of beliefs, values, rituals, myths and sentiments shared by the members of an organization. It influences the behavior of all individuals and groups within the organization. Culture impacts 

most aspects of organizational life, such as how decisions are made, who makes them, how rewards 

are distributed, who is promoted, how people are treated, how the organization responds to its 

environment, and so on. 

Perrin defines culture as “the sum of values and rituals which serve as ‘glue’ to integrate the members of 

the organization” (Watkins 2013). Schein defines culture as “a pattern of shared basic assumptions that 

was learned by a group as it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, that has 

worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct 

way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems” (1992, 9). 

“Culture eats strategy.”
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

Creating a Safety and Wellness Culture

6

In other words, an organization’s culture embodies the values, beliefs, norms, practices, rituals, 

and behaviors of its members. Culture is manifested through both visible and invisible but still 

identifiable aspects of organizational life. 

Law enforcement agencies have policies that specify how officers must handle certain situations. Everything from how uniforms must be worn and how officers use force in apprehending a suspect to how officers treat each other, victims, and suspects is typically covered in a 

departmental order. Whether the policies are followed, how violations of policy are handled, 

and what consequences one might experience are all reflective of the organization’s culture. 

Whether employees feel free or are even encouraged to raise concerns and how those concerns are received also reflect an organization’s culture. As Frei and Morriss (2012) explain, 

Culture guides discretionary behavior and it picks up where the employee handbook 

leaves off. Culture tells us how to respond to an unprecedented service request. It tells us 

whether to risk telling our bosses about our new ideas, and whether to surface or hide 

problems. Employees make hundreds of decisions on their own every day, and culture is 

our guide. Culture tells us what to do when the CEO isn’t in the room, which is of course 

most of the time. 

Tampa Police Use Franciscan Center Post-Trauma Education and Retreat

Police officers and other first responders are exposed to 

critical incidents, death, and other stresses that can seriously impact both mental and physical health. Like many 

agencies, the Tampa Police Department experienced a number of line-of-duty deaths in recent years, including a double homicide in June 2010. Typical post-trauma debriefings 

were ill-equipped to offer the depth of care necessary to 

successfully treat post-traumatic symptoms and aid healing. 

The Franciscan Center Post-Trauma Education and Retreat 

Program was borne out of the desire to more effectively 

treat post-traumatic symptoms, promote healing, and provide post-trauma education for police officers over the 

course of a confidential, intensive four-night, five-day retreat. 

While supervisors or Tampa’s Chief Jane Castor refer participants to The Franciscan Center, individuals can apply 

to the program without a referral. Officers attending the 

retreat are in the company of peers experiencing similar 

crises and professionals who are trained in crisis stress 

management and, in some instances, have gone through 

traumatic events themselves.

The Franciscan Center focuses on helping participants 

understand post-trauma symptoms and provides them 

with the tools and resiliency to address those symptoms. 

Key components of the retreat program include a trauma 

symptom inventory used to identify specific symptoms; 

eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy; 

reviews of critical incidents; and meetings with chaplains, 

counselors, and peers. Educational sessions are of significant importance to the program’s success and focus on 

topics like drug/alcohol abuse prevention, post-trauma brain 

function, emotional survival, suicide prevention, forgiveness, 

cognitive behavioral techniques, and spiritual responses to 

post-trauma stress. Participants leave with a personalized 

90-day action plan to use after the program. 

Ninety days following completion of the program, participants complete a survey designed to gauge progress. More 

than 76 percent of participants report a positive increase 

in post-trauma healing during the course of the retreat. 

Another 69 percent notice increased healing from completing the program to the 90-day follow-up. The Franciscan 

Center hosts retreats five times annually, and each retreat 

usually involves four to six participants. The $3000 cost per 

participant includes renting the entire center to ensure 

complete confidentiality for the participants. Funding comes 

from the department or individuals, and the center seeks 

other sources to reduce the financial burden.
7

In their research, Frei and Morriss (2012) studied many organizations looking for patterns that 

make their cultures highly effective. They found three variables that were present at high levels: 

clarity, communication, and consistency. Clarity refers to the degree to which leaders knew 

exactly what type of culture they wanted to create. Communication focused on relentlessly 

reinforcing the messages and values of the organization, and consistency underscored the 

organization’s sensitivity and immediate fixes to perceived breaks with the culture. If the members see that the organization is not true to its values and that all sorts of different behaviors 

are tolerated—or worse, actually rewarded—then a cynicism often sets in that spreads like 

cancer through the whole organization. 

In summary, a culture reflects an organization’s values and what it deems important. It shapes 

what people consider to be “right” or “good” decisions, encourages members to think and 

behave in certain ways, and guides how people interact with each other. It dictates how work 

gets accomplished and how receptive or resistant employees are to change. This is especially 

important because “change often conflicts with culture and, let’s face it, a new rule is no match 

for a culture” (Heath and Heath 2010, 244). 

If you get the culture right, everything else takes care of itself. This idea summarizes what Tony 

Hseih, founder and CEO of Zappos.com, the extraordinarily successful online retailer, believes 

about the power of organizational culture (Hsieh 2009). In his company blog, Hsieh writes: 

At Zappos, our belief is that if you get the culture right, most of the other stuff—like great

customer service, or building a great long-term brand, or passionate employees and customers—will happen naturally on its own.

We believe that your company’s culture and your company’s brand are really just two sides 

of the same coin. The brand may lag the culture at first, but eventually it will catch up.

Your culture is your brand. (Hsieh 2009)

Hsieh is often held up as an example of a leader who understands the importance of culture, 

and the entire organization is aligned with ensuring the viability of Zappos’ service orientation. The company’s core values guide all decisions, from hiring and training to operations 

and growth. 

What can a police agency learn from an online retailer, or any other industry, for that matter? 

Like other professions, policing involves both technical skills and sets of values and norms that 

define the occupation. Unlike most other professions, policing involves levels of danger and 

relationships with the public that uniquely define and shape a policing culture. To be sure, there 

are clear and important distinctions between policing and other professions. Yet core values 

that truly drive organizational life are at the heart of building a strong culture, whether the 

organization is an online retailer, a healthcare provider, a manufacturing plant, or a law enforcement agency. One might argue that a strong and positive organizational culture is even more 

important for a law enforcement agency precisely because of the nature of its work and the 

risks officers face every day. 
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

Creating a Safety and Wellness Culture

8

For Zappos, committing to core values means hiring and firing decisions are based on them. 

It means how employees are trained and what employees do every day to serve their internal and external customers have their roots in the company’s core values. It is about aligning 

vision, values, policies, attitudes, operations, and behavior. These are cross-cutting foundational 

principles not unique to any particular profession or industry. How they are applied and how 

the organization aligns itself with the demands of its internal and external realities are the 

distinguishing elements. 

Let’s take an example common to vision or core values statements in police organizations: 

“We value integrity.” What does that really mean? How is that value communicated and reinforced? How do training, general orders, disciplinary processes, and employees’ behaviors align 

to support this core value? What happens when an officer is caught lying, falsifying 

a report, or engaging in unlawful behavior? Do fellow officers report others for 

misconduct, or does the “blue code of silence” prevail? 

These are difficult, challenging questions that go to the heart of what it means to 

be guided by core values. These are the types of issues that differentiate the organizations that live core values and those that merely have them hanging on a poster 

and posted on a website. 

When it comes to officer safety and wellness, the same considerations exist. Do 

the organization’s core values underscore its commitment to the safety and wellbeing of its employees? How do training, policies, programs, messages, and disciplinary processes align with and support this commitment? Taken together, what 

impact on officers’ attitudes and behaviors result from the alignment of these 

related elements?

In Deal and Kennedy’s (2000) vocabulary, policing is considered a “tough-guy macho culture” 

characterized by rapid feedback/reward and high risk. Stress results both from high risk and 

the high stakes (losses or gains). It’s a culture that focuses on the present more than it looks 

ahead. Other professions that embody a tough-guy macho culture are surgeons and sports. 

In these types of cultures, policing and sports in particular, injuries are accepted as part of 

the job. Yet just as professional sports like football and baseball have begun to realize that the 

high rates of injuries can be reduced through better training, fitness regimes, equipment, rules, 

and regulations (see Maske 2013; Daily Mail 2013), policing has begun a broad-based 

effort to reduce officer injuries and increase wellness. Policies, regulations, training, and equipment all play a role. So, too, does creating an organizational culture in which safety is a demonstrated priority. 

“Officer safety 

is not a belief or 

a position; it is 

a decision. A 

decision to make 

a change, to act.”

– Lt. Jim Glennon, 

Lambard (Illinois) 

Police Department
9

Changing culture, the leadership imperative

“Establishing a culture of safety should be one of the primary goals of any department head 

and an area that appointed administrators and elected officials insist must be a critical performance measure” (Stephens and Matarese 2013). Instilling a safety culture requires leading from 

the front. In fact, Schein argues “that culture and leadership are 

two sides of the same coin” (2010, 22). 

Establishing a culture of safety within law enforcement agencies 

requires leadership from the police chief and others throughout 

the agency and local government. From police chiefs, city/county 

executives, and union leaders to frontline supervisors, training 

personnel, and human resources staff, the responsibility for developing and maintaining a focus on safety and wellness should 

be shared at every level and in every area. 

Leaders have the responsibility of setting priorities and ensuring 

consistent and even relentless attention is focused on the issues 

involved in the safety and well-being of officers. Leading change 

efforts requires more than setting the values and vision. The 

devil is in the details. Changing an organizational culture takes 

time—years, in most cases—and perseverance. It is not possible to impose a certain safety 

culture onto an organization, as each organization is unique, and there are a host of variables 

that must be considered. “The best safety systems in the world will fail without a supportive 

culture” (Ardern 2012, 1). 

Three Basic Elements

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration 

(OSHA) identified three basic elements of a safety 

and health culture:

1. All individuals within the organization believe 

they have a right to a safe and healthy workplace.

2. Each person accepts personal responsibility for 

ensuring his or her own safety and health.

3. Everyone believes he or she has a duty to protect 

the safety and health of others.

Getting Officers to Wear Seat Belts

As many as 50 percent of officers in the Los Angeles 

Police Department (LAPD) do not wear a seat belt even 

though it is both law and policy. The department is working 

to change that.

The logical side of the LAPD’s argument for wearing a 

seat belt goes something like, “It’s the law, it is department 

policy, and most officers who are injured or killed on the 

job die as a result of traffic accidents. You must wear your 

seat belt.” 

Understanding that officers have many rationalizations 

for why they don’t wear seat belts, the LAPD incorporates 

into its campaign, among other things, the power of a documentary produced in 2013 that tells the story of “5th 

and Wall,” a horrific 1988 traffic accident that claimed the 

lives of three LAPD officers. The fourth officer involved in 

the wreck, and the only one wearing a seat belt, was the 

lone survivor. He and other officers who responded to the 

scene that day are featured in the documentary. The story 

is an emotional reminder of what can happen.
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

Creating a Safety and Wellness Culture

10

In their bestselling book, Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard, Heath and 

Heath maintain that “successful changes share a common pattern” that “require the leader 

of the change to do three things at once:” provide clear direction, engage people’s emotional 

sides, and shape the path (2010, 4). To support and explain their framework for change, Heath 

and Heath use a compelling analogy first advanced by University of Virginia psychologist 

Jonathan Haidt: 

Our emotional side is an Elephant and our rational side is its Rider. Perched atop the 

Elephant, the Rider holds the reins and seems to be the leader. But the Rider’s control 

is precarious because the Rider is so small relative to the Elephant. Anytime the six-ton 

Elephant and the Rider disagree about which direction to go, the Rider is going to lose. 

He’s completely overmatched. (Heath and Heath 2010, 4)

Most of us can relate to this ongoing struggle between our rational/logical side and our 

emotional side. The rider wants to quit smoking; the elephant wants to satisfy a craving. The rider wants to lose weight and knows an apple is a good choice; the elephant 

wants the immediate gratification that only a slice of chocolate cake 

can provide. The rider knows that regular exercise improves physical and mental health; the elephant longs to lounge (and eat chocolate cake!). 

Understanding something objectively does not necessarily or easily translate 

into doing something. The rider needs the clear direction and a destination. 

The elephant needs the motivation to change, and both need the path to 

follow to affect the change. It is a leader’s job to attend to both elements to 

achieve the desired outcomes. Let us see how this model might be helpful 

in addressing issues of officer safety and wellness. 

Officer injuries is a big problem with a lot of contributing factors; training, 

equipment, distracted driving, excessive driving speeds, not wearing a seat 

belt, and personal fitness all play a role. Tackling all of these at once is a recipe for failure. The problem is too big, and even if an elaborate systems analysis revealed what was and was not working, trying to fix everything in one 

big initiative will exhaust people’s ability to maintain the changes. They will 

revert back to what they have done for a long time and the behaviors they 

are most comfortable with, even when they jeopardize their health or safety. 

The rational rider in each of us needs reasons and responds well to clear direction, but without 

the elephant similarly engaged, the rider finds it difficult, even exhausting, to maintain a change. 

Data alone seldom wins the day or convinces anyone to act. There must be a compelling emotional component to an argument that connects knowledge and motivation: knowing what to 

do and being motivated to do it. 

The rider 

knows that 

regular exercise 

improves 

physical and 

mental health; 

the elephant 

longs to 

lounge (and 

eat chocolate 

cake!)
11

Vancouver Police Wellness Campaign Grows from Grassroots Demand

VPD’s health and wellness 

campaign logo

Employee feedback to 

an employment satisfaction survey led the

Vancouver Police Department (VPD) to develop 

its health and wellness 

program. As a first step, the department built an intranet 

site and began sharing articles about health and wellness. 

The VPD then developed a coherent branding identity for 

the campaign that included a logo that appears on everything related to the campaign: web pages, posters, stickers 

etc. When members see the “VPD Wellness” logo, they 

instantly know it will lead them to more information about 

health and wellness. 

Before branding, the number of visits to the wellness website was 12,000 a year. In 2013, the number soared to 89,000. 

Organizers realized that a brand can’t maintain a positive 

reputation unless it follows through with a promise of service that actually provides value to those who need it. So 

they began to build on the information and tactics to keep 

the campaign fresh. The campaign includes yoga classes, family assistance plan counseling, respectful workplace training, 

buckle up for safety posters, a VPD cycling club and videos, 

breast cancer awareness seminars, and brown bag lunches 

with health experts such as nutritionists. It also contains 

tactics that are unusual for a police department.

The department leased two “wellness stations” that are 

similar to but more sophisticated than the type one might 

see in a drugstore. The station measures blood pressure, 

BMI, pulse, and oxygen levels and has other features.

For example, if a user is a diabetic, the station will allow certain glucose meters to be read. Users can also plug certain 

models of pedometers into the station to track their steps. 

All of this information is transferred to a secure database 

that a user can access from a home computer. Users are 

then able to set goals and track their health and wellness. 

Data can be printed off and taken to a doctor for further 

review. All data is completely private. 

Using the health station automatically enters the member’s 

name into a draw for a prize. The VPD is considering purchasing the stations, which cost about $12,000 each. Leasing 

them, as the VPD currently does, costs $350 a month. Thus, 

the campaign, which employs as many in house resources as 

possible, is costing about $7,000 a year.

Because the flu takes a major toll on the VPD, the wellness

campaign has also installed gel dispensers for hand washing 

throughout the department. There is an informational video 

and posters and periodic flu clinics. Branding has been extended 

to the gel dispensers so they now have “VPD Wellness” 

stickers on each one with advice on containing the flu.

Heart health is also a major focus of the campaign. The 

VPD purchased automated external defibrillators and stationed them on every floor of every building. In addition 

to the wellness station, there is the Hearts@Work health 

fair that the human resources section holds periodically. 

At the fair, VPD staff can have their cholesterol checked, 

determine their blood pressure, and take a glucose test to 

find out their risk for diabetes. In 2013,  101 VPD 

staff attended the fair. 

Measuring outcomes is a 

challenge for these types 

of campaigns. While the 

VPD acknowledges that 

doing a baseline survey 

before the campaign began 

would have been useful, 

the VPD relies on participation rates, survey data, 

and metrics from the wellness stations to help address trends and identify opportunities to expand the program. As the campaign matures and 

the culture within the department gradually shifts to one 

focused on wellness, the organizers intend to provide more 

incentives and prizes for participation. 

“We can’t do a lot of forcing. We can’t make people get 

healthy,” says Inspector Larry Cope, who oversees the program (pers. comms.). “We can’t order people to lose weight 

or to quit smoking. We can do a lot of promotion in the 

hope people will take notice and then take action. We can 

encourage. We can subtly suggest, and we can hope a lot. 

We are still in the beginnings of our program, so there is 

more that can be done.”

A “VPD Wellness” station
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

Creating a Safety and Wellness Culture

12

The key is to identify the smaller incremental changes that can have a significant impact and 

then build on that success. Throughout this guide are examples from many different departments that take this approach to improving officer safety and wellness. They identify issues 

negatively impacting safety and wellness and find small changes (or a series of small changes) 

that can make a difference.

Shaping the path means giving people specific steps to take to effect the change. Just as 

“eat healthier” lacks the detail necessary to help people move forward, “improve safety” 

or “increase wellness” are similarly vague and likely result in no action at all or rationalizations 

for failure. 

The path must be simple and straightforward so everyone can understand and follow it. With 

that simplicity, you have a chance the plan will serve as a unifying guidepost. Instead of “drive 

safely,” the path-shaping direction specifies the actions, like “do not text and drive” and “wear 

a seat belt.” Rather than talk about “increasing wellness,” path-shaping focuses on “getting an 

annual physical” and “walking for 30 minutes five times a week.” People get what they are 

supposed to do.

Determining the starting point is a critical first step. What needs to change or be done differently? As important as it is to find out what needs to change, it can be even more powerful to 

find out where things are working and build on that success. 
13

Campaign Strategy

We are using the term “campaign” in this guide because it encompasses the strategic and tactical elements that must be in place to effect individual and organizational change. Even the most brilliant, compelling, important, or useful changes have little impact unless people know about them. This is the most 

basic of principles and yet is so often overlooked in the day-to-day management of an agency. Effective 

communication is inextricably tied to organizational success. 

For a fuller exploration of developing strategic communication plans, see Strategic Communication Practices: A Toolkit for Police Executives (Stephens, Hill, and Greenberg 2011), which can be freely download 

from the COPS Office website at www.cops.usdoj.gov. That publication offers step-by-step guidance to 

help police agencies communicate strategically and align tactics to help achieve their goals and objectives:

Taking a strategic approach to communication means an organization thinks through and purposefully ties its communication efforts to broader goals and objectives. All too often, the focus is on 

tools and tactics. News releases, web pages, editorials, media relations, brochures, e-newsletters, 

Facebook and Twitter feeds, etc. are all tools. A focus on tools and tactics without grounding them 

in a strategic framework is like having a hammer and hitting everything with it even though a screwdriver or some other tool might be better. (Stephens, Hill, and Greenberg 2011, 39)

Take what happens, for example, when police officers who are not trained as marketers are asked to 

increase recruitment to their departments. As ideas circulate around the table about how to attract more 

recruits, someone invariably suggests an advertising campaign, and heads nod in agreement because advertising is a familiar tactic for recruiting. By rushing to the tactic, however, the group bypasses important 

questions that would guide any decision: what is the message we will communicate, who are we trying to 

target, and where can we reach them? For example, millennials (those born after 1980, the demographic 

for police recruits) “have become skilled at finding ways to avoid the constant stream of advertising. They 

skip past ads, block them, or simply ignore the come-ons” (Luna 2013). 

By rushing to the tactic of advertising before laying the foundation, the campaign may actually miss the 

audience it hopes to reach. When a police agency needs to communicate important safety information 

to officers, the same considerations exist. What is the best way to reach them? How do you know? 

Developing a strategy for a campaign considers not only who to reach but also when, how, and with 

what messages. 

15

Developing a Campaign

Basic elements of a successful campaign, especially those that speak to cultural change, include the following: 

 Making a long-term commitment

 Getting support from key leaders in the organization

 Providing clear direction

 Appealing to the logical (rider) and the emotional (elephant) sides of people

 Shaping the path by providing specific examples and supporting resources

The steps to take in developing a specific change campaign can be approached proactively or reactively. 

When an organization is proactive, it anticipates issues and gets in front of them to ward off problems. 

The Phoenix Police Department’s “Beat the Heat” campaign is an example of proactivity (see below 

sidebar). A proactive campaign can also encourage employees to use existing services, as the Philadelphia 

Police Department does with its health and wellness programs (see sidebar on page 16).

Phoenix Police Help Officers Beat the Heat

Even temperate climates can experience bouts of 

oppressive heat, creating the potential for a host of 

issues: dehydration, heatstroke, fatigue, cramps, and 

rash. Given their location in a desert climate, officers in the Phoenix Police Department (PHXPD) 

are especially vulnerable to these threats. 

PHXPD launched its “Beat the Heat” campaign to 

educate officers on the risks of heat-related injury 

and ways to mitigate those risks. The department 

produced a “Beat the Heat” training video for 

officers and posted a modified version on YouTube for the general public at www.youtube.com/

watch?v=ywgd8Gs9KI4. Furthermore, during 

major incidents, PHXPD’s Safety Unit ensured 

adequate hydration was available for responding 

officers. Overall, the campaign ran for one year, 

during which the department saw no reports of 

heat-related injuries. 
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

16

Developing a Campaign

Philadelphia Police Make Health and Wellness a Priority

The Philadelphia Police Department’s (PPD) 

Advanced Training Unit partnered with Law 

Enforcement Health Benefits (LEHB) to launch 

a host of health and wellness initiatives aimed at 

changing behaviors; proactively addressing ailments 

adversely affecting police personnel and their families; and reducing costs through early detection of 

life-altering ailments such as cancer, diabetes, and 

asthma. This holistic approach to health and wellness seeks to reduce the number of members who 

are impacted by serious ailment or are unavailable 

to work because of lack of support while managing health problems within their family. Each health 

and wellness program is disseminated through the 

police department’s intranet, bulletins printed by 

LEHB, and a general message read at roll calls for 

three consecutive days. 

From January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2013, 

the Advanced Training Unit conducted a suicide 

prevention course for all active duty personnel to 

help officers and supervisors recognize the signs 

of suicidal peers and educate them on available 

resources and appropriate actions. The PPD also 

partners with professional psychologists and the 

University of Pennsylvania to provide confidential mental health services in areas such as marriage counseling, parenting, bullying, and other 

job-related or personal stresses. Other programs 

designed to help families cope holistically with 

medical and behavioral abnormalities include a 

drug and alcohol awareness program, seminars 

to support families with children with autism and 

special needs, and an alternative to emergency 

rooms called the Temple Ready Care Center, 

which saved members and LEHB an estimated 

$640,000 in 2013. 

A September 2012 health fair provided nearly 

2,400 employees and family members with eye 

care; cardiovascular, pulmonary, blood pressure, 

and cholesterol screens; and cancer detection 

tests. In addition, 2,328 flu shots were administered 

during the fair, bringing the department’s two-year 

total to 4,096 vaccinations at a cost of $73,728, 

resulting in an approximate savings of $15,000. 

LEHB also provides in-house diabetes and asthma 

programs. The clinics, staffed by registered nurses, 

educate and monitor 1,000 members and report 

decreased expenditures attributable to better 

care management, resulting in fewer specialist 

consultations and hospital visits. 

Employees have access to fitness and nutrition 

counseling designed to promote healthy lifestyles 

and counterbalance the effects of fatigue associated with shift work. The Blue Cross-sponsored 

fitness program reimburses an average of 400 

members annually for working out 120 days in 

a calendar year, and a nutritionist met with 150 

members to adjust dietary habits in coordination 

with a fitness plan. 
17

When reactive, an agency develops campaigns, policies, training, and education to address a 

problem or issue that has emerged. This is the type of situation in which an agency has seen 

a 50 percent increase in officer injuries resulting from preventable accidents. Reactive campaigns usually have built-in motivators because the problem implies some imminent threat 

or potential crisis. It can be easier to get people to act when a threat is looming and there 

is evidence that supports the claim. Such was the case with the Fort Worth (Texas) Police 

Department’s campaign to address problems with officers being arrested for alcohol-related 

offenses (see sidebar on page 26) and with the Columbus (Ohio) Division of Police’s seat belt 

usage campaign below.

Fort Worth Police Alcohol Awareness

The Fort Worth (Texas) Police Department 

(FWPD) noticed an increasing number of officers having problems with and being arrested for 

alcohol-related offenses. A culture of hard drinking 

and reluctance to seek help exacerbated the issue. 

In response, the FWPD implemented mandatory 

alcohol awareness training for all ranks with a 

number of goals in mind: 

 Emphasize the seriousness of the problem.

 Educate about the dangers of alcohol and abuse.

 Foster an environment in which officers are 

encouraged to seek help when needed and 

look after one another.

 Deemphasize the culture of hard drinking.

Two one-hour presentations featuring discussions 

on alcohol awareness and stress management 

were made to all officers and continue to be made 

to new employees as part of their academy training. The FWPD established a relationship with an 

outside mental health agency and operates an 

in-house peer support program, both of which 

work with officers in confidence to eliminate the 

fear of reprisal. 

Since the spring of 2010 when the program began, 

the FWPD has seen a decline in both stressrelated incidents and alcohol-related offenses. 

More officers are using the department’s peer 

support program, which is helping to diminish the 

stigma associated with seeking assistance. 
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

18

Developing a Campaign

While proactive planning is certainly ideal, being responsive to emerging concerns is both necessary and valuable. In either case, the goals and steps for developing an integrated campaign 

are much the same:

1. Identify and analyze issues

2. Establish goals and objectives

3. Identify target audiences

4. Develop strategies 

5. Consider key messages, branding, and design 

6. Develop tactics and an implementation plan

7. Identify a budget and resources

8. Establish evaluations and measurements

Let’s look at each step separately.

Step 1. Identify and analyze issues

Establishing a culture of safety and wellness and developing the campaigns designed to instill 

these new methods start with taking stock. What is working, and how can you get or do more? 

What areas are problems, and what can you do to improve them? 

To help you get started, you can use the following various methods individually and in combination. This analysis provides the groundwork or foundation on which the rest of the campaign 

is based.

 Articulate and commit to core values that have safety and wellness at the center. Start 

not with where you are but where you want to be. Everything else should flow from those 

core values, including what kind of culture you build and how you deliver services. It’s not 

enough to say “we value safety” or “we value healthy employees.” Take it a step further so 

you talk not only about the issue but also about what you want people to do. Dupont, 

for example, states its core values on its website: “We share a personal and professional 

commitment to protecting the safety and health of our employees, our contractors, our 

customers and the people of the communities in which we operate.” The implication here 

is that safety and health are a shared responsibility, not just one on which the organization’s 

leadership must deliver. 

 Assess existing culture. A number of instruments have been developed to help organizations get a sense of their existing cultures. And while a cultural analysis could be quite 

involved and complex, some available tools are relatively easy to use and can yield some 

useful information. Cameron and Quinn (1999) developed the Organizational Culture 
19

Assessment Instrument based on extensive research and subsequent development of their 

Competing Values Framework for understanding different culture types. For more information, including the online versions of the assessment instrument, visit www.ocai-online.com.

 Mine your data. An agency’s own trends can inform its starting point for change. Some 

issues may be readily apparent: a spate of preventable car crashes, an increase in alcoholrelated offenses, or a noticeable decline in officer fitness. Agencies track a variety of statistics 

to aid in identifying trends that can serve as the impetus for change campaigns. Mining this 

data can yield insights into patterns related to injuries, illnesses, lost work time, and other 

indicators of health and safety. 

Of course, not all problems surface through analysis of statistics an agency collects. Officer 

injuries that spread out over the course of several months or a couple of years may not 

indicate trends or present similarities without more in-depth analysis of the data. 

Officers struggling with personal problems, suicidal thoughts, post-traumatic Establishing a 

culture of safety 

and wellness 

and developing 

the campaigns 

designed to 

instill these new 

methods start 

with taking stock.

stress disorder, and other serious mental health concerns don’t always present 

themselves through departmental data. 

National trends, at least in major categories like officer injuries and deaths as well 

as wellness issues affecting law enforcement personnel, can overcome any deficiencies in agency-specific data and help a department address concerns, such as 

mental health, for which it may have no verifiable incidents. In these cases, proactive campaigns can be especially important and valuable. Waiting for problems to 

manifest is like treating the injury instead of taking steps to prevent it.

 Ask your people. Data is only one part of a change campaign, and it may not 

be the most important part. Data informs, but it may not identify issues most 

important to officers, and it rarely motivates action. Remember the rider and the 

elephant (see “Changing culture, the leadership imperative” on page 9). 

Some of the most valuable information you will receive will come just through engaging 

officers in informal conversations about what is working and what is not, what concerns 

they have, and what suggested improvements they would make. This not only enables you 

to learn what is important to your employees but also involves them in the problem solving.

For more formal measures, use surveys or hold focus groups to collect data about lifestyles, 

beliefs, and practices to assist in honing goals and the campaign’s strategies, messages, and 

tactics. The Columbus (Ohio) Police Department (CPD) surveyed its members to better 

understand what percentage of its officers were complying with the requirement to wear 

seat belts, to determine the reasons why some officers do not regularly wear their seat belts, 

and to determine if the CPD could provide solutions to the concerns of those who do not 

regularly wear seat belts and gain their voluntary compliance. The department used this information to develop its campaign that includes training, education, and additional equipment. 
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

20

Developing a Campaign

 Separate people problems from situational problems. What may initially appear to be a 

people problem may in fact be a situational problem. After all, officers know they should 

wear a seat belt. Many of the same officers who choose not to wear a seat belt in their 

patrol vehicles report using a seat belt in their personal vehicles. So are these just “problem” 

officers who are defying departmental policies, or does the unique environment of the 

police vehicle lead to different behaviors? 

Concerns about being trapped in their vehicles, frustrations with getting the seat belt caught 

on a service weapon or being unable to release it quickly, and problems with a shoulder belt 

inadvertently keying a shoulder microphone are some of the reasons why officers elect not 

to wear a seat belt in their department vehicle, even when doing so is department policy. 

Doesn’t this suggest seat belts in patrol vehicles have a pretty basic design flaw? While 

effective in preventing injury in a crash, seat belts just aren’t designed to accommodate the 

range of situations in which officers could find themselves. In essence, officers may be trading what they perceive to be a lower-level risk (riding without a seat belt) for a higher-level 

reward (being able to exit the vehicle quickly and unimpeded). This is not a people problem. 

This is a situational problem. 

To address such concerns, the CPD developed a series of solutions. The CPD is putting 

fluorescent seat belt cutters and window punch tools in the same location in every patrol 

and pool vehicle and adding glow-in-the-dark strips to make them easy to locate. The 

department is also providing training and educational resources to help officers become 

familiar with the tools. Once the informational materials and training are completed, the 

CPD is considering administering a follow-up survey to determine the effectiveness of its 

efforts in gaining officers’ compliance with the seat belt policy. 

 Focus on what works. There are two cautions here. If you search for problems, you usually 

find them. Every organization has problems and challenges. They also have strengths and 

positive qualities, or what Heath and Heath (2010) call bright spots. Take care not to run 

roughshod over the good to get to the bad. 

The other caution is to not ignore problems in hopes they will just go away on their own. 

While it is possible that could happen, the problem could just as likely grow and become 

more serious and intractable. 

Just as a safety and wellness campaign plan should not dwell only on the negative, it also should 

not sidestep issues. The police executive has an essential role in ensuring that the climate in which 

a plan is developed allows honest identification of issues and appropriate steps to address them.

Understanding the drivers, contributing factors, and any related components, including policies 

and training, should be at the forefront of campaign development. For example, officer injuries 

resulting from car crashes could involve reckless or distracted driving, excessive speeds, or lack 

of seat belt use. Training, policies, and communication all come into play in addressing these issues. 
21

Mesa Police Focus on Officer Safety in Terms of Citizens with PTSD/TBI

Officers interact with citizens from all walks of life. 

In some instances, those citizens may be suffering 

from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), or both. 

The Mesa Police Department (MPD) wanted 

to train its officers to better identify and safely 

handle encounters with citizens who may be suffering with PTSD or TBI, especially returning military veterans. The MPD developed an hour-long 

training session, facilitated by a licensed counselor, 

that ran twice weekly for three months in 2013. 

The session covered topics including common 

causes of PTSD/TBI; symptoms; and strategies for 

approaching, communicating with, and assisting an 

individual believed to have PTSD or TBI. 

The training drew mostly positive feedback, and 

anecdotal evidence suggests it helped officers 

identify symptoms in citizens they encountered. 

Perhaps an unintended consequence, MPD also 

said the training helped some officers identify a 

few of the symptoms in themselves and provided 

those officers with a better understanding of what 

they may be experiencing. 

Arlington Police Focus on Distracted Driving

Mobile computers, telephones, video cameras, 

police radios, and other emergency equipment 

can, when used properly, assist officers in performing their daily tasks. Improper use can cause 

distracted driving, sometimes with devastating 

consequences. Car crashes injure or kill more 

officers than a felonious assault. 

The Arlington Police Department (APD) experienced 19 crashes in 2011 and 18 in 2012 that 

were attributable to distracted driving. Believing 

this trend to be preventable and reversible, the 

APD launched a distracted driving safety campaign 

in November 2012. The objectives were twofold: 

to reduce crashes by teaching officers to minimize 

distractions while driving and to set a positive 

example for the motoring public. 

Police Chief Will D. Johnson spearheaded the 

effort by beginning a series of department-wide 

internal communications. The weekly e-mails cited 

statistics, gave recommendations on proper use 

of equipment, and reinforced department policies. 

Officers were then encouraged to talk with firstline supervisors and mid-level managers during 

daily briefings and weekly meetings. 

The APD produced four posters to support the 

campaign’s message and mounted them in every 

police facility. It also required officers to participate in “Distracted Driving for Law Enforcement,” 

a two-hour training course taught by certified 

instructors. All employees completed this grantfunded course by the end of summer 2013.

APD driving safety campaign poster

The first year of this ongoing initiative yielded positive results and reason for optimism. In 2013, the 

APD experienced only seven crashes caused by 

distracted driving, a dramatic 61 percent decrease 

from years prior. The department aims to bring 

that number even closer to zero by continuing the 

conversations and reinforcing officer training.
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

22

Developing a Campaign

Step 2. Establish goals and objectives

Strategic communication goals and objectives are specifically focused on achieving the desired 

outcomes of the campaign. “While a goal is general and aspirational [and] designed to describe a desired end, objectives are specific and measurable statements that define what work 

[is needed] to reach the goal. Goals are the horizon. Objectives are the path to follow to get 

there” (Stephens et al. 2011, 43). 

To understand the difference between goals and objectives, consider a simple military example. The goal is that you will have planted your flag on Hill 51 by the end of the day. The goal is 

clear, has a time element, and is easily measurable in that you are either occupying 

that hill by the end of the day or you aren’t. The objective is how you will take 

that hill. That may involve amassing more and better trained troops with superior 

tactics, choosing a particular time of day, and choosing one path over another. 

Goals should clarify the value of the campaign and what you hope to achieve. A lack of 

specificity in goals or objectives is all too common in campaign development. “Reducing officer injuries” is a general goal. So is “increasing safety” or “improving health and 

fitness.” The problem is that these goals are so broad that they offer no good starting point. 

“Improved safety” is too ill-defined. “Improved driving safety” is more focused. “Improved defensive driving” is even sharper. Look for small yet achievable and identifiable changes. Tackle 

them and then move on to the next. 

Objectives are the guideposts of a campaign. They specify important elements that let you 

know you are achieving results. They address areas such as the following: 

 What will be the measures the department will use to know whether its efforts are 

having a positive impact?

 How will success be determined? 

 What is the starting point? 

 How will you know when conditions improve? 

Without the right starting points and objectives, there is no way to effectively answer these 

questions, which go to the core of accountability for results. Objectives should focus on expected results or outcomes and be measured in terms of success or gains made. For example, 

the SMART acronym, often credited to Peter Drucker in The Practice of Management (1954), 

is still a useful way to think about the objectives of a strategic plan: they should be specific, 

measurable, agreed, realistic, and timed.

Objectives are 

the guideposts 

of a campaign.
23

A specific issue or problem should drive the formulation of specific objectives with measures 

that indicate how long you expect it will take to achieve results. For example, a department 

that realizes a significant percentage of its officers do not get a yearly physical may decide to 

establish a goal of increasing officers’ use of this benefit because such a goal can help with the 

agency’s overall goal of physical fitness. Sample objectives might include the following: 

 Increase use of annual physical benefits among officers in patrol to 85 percent by 2015.

 Achieve 90 percent usage of the annual physical benefit among patrol officers by 2016.

Similarly, a department that is looking to increase officers’ use of seat belts might formulate 

the following objectives: 

 Increase use of seat belts among officers in patrol to 85 percent by June.

 Achieve 90 percent usage of seat belts among patrol officers by September.

It is both tempting and admirable to have an objective to achieve 100 percent compliance 

with any policy (or law). The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found 

that at least 42 percent of police officers killed in vehicle crashes over the previous three 

decades were not wearing seat belts or other safety restraints (NHTSA 2011). Following that 

report, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) executive committee passed 

a resolution endorsing a mandatory seat belt policy (IACP 2011), and scores of departments 

across the country and around the world have taken steps to address the issue within their 

ranks. And yet according to a 2013 study by the California Commission on Peace Officer 

Standards and Training, 50 percent of police officers do not wear their seat belts. This number 

is significantly lower than the general population in which 87 percent of drivers wear seat belts 

(Pickrell and Liu 2014). 

The United States has been pushing seat belt usage for more than 30 years and only recently 

surpassed the 85 percent compliance mark, so while 100 percent compliance certainly is a 

desirable goal, it may not happen in the short term. Setting realistic objectives for incremental 

increases in usage will allow agencies to achieve some success and evolve the campaign so seat 

belt usage becomes ingrained in the safety culture.

Step 3. Identify target audiences

The IACP’s Center for Officer Safety and Wellness (www.theiacp.org/CenterforOfficer

SafetyandWellness) offers resources organized by four stages of an officer’s career: recruitment, early career, advanced career, and retirement. This is a good illustration of the fact that 

different members of a police agency have different needs, beliefs, perspectives, or concerns. 
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

24

Developing a Campaign

For example, officers just graduating from the training academy are likely in their 20s. These 

millennials (born between 1980 and the early-2000s) are different from their older colleagues 

in a number of ways that are important for leaders to understand. A Pew Research Center 

study explored these differences:

The millennial generation is forging a distinctive path into adulthood. Now ranging in age 

from 18 to 33, they are relatively unattached to organized politics and religion, linked by 

social media, burdened by debt, distrustful of people, in no rush to marry— and optimistic about the future. They are also America’s most racially diverse generation. In all of 

these dimensions, they are different from today’s older generations. And in many, they are 

also different from older adults back when they were the age millennials are now. (Pew 

Research Center 2014)

In contrast, baby boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964, “are competitive and think 

workers should pay their dues, workplace consultants say. Gen Xers, born between 1965 and 

1977, are more likely to be skeptical and independent-minded” (Wall Street Journal 2009). The 

chart in appendix A provides substantial detail about the differences between generations that 

can be useful in planning communications tailored to different age groups. 

In addition to age and tenure, other variables to consider when developing safety and wellness 

campaigns include gender, race, ethnicity, attitudes, behaviors, and even assignments. For example, those working an overnight shift have different circumstances than those working day 

shifts. Fatigue from sleep deprivation and a lack of healthy dining options at 3:00 in the morning 

take a toll on one’s health. 

Identifying and targeting opinion leaders in an agency with specific messages and issues can 

be a useful approach, as others often look to these people for advice and guidance on issues. 

What they say and believe carries weight within their circles of influence. Union leaders, firstline supervisors, and other informal leaders who are included in developing a campaign have 

some skin in the game. They are more likely to actively promote it and participate, setting an 

example for others to follow. 

Carefully targeting messages and selecting the appropriate communication tactics based on 

the unique needs, expectations, and issues of employee groups can improve the results of a 

particular campaign. For example, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s focus on 

reducing substance abuse and preventing suicides offers training and information for employees throughout the agency as well as specific interventions for those found to have substance 

abuse problems or who have indications of suicidal tendencies.
25

Broad-based campaigns can be useful and successful for certain issues. The Phoenix Police 

Department’s “Beat the Heat” campaign, which is designed to help officers avoid heat-related 

stressors, is an example. Like other places around the country, the heat in Phoenix can be 

deadly, not only for officers who work the streets but also for anyone who spends any length 

of time outdoors working, gardening, exercising, or playing. It makes sense, then, that this campaign casts a broad net.

Seattle Police Peer Support Seminar

The annual Seattle Police Department (SPD) peer 

support seminar is a full day of training open to all 

SPD employees and their adult family members. 

Already in its 11th year, the seminar originally 

started as a tool to recruit and retain women 

in policing. The first seminar was all about the 

history of women in the SPD. This theme continued throughout the first several years with a 

continued focus on women in law enforcement. 

The program has evolved over time into a peer 

support seminar. 

Each year a particular theme is presented, 

but the overarching focus remains on employees and their families, self-help, and co-worker 

and family support. Typical subjects include secondary trauma, healthy habits, the aftermath 

of a day in crisis, perspectives in supporting 

co-workers in the workplace and family members at home, everyday uses for mediation skills, 

and police officer relationships with their kids. 

Information is presentated in a variety of formats: e.g., speakers, panels, discussion groups, 

videos, and music. 

Photographic displays of employees, families at 

police and community functions, new employees, 

and various units in the workplace decorate the 

training space to visualize the chosen theme. The 

venue is open to exhibitors who present relevant 

services and products.

Evaluations indicate that 

employees and their families value and appreciate the 

information and the way it 

is presented. The seminar is 

regognized as an opportunity to alleviate the communication gaps that naturally occur between the job site 

and home. Participants report 

leaving the program inspired 

and motivated. 

Pro bono services are typically 

requested from community 

and police agency speakers to keep costs low. 

Additonal support is provided by the Seattle Police 

Foundation and local merchants and vendors.

Poster advertising SPD’s 

peer support seminar
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

26

Developing a Campaign

Step 4. Develop strategies

With goals, objectives, and target audiences identified, a strategy can be crafted. If goals and 

objectives are the architectural drawing, strategies are the blueprints. They include considerations of what motivates a particular target audience, how that audience relates to an issue or 

concern, and what types of communication are needed to reach that audience.

While the plan as a whole is designed to be strategic, the core of it includes specific public 

relations or communication strategies that, as Guth and Marsh describe, “help you move from 

specific objectives to specific recommended action. Based on good research, a strategy is a 

general description of the kind and tone of action (tactics) you’ll implement to fulfill an objective” (2012, 241). 

Campaign strategies are approaches rather than specific communication tactics. Strategies 

focus on the range of variables an agency can consider as it develops a particular campaign. 

These variables can include the following:

 Tone. How should the information be positioned to have maximum impact and appeal? 

Would humor be appropriate, or would a message that is intended to scare people into 

changing behaviors make sense? Should the campaign feature a lot of data, a personal 

Columbus Police Work to Prevent Injury

In 2012, the Columbus (Ohio) Division of Police (CPD) 

saw 538 injury reports resulting in 3,332 lost and 2,386 

restricted workdays. While injury is common in police 

work, some injuries may be preventable. That’s the thinking 

behind a system called Non-Punitive Close Call Reporting 

(NPCCR) in which officers share mistakes in a group setting to prevent similar or more serious mishaps. The CPD 

is the first department known to use NPCCR, developed 

by risk management expert Gordon Graham. The CPD 

aims to decrease officer injuries by increasing cooperative 

learning, heightening safety awareness, and preventing both 

new and repeated close calls. 

Vital to NPCCR’s effectiveness is a commitment from 

CPD supervisory and executive staff to uphold the nonpunitive nature of NPCCR and to gain officers’ trust in that 

aspect of the program. The CPD also developed spreadsheet-based documentation and a reporting mechanism as 

a means to analyze results. 

The program was launched on a staggered timeline beginning in June 2013 and targeted second and third shift officers in one of CPD’s five patrol zones. Kickoff meetings 

were held for each unit to introduce the program. In the 

intial meeting, the commander was encouraged to share 

one of his or her own close calls, proviing officers with the 

opportunity to ask questions and give feedback. 

Close call discussions lasting five to 10 minutes occur at 

least once a week during roll call meetings. Following each 

meeting, the sergeant enters new information into a spreadsheet that an industrial hygienist reviews quarterly to track 

statistics and identify any new training opportunities. 

As an ongoing initiative, the CPD is expanding the NPCCR 

program in 2014 to include additional shifts and patrol 

zones. While available data is in its relative infancy, preliminary results suggest injury rates either remained steady or 

slightly decreased. The first unit exposed to NPCCR has 

experienced only one injury since beginning the program. 
27

approach, or some combination? Remember the rider and the elephant (see “Changing 

culture, the leadership imperative” on page 9): What is the right mix of logical and emotional appeals? 

 Style. Should the campaign feature more informal or formal materials? What is the right mix 

of methods? Multimedia, social media, and face-to-face meetings could all be considered. 

What is the right combination of “push” information, which is provided to employees, and 

“pull” information, which employees can access on their own? 

 Spokespeople. Who carries the message is an important part of any communication strategy. Should the message be driven from department leadership or from rank and file? Is 

there any benefit to bringing in third parties to deliver any part of the campaign? Would 

a physician, counselor, or family of a deceased officer be able to deliver certain messages 

more convincingly or with more impact?

 Timing. When to communicate is a strategic decision. While a department might undertake 

a certain health and safety campaign in reaction to an event (e.g., the injury or death of an 

officer in a car crash), that same department may decide to launch a campaign proactively. 

Are some times of the year, or days of a week, better than others? How can the department make sure all shifts receive similar access to the material, services, training, and information that are features of a particular campaign? 

Step 5. Consider key messages, branding, and design

Officer safety and wellness is imperative for organizational and individual strength. These involve often intensely personal and emotional subjects that require thoughtful consideration of 

the messages needed to address them. Clearly articulating the messages that underscore the 

campaign objective are among the most important elements of the plan. If the message fails 

to resonate with people, or if it misses the mark, the rest of the plan will matter little. These 

messages are not about any particular incident. They are the umbrella messages—the guiding 

messages—that will serve as the core of the campaign. “Key messages hone in on the essential 

idea or behavior a department is looking to create, reinforce or change” (Stephens et al. 2011, 

51). No matter what is produced or said, the messages must resonate and be consistent. The 

messages sum up the essence of the campaign and guide the development of the substantive 

content that supports it. 

Words are not the only means with which an organization can communicate messages. Many 

people would argue that what an organization says is not as important as what it doesn’t say, 

how things look, and how other aspects of the organizational culture and environment reflect 

or contradict the messages—that is, actions speak louder than words. 

Take “we care about your safety” or “your safety is our first priority” as examples of a standard 

message. If training, supervisors’ actions, policies, or disciplinary processes conflict with the 
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

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Developing a Campaign

campaign’s message about safety, no one will believe the words. It’s that simple. The best public relations campaigns cannot make up for poorly executed or inconsistent policies, training, 

equipment, personnel decisions, disciplinary processes, or resource deployments. 

Strategic messages, then, require more than just clever arrangements of words. Messages are 

about aligning words with actions and making sure all elements of the work communicate a 

consistent message. Everything must reinforce health messages, from human resource policies 

and training to the types of food stocked in the vending machines and the availability of exercise equipment and counseling programs. Safety messages must be supported with commensurate training, policies, tactical operations, equipment, and processes—all of it matters. All of 

it works together for sustainable individual and organizational change. 

Once the key strategic messages are determined, attention can turn to branding the campaign. 

A brand provides an identity for a campaign to establish visibility, build awareness, define a 

personality, and convey the “promise” on which the campaign will deliver. This involves several 

related elements: 

 Naming the campaign in such a way that defines why it exists 

 Developing a visual identity 

 Supporting it all with relevant content that drives toward the campaign goals 

While designing a logo helps to define the visual brand, the brand reputation and personality 

are much more difficult to influence. They rely on individuals’ perceptions: a brand is what other people think of the campaign. Changing perceptions to make them positive toward a brand 

name is one of the challenges in any campaign.

Naming a campaign is an important aspect in establishing a unique identity. Employees get 

inundated with messages of all types. The safety or wellness initiative needs to stand out to 

receive the kind of attention needed to gain employee interest, buy-in, and participation. The 

name will be reflected in the visual identity or logo, be supported with a tagline (see page 29), 

and be the short-hand summation of the intent and focus of the campaign. 

Create a name that is short, clear, and easy to remember. The logo then reflects the name 

in a visual way. While some logos may include graphic elements, others rely on words alone 

presented in a unique font or typeface. While many departments don’t have an in-house 

graphic designer, often the municipal or county public affairs department has these resources. 

While using professional design services is preferable, it is not absolutely necessary. The point 

is to give the campaign a distinctive identity so that when employees see the name/logo, they 

will know instantly that it is associated with the department’s safety or wellness campaign. The 

logo of the Vancouver Police Department’s wellness campaign exemplifies how a simple logo 

can create a unique identity that is replicable across various campaign elements (see figure 1). 

The name is simple and easy to remember. By placing the department’s logo alongside 

the campaign name and including an apple in the D, the entire element becomes a pleasing 
29

design that conveys the idea of health and well-being within the organization. Furthermore, 

this effective design could work just as well for any department—NYPD Wellness, BPD Wellness, LAPD Wellness, etc. 

The key to a successful brand identity is its ubiquity. It must appear everywhere and on everything that has anything to do with the campaign. All posters, e-mails, collateral, newsletters, 

etc., must carry the campaign logo. Every tactic listed in this publication is another opportunity 

to deliver the brand, and making use of all these opportunities will build brand awareness and 

reputation. It will carry your promise of service. Employees will know when they see the brand 

logo that it will point them to information and programs that will improve their safety, health, 

and well-being. 

But in case it takes them a while to figure that out from the brand logo alone, adding a strong 

tagline explains the purpose of the brand and the essence of the campaign. Many police 

agencies have taglines that accompany the department’s logo or word mark. “To serve and 

protect,” “proud to serve,” and “beyond the call” are a few examples. The best taglines speak 

to your target audience. 

The tagline for your safety/wellness campaign brand should speak to your customers: i.e., your 

members. The tagline the VPD uses in conjunction with its “VPD Wellness” logo is essentially 

the objective of the campaign: “Improving the health and well-being of our members” (see 

figure 2). The tagline conveys in a just a few words all one needs to know about the brand. 

Even if you had never heard of “VPD Wellness” before and had no idea what it was, the tagline would solve the mystery. That tagline would work just as well for any department’s wellness campaign regardless of what it is called.

The Peel Regional Police in Canada provides an example of a slogan for a safe driving campaign 

the agency developed following the tragic death of an officer (see the sidebar “Just Go Home” 

on page 30). 

Figure 1. VPD’s health and wellness campaign logo

Figure 2. VPD’s campaign logo plus tagline
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

30

Developing a Campaign

“Just Go Home:” Peel Regional Police Driving Safety Campaign

Peel Regional Police (PRP) Constable James 

Ochakovsky died on March 1, 2010, as a result 

of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident. 

The subsequent investigation brought to the 

forefront the importance of wearing seatbelts 

and maintaining safe speeds while on patrol or 

responding to non-emergency calls. Chief Mike 

Metcalf formed a committee he tasked with 

addressing and encouraging safe driving practices 

within the organization.

At Ochakovsky’s funeral, his family delivered a 

message to the police officers that would later 

become the campaign’s slogan: “Just go home.” 

To better understand the extent to which seat 

belt use and excessive speeding permeated 

department-wide driving habits, PRP issued an 

anonymous survey in 2010, the results of which 

were subsequently published. Signage was posted 

in each division’s officer parade room and in 

parking lots while police association newsletters 

reinforced the importance of seat belt usage 

and other safety concerns. Ochakovsky’s widow, 

Erin, and two other PRP officers recorded messages for a department-wide audience. Erin spoke 

about the impact James’ death had on her and 

their then four-year-old son. Two other officers, 

both involved in serious on-duty collisions, also 

discussed their experiences. One officer suffered 

a broken pelvis. The other received permanent 

brain damage. Both officers think wearing a seat 

belt saved their life. 

Without notifying officers, PRP initiated a threemonth audit of cruiser speeds in 2011. The initiative revealed that in a one-month period, officers 

exceeded speeds of 80 mph over 35,000 times. 

After making officers aware of its monitoring 

capabilities, the department informed officers of a 

new requirement to justify instances of them driving over 80 mph. In the following months, PRP saw 

the monthly average of cruisers exceeding 80 mph 

plummet to 1,200 instances, a mere 3 percent of 

the previous rate of more than 35,000. The Training Bureau and Drivers Training Unit used this 

information, survey results, and lessons learned 

from Ochakovsky’s collision to redevelop training 

modules for recruit constables, field training officers, and supervisors. 

The PRP formalized the 80 mph initiative as an 

operational business practice in 2012, and the program continues today. The PRP does not prohibit 

officers from exceeding 80 mph; however, policy 

requires them to justify the decision based on a 

number of factors. Officers fill out a standardized 

form that, when completed, is forwarded to the 

Drivers Training Unit for analysis and trending. 

The unit may offer officer-specific training when 

deemed necessary. Between May 2012 and January 

2014, the PRP has seen a staggering 98 percent 

decrease in 80-mph incidents.

The department emphasizes safety via multiple 

platforms to ensure the message remains topical 

and relevant. Among other elements, it has developed a series of videos and puts safety messages 

on every PRP desktop computer using automated 

banners. In 2013, PRP’s Major Collisions Bureau 

created an animated video of Ochakovsky’s fatal 

collision that was included in a presentation 

to which all members of the organization were 

invited. The presentation included a video clip 

of Erin Ochakovsky discussing the impact of her 

husband’s death on their family three years after 

the accident. 
31

While a tagline should almost always accompany the logo, especially early in a campaign, 

there may be some cases where there just isn’t room for both. If the brand has done its job 

and brand awareness is high, then the simple logo should do the trick. The Nike “swoosh,” 

McDonald’s arches, and Apple’s apple are examples of companies whose logos have become 

so recognizable, they can exist without the presence of the company’s name or tagline. 

Your name, your logo and your tagline are three pieces to a puzzle. Each piece contributes to the bigger picture—and each should rely on the others to carry some of the 

weight. A highly descriptive name can rely on a tagline to communicate your unique approach. A more evocative or fanciful name may need to be grounded by a more descriptive line. Strong brands find the right balance across these assets. (Corebrand 2013) 

By celebrating health and wellness and reinforcing safety measures, the visual elements of 

a campaign will contribute to an overall positive personality for the brand. The way you build a 

positive reputation is to consistently provide value associated with the brand. If the campaign 

promises useful information that can increase wellness, then it must deliver on that promise. 

Employees will begin to trust the brand if the information is useful, easy to understand, and 

easy to find. Word of mouth will spread, and the number of members who access your campaign will increase. There are many tactics listed in this publication to help you increase awareness of your campaign, but without providing basic value and delivering on your promises, 

these tactics will do nothing to enhance the brand’s reputation.

Once the brand is clearly defined, the task turns to developing the informational content that 

will help employees achieve the specified safety or wellness goals. 

Montreal Police Focus on Nutrition and Overall Health

Since 2010, the Montreal Police Department has focused on 

creating a healthy work environment that ensures a quality of 

life that is beneficial to sworn and civilian personnel within 

the organization. The array of offerings includes the following:

 Nutrition conferences that encourage employees to 

acquire good eating habits and help them understand 

the changing world of nutrition

 Individual fitness evaluations for members interested in 

making a healthy lifestyle change

 Free awareness clinics on diabetes, high blood pressure, 

and stress offered in conjunction with a monthly schedule within the wellness program

Group training for police recruits and active police 

members who are preparing to go on missions (they 

have the opportunity to train specifically and try the 

necessary physical tests to succeed)

Other job-related physical tests offered to police officers who are applying to a specific squad, enabling the 

police officers to understand the specific physical training involved in their success

Programs related to specific needs such as preparing women for missions, women and running, walking 

groups, Tai-chi, stretching, and aerobics

A “Biggest Loser” fitness and nutrition program 

Several subjects that fall under the safety and wellness umbrellas can be particularly sensitive 

(e.g., mental health and suicide) and personal (e.g., individual fitness and physical health). 

Some topics are often difficult for people to acknowledge, let alone discuss and address 
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

32

Developing a Campaign

productively. To frame the campaign and its various elements in ways that can get to the 

emotional and value-laden issues, wrapping messages in stories can be especially powerful 

and effective. 

As Fog and colleagues point out in their book, Storytelling: Branding in Practice, emotions and 

values are at the core of storytelling. When an organization clearly establishes certain values, 

such as its commitment to its employees’ physical and mental health, “a good story communicates those values in a language easily understood by all of us” (2010, 21). “Storytelling is 

one of the most powerful rhetorical tools available to communicators. Facts, figures and data 

are important but seldom make a compelling case and never without providing a context” 

(Stephens et al. 2011, 51). 

Storytelling is especially well-suited to the law enforcement community because, as Stainbrook 

noted, “Cops are by definition storytellers” (2005). Research suggests that storytelling is a 

well-ingrained aspect of policing cultures and sub-cultures (Van Hulst 2013). Stories teach 

officers the craft (Shearing and Ericson 1991) and are used as “palliatives that distract officers 

from boredom and repair their identities” (Van Hulst 2013, 2). But the specific reasons stories 

dominant police cultures are less important than the impact good stories have on audiences. 

Stories engage people. Stories humanize events and share perspectives unavailable in a police 

report, a PowerPoint presentation of facts and data, or the latest crime statistics. 

Consider the following scenario: A local charity that provides food for hungry families is given 

10 minutes at a morning roll call to make a pitch for donations. Standing in front of a group of 

officers, the charity’s representative launches a PowerPoint presentation that includes lots of 

facts and figures about the issue and the work of the organization. There are slides with bullet 

points, charts, and graphs. It is a well-designed presentation meant to highlight the need for 

funding. Will it move the officers to pony up money? Perhaps. 

But let’s take the same goal—securing donations—and use a storytelling approach. The same 

representative ditches the PowerPoint presentation. Instead, she tells the story of a family the 

organization recently helped. She describes the family of four and the circumstances that led 

the family to seek support through the local food pantry that provides a week’s worth of 

nutritious food. Lost jobs, difficulty finding new employment, and health problems all contributed to the family’s struggles to put food on the table. The parents made sure their two young 

children always got whatever food they had. 

The charity’s representative then reads a letter the mother had written to the organization a 

few weeks after her family had received the needed groceries: 

Before coming to the pantry, there were many nights when we went to bed and thought 

we weren’t going to make it. And then, when we literally had nothing left to eat, we were 

referred to you. I met generous people who didn’t judge me and who treated me with 
33

great kindness and warmth. Words cannot express how grateful I was for the wonderful 

food, but I will always be indebted to you for giving us this great gift. We could feed our 

family, and I think it helped us to summon the strength we needed to persevere. I am 

happy to report that this week my husband accepted a new job! While I hope I will never 

have to rely on your generosity again, the comfort you provided us when we needed it 

most will never be forgotten. While it’s not much, please accept the enclosed check for 

$25 as our way of paying it forward. 

The charity’s representative closes her presentation with a few facts about the number of 

people her organization feeds each month and how much food just a small donation can 

provide to other families. 

Some research (Anderson 2014) suggests that charitable giving increases when stories are 

used in conjunction with data. Stories create an emotional connection that statistics and pie 

charts fail to evoke. That emotional connection can serve as a powerful motivator and can 

have a similar effect in campaigns addressing health and safety for law enforcement officers. 

The stories should convey messages that underscore the focus of the campaign and include 

characters to whom employees can relate and who encourage employees to add their own 

stories to the mix. For example, if a veteran officer shares his story about surviving a car crash 

because he was wearing his seat belt, others can share similar experiences in which they were 

able to escape harm because of a safety measure they employed. Or an officer can talk about 

the wake-up call she received when she went for an annual physical and found out she had 

diabetes. Others can add their own stories and how they dealt with their situations. These 

stories contribute meaningful anecdotes that are more persuasive and can result in greater 

compliance with health and safety measures. 

What Makes a Good Story?

 Emotion. People are moved by emotion 

and inspiration. They help drive behavior.

 Relevance. Stories should be real and 

simple and bring up something interesting 

and meaningful.

 Plot. A story isn’t a story unless it has a 

beginning, middle, and end.

 Moral or learning. Great stories have 

an overarching message or moral. Decide 

on your major message and repeat it over 

and over in all your wellness communication efforts.

 Heroics. Engaging stories have an active 

struggle—a protagonist takes action 

to defeat an antagonist. The antagonist 

doesn’t have to be another person. People 

can conquer bad habits, poor diets, and 

other issues that negatively impact health 

and safety. Vulnerability, challenge, and ultimate triumph resonate with people.
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

34

Developing a Campaign

Step 6. Develop tactics and an implementation plan

Once you have established your intended goals, the best approach to take, the right branding, 

and clear messaging, the next step is to determine your methods for communicating with 

employees. Communication tactics are the various tools and vehicles to use. From face-toface meetings, health fairs, and inter-departmental competitions to social media, videos, and 

e-newsletters, this part of the planning process identifies the most appropriate and effective 

tactical communication elements. 

Campaigns must be sustained over time for them to have an impact and change behaviors or 

attitudes. For this reason, it is particularly valuable to use a variety of tactics spread over an 

extended period of time. Eventually, if successful, what began as a campaign becomes “how 

we do things around here.” In other words, the ultimate goal is for the change, whether it is 

wearing seat belts or confronting health issues, to become part of the fabric and culture of 

the agency. The challenge is to stick with the campaign long enough for the change to take 

hold. However, how long a campaign should run is difficult to prescribe. It depends on a host 

of variables, including how protracted the problem is and what beliefs and attitudes must be 

changed to affect a change. 

The implementation phase outlines what is to be done, when, and by whom. The implementation plan makes clear who has the lead role and what other roles and responsibilities are 

involved so nothing falls between the cracks. If the strategy is the blueprint, tactics are the 

building materials, and implementation is the building plan. 

Las Vegas Police Focus on Substance Abuse and Suicide Prevention

Both job-related and personal stresses affect officers in every agency nationwide. Effects can be 

profound and may, in some cases, lead to substance 

abuse and/or suicidal thoughts. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) wanted to 

improve its various employee assistance programs 

to reduce incidents of substance abuse and suicide. One of the key components of its 2013 policy revamp included an emphasis on intervention 

and prevention. 

The Maintenance of Values and Ethics (MOVE) 

program mandates intervention for both the 

employee and command staff when instances of 

substance abuse are identified. LVMPD’s Police 

Employee Assistance Program (PEAP) provides 

access to suicide intervention programs, and the 

department’s Educational and Viable Options 

through Leadership, Values and Ethics (EVOLVE) 

unit intervenes in the case of misconduct related 

to substance abuse. Both EVOLVE and PEAP work 

together to provide long-term care to employees 

when necessary. While continuing its efforts to 

reduce substance abuse and suicide, the LVMPD 

says it has seen a reduction in the number of 

employees arrested for substance-related reasons 

and that significant interventions have been made 

for suicidal employees. 
35

The success of any campaign depends on the delivery of key messages to a defined audience 

followed by an intended and measureable outcome. In terms of communications tactic decisions (the “how-to” of message delivery), law enforcement officers make such decisions every 

day, often without realizing it. They consider many factors and variables in an instant. Their 

knowledge and experience guides them toward the most appropriate and effective communication method. For example, if an officer witnesses a robbery in progress, he doesn’t send 

a Facebook message requesting backup; he uses the police radio. If there is a rash of larcenies 

from vehicles in a particular area, law enforcement might use Facebook, Twitter, and signs to 

both alert community members and provide them with crime prevention steps. Similarly, 

when a police department is looking to decrease distracted driving accidents among patrol 

officers, or increase the number of officers who get annual physicals, the department looks for 

the most appropriate and effective means to reach its employees. 

Law enforcement agencies use communication tactics to deliver key messages in the scope 

of an officer safety and wellness campaign. The tactics contain the focal information to be 

conveyed (e.g., wear a seat belt, eat healthy, and exercise). To deliver key messages and communicate with both your community and employees, law enforcement agencies can use any 

of the following customizable communications tactics. Each tactic includes a description, a brief 

cost-benefit analysis, and an example of how to use it in a campaign. Not every option may 

be available to you because of staff or budget constraints; however, many of these tactics are 

low cost and easy to use:

 Training. Training can be delivered face to face or via an online, self-paced course. Everyone 

receives necessary training to perform core responsibilities in the workplace. Surgeons, 

astronauts, and public safety employees alike all receive training specific to their chosen 

career path. A common method of training is “tell-show-do:” tell students what they need 

to do, show them how to do it, and then ask the students to do it themselves to verify that 

information has been passed on.

Cost: Training can be labor-intensive and costly, although departments can often absorb the 

costs in an existing training budget. 

Benefit: This is an excellent way to verify information has been conveyed. Having everyone 

in the organization take the same training builds a culture that can sustain the intended 

outcome. 

Campaign example: A safe driving campaign integrates driving training as a way to reduce 

motor vehicle collisions.

 Roll calls. Gathering before a shift is a time-honored tradition in policing. During this time, 

beats are assigned, wanted bulletins are distributed, and information is shared. Providing 

actual training at roll calls and showing informative videos are effective ways to reduce 

training costs. 
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

36

Developing a Campaign

Cost: The only cost here is the time it takes to show up and deliver the message or the time 

it takes to train someone to deliver the message for you. Unfortunately, not every public 

safety employee works in a space where roll call is part of the daily routine.

Benefit: You have a captive audience and an opportunity to incorporate hands-on training.

Campaign example: The importance of staying hydrated during the work shift could be 

shared with officers during roll calls.

 Videos. We’ve all seen them. Prior to the feature film, movies theaters show videos that 

teach proper viewing etiquette. Airlines show them to convey flight safety information. 

You’ve probably seen them in your workplace too. A number of websites provide free 

videos on a range of topics. See the resources section for a list of websites. 

Cost: Free videos certainly appeal to the bottom line, but the lack of customization and 

focus on one’s own department may be a negative. While video production has become 

significantly more affordable, such as using YouTube, production still requires staff time and 

equipment to write, direct, film, and edit a quality video. This route is also not without risk. 

At best, the audience will tune out a poorly produced video. At worst, a laughable video 

could damage your campaign. 

Benefit: This is ultimately a more affordable version of in-person training. Mandatory viewing 

ensures the audience is reached. A well-designed training video has the strength to serve as 

a stand-alone campaign tactic. Videos combined with other tactics can be especially powerful because they provide images and sound to reinforce the message.

Campaign example: What post-traumatic stress disorder is and where to go for help could 

be disseminated to employees in a video.

 Policies. Publications on policies and procedures are the core of every public safety organization. A lot can be learned about a department based on its policy manuals. Expectations 

for behavior, policing how tos, and cultural norms live here.

Cost: Staff time is required to develop and write policies. It would then need to be vetted, 

approved, and distributed. 

Benefit: Policies are often required reading, and adhering to policy can be a condition of 

employment. In other words, if policy backs up the goal of your safety campaign, reaching 

your outcome is much easier.

Campaign example: A safe driving campaign could integrate a policy prohibiting texting 

and driving.
37

Honolulu Police Aim to Help Officers Arrive Alive

Between September 2011 and July 2012, the 

Honolulu Police Department (HPD) experienced 

a series of highly publicized traffic accidents. In 

one incident, criminal charges were filed against an 

officer found to be travelling at excessive speeds 

during routine patrol. In three others, officers suffered fatal injuries. The HPD initiated its multifaceted “Arrive Alive” campaign in January 2013 to 

reduce officer injuries by stressing the importance 

of driving at proper speeds, driving without distractions, and wearing seat belts and body armor. 

Five hundred posters were printed and displayed 

prominently in every police station at entrances, 

on bulletin boards, and in briefing rooms. More 

than 2,500 employees in pre-shift briefings or 

via the department’s intranet viewed videos featuring Chief Louis M. Kealoha reinforcing the 

“Arrive Alive” message. The HPD also used automatic vehicle location to monitor and record 

officers travelling at speeds above an established 

threshold. A standardized “Arrive Alive” field 

inspection report was also developed, requiring 

supervisors to observe officers in the field to gauge 

compliance with departmental policies and “Arrive 

Alive” objectives. 

Data was stored in logs and reviewed daily by 

authorized personnel who could determine if the 

officer was responding to a call at the time he or 

she passed the speed threshold. In cases where 

the officer was not on assignment, corrective 

action could be taken when necessary. 

The campaign remains an active part of the HPD’s 

strategic plan and has been incorporated into its 

Emergency Vehicle Operations Course, required 

by both recruits and regular officers. Since the 

HPD initiated “Arrive Alive,” the department has 

not experienced a fatality caused by a collision 

and has seen a decrease in officer-involved motor 

vehicle accidents. 

HPD’s driving safety campaign posters

HPD bulletin boards with information about its safe driving campaign
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

38

Developing a Campaign

 Posters/signage. Posters have long been a staple of information and advertising campaigns. 

The most effective are eye-catching and include a call to action.

Cost: For posters, the cost is in design, printing, and distribution. If the posters are poorly 

designed, the campaign may be the subject of ridicule and will not encourage the desired 

behavior. The amount of information is limited to the size of the poster, but it could also 

direct people to other resources, like a website, for additional information. A series of 

posters that are rotated according to a schedule could extend the campaign and keep key 

messages fresh. 

Benefit: Wall space in government buildings is free and that includes the walls of a bathroom 

where many successful campaigns have posted content because the audiences are, at least 

in a figurative sense, captive, if only briefly. The entire audience will certainly see the posters 

if placed properly. Combining posters with other delivery tactics can substantially increase 

their reach and impact.

Campaign example: Posters can be dispersed around a department as the centerpiece of 

an employee quit smoking campaign.

 Robocalls. Robocalls include automated telephone and text messaging. They deliver information and actionable messages such as reminders about appointments and safety tips.

Cost: There is the base cost of automatic dialer technology. However, some employees may 

object to being called at their personal contact number when not on shift.

Benefit: This technology has the ability to reach people directly with important messages. 

Campaign example: For obvious reasons, this one is a little more complex. Imagine use in 

a precinct-wide physical fitness / weight loss competition between teams of employees. 

Participants could elect to receive these types of notifications as the lead changes: “I just 

got a call that my team has fallen behind. I guess I’d better order a salad instead of a double 

bacon cheeseburger and vanilla shake.”

 Newsletter. Printed or electronic newsletters or newspapers are fixtures in many organizations, including public safety agencies. The popularity of the newsletter determines the 

extent to which your message reaches your audience.

Cost: Except for the cost of staff time, producing electronic newsletters requires either 

low or no cost. Printing can be inexpensive for a one- or two-color newsletter, but costs 

increase when full color is used. 

Benefit: If these platforms already exist, campaign information can be distributed with minimal effort. If the publications are widely viewed and respected, it is more likely that the 

campaign will be accepted into organizational culture.
39

Campaign example: Personal stories about struggles with alcoholism can be moving and 

effective in this type of format, especially when the stories involve getting help and a happy 

ending. Just talking about something that was previously taboo can be a first step toward 

changing organizational culture.

 E-mail. If you are accessing a computer at work, you are probably getting these from 

your employer.

Cost: Like electronic newsletters, e-mails are low or no cost to produce aside from 

staff time. 

Benefit: E-mail can quickly deliver short, targeted messages that support a campaign objective. It can also serve to direct people to or promote other tactics. 

Campaign example: E-mails sent to employees extolling the virtues of physical fitness 

and tips to a successful exercise regimen could form the backbone of a simple employee 

health campaign.

Prince George’s County Police Tackle Traffic Safety

In less than two years, the Prince George’s County (Maryland) Police Department (PGPD) had three officer fatalities 

resulting from traffic accidents. In one case, the driver was 

ejected from the vehicle while the passenger survived with 

minimal injuries because he was wearing a seat belt. 

Determined to eliminate preventable tragedies like this 

and to decrease officer injuries, the PGPD ran a year-long 

program in 2013 that encouraged officers to slow down, 

wear a seat belt, and remove distractions caused by electronic devices. 

Every officer was required to attend a two-hour class 

taught by the executive command staff, which reinforced 

safe driving habits and included testimonials from the families of officers killed in traffic accidents. PGPD’s recruits 

were exposed to the same course as part of their basic 

training. Every Tuesday throughout 2013, the executive 

command staff published internal communications emphasizing driver safety that were posted in conspicuous areas 

and broadcast six times per day across all talk groups. 

Lieutenants and sergeants were also charged with having 

weekly conversations to ensure employees understood 

the campaign’s message, to address administrative and 

legal ramifications, and to describe possible public perception consequences. 

Each division of the PGPD also prominently displayed signs 

designed to remind officers that their driving habits are a 

matter of life or death. The signs also showed the number 

of days passed without a preventable accident. 

No officer while on or off duty has been killed in a crash since 

the program started.

PGPD’s poster promoting internal messages that were 

also broadcast across talk groups
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

40

Developing a Campaign

 Facebook. Facebook has gained popularity among police agencies for communicating with 

citizens, and its ability to host private, member-only groups makes it an increasingly useful 

platform for internal, employee-only communication. 

Cost: Having a Facebook page is free. Staff time is needed to develop a page and then 

manage it.

Benefit: Many police employees are already familiar with this tool, which they use personally, 

either on a desktop or via a mobile device. Its informal presentation and ability to share 

information, photos, and videos makes it especially suited to campaigns in which employee engagement is a goal. 

Campaign example: An interactive healthy eating campaign could use a group Facebook account to post tips on proper nutrition. In addition, participants could post 

recipes or cooking techniques for healthy meals.

 Google+. Like Facebook, Google+ is a social networking service for connecting 

and sharing. However, Google+ is not as widely used as Facebook.

Cost: Staff time is needed to develop a page and then manage it. 

Benefit: It’s free, it’s mobile, and many people are already familiar with this platform.

Campaign example: A wellness campaign dedicated to employees serving in the 

armed forces could use a private Google+ Community to share resources and 

information with those who have been or are about to be deployed.

 BlueLine Connect. Co-founded by New York City Police Department Commissioner Bill 

Bratton, this social networking service has been built from the ground up to be a secure 

online community for those in law enforcement. Launched in 2013, BlueLine Connect 

is entering a crowded field where people already have favorite networking sites. The site is 

accessible at www.bluelineconnect.com.

Cost: Staff time is needed to develop an account and then manage it. 

Benefit: The fact that BlueLine Connect is a secure community will encourage sharing information that may be sensitive or personal.

Campaign example: Employees could learn and talk about clinical depression, suicide, and 

ways to get help in a safe, secure online community.

An interactive 

healthy eating 

campaign could 

use a group 

Facebook 

account to post 

tips on proper 

nutrition
41

 Twitter. This social networking site limits posts to 140 characters. Users include news 

organizations, celebrities, and government agencies. Boston police masterfully used Twitter 

to keep the public informed and dispel rumors during the 2013 Boston Marathon terror 

attacks. Some may find the character limit constricting.

Cost: Staff time is needed to develop a page and then manage it. 

Benefit: In this Information Age, brevity is a virtue. Twitter is great as a mobile application. 

It is probably best used when coupled with another tactic.

Campaign example: Twitter could be used to heighten safety or wellness awareness by 

tweeting basic driving safety or healthy eating messages.

 YouTube. For better or worse, sharing videos has never been easier. This tactic falls within 

the family of training videos. Like other social media sites, YouTube has privacy settings that 

allow private, member-only groups. This is especially useful if a campaign extends to employees’ family members, for example. 

Cost: Staff time is needed to produce and post content. If you leave your YouTube Channel 

public, be aware that a much broader public audience will be watching and judging.

Benefit: YouTube can help you reach more people, such as the family and friends of your 

intended audience, than a typical internal campaign could alone. YouTube also makes 

your campaign more accessible to the law enforcement community as a whole. A wellproduced video could also have a public benefit, such as Phoenix’s “Beat the Heat” 

campaign demonstrated. 

Campaign example: YouTube could be used to promote the use of safety belts. Officers 

who survived serious collisions could speak to the benefits of having been buckled up. Images of the damaged patrol cars these employees were driving, while somber, would keep 

people’s attention.

 Vine. Relatively new to the scene of social media, this mobile application allows users to 

create six-second video clips. Vine is much like Twitter (in fact, it’s owned by Twitter) in that 

brevity defines it. Because they are so short, Vine videos can be either brilliant or immediately forgettable.

Cost: Like training videos and YouTube, the cost comes from investing in the equipment, 

although this can be a modest investment, as smartphones can produce acceptable quality. 

If you plan on producing a lot of Vines and for higher resolution images, purchasing a small 

camcorder ($200 and up) may be desirable.

Benefit: Like YouTube, you have an opportunity to bring your campaign to a larger public 

audience. Like Twitter, Vine is best when paired with other tactics.
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

42

Developing a Campaign

Campaign example: A lighter version or a secondary component of the aforementioned 

YouTube safety belt campaign could feature Vine videos of employees getting buckled up 

before driving. Supervisors should participate to model safe driving behavior.

 Instagram/InstaVideo. A mobile photo- and video-sharing service, Instagram/InstaVideo is 

known for its square pictures and filter menu. Content must be impactful, especially if using 

only the photo component. For video, the rules are the same as with Vine.

Cost: Instagram is a free application, and the InstaVideo Downloader costs 99 cents.

Benefit: Use this app to bring your campaign to a broader audience. Integrate it with other 

tactics to reach maximum effect.

Campaign example: Getting shortchanged on sleep is a reality of the law enforcement 

profession. A campaign designed at promoting good sleep habits could feature Instagrams 

or InstaVideos of the same employees in both well-rested and sleep-deprived states. Add a 

little levity and panache to the campaign by incorporating zombie make up. 

 Informal meetings. Just as the title implies, this tactic uses a casual and less structured approach to moving a campaign forward. 

Cost: Actual financial costs range from zero to minimal. Because this tactic is informal, any 

participation would be voluntary and wholly dependent on employee buy-in to the campaign.

Benefit: Voluntary attendance would demonstrate campaign progress while no-shows 

would indicate that a campaign adjustment might be in order. 

Campaign example: A department wellness campaign might create a running or bicycling 

club that meets during off hours on a drop-in basis.

 Special events. This tactic is the structured version of the informal meeting. Special events 

can stand alone or be recurring. They can range from modest in scope to extravagant.

Cost: Special events need to be scheduled, organized, and executed. 

Benefit: You get a captive audience. People who attend special events typically want to 

be there. 

Campaign example: A conference, workshop, or retreat to discuss stress reduction techniques and the secrets to achieving work-life balance is an example of a departmentsponsored special event.
43

 Guest speakers. Law enforcement officers love telling stories about their profession. They 

also like to hear stories from people who have firsthand experience and wisdom. This tactic 

can be incorporated with many of the others listed here. 

Cost: The primary cost is just the effort it takes to find the right speaker to deliver your 

key messages. Having the wrong speaker for your campaign can make you look tone deaf. 

Benefit: Guest speakers can range from local celebrities to fellow colleagues. Most will 

donate their time to a worthy cause like yours. 

Campaign example: Use a cardiologist and a heart attack survivor to discuss the dangers of 

heart disease and preventative measure.

 Competitions. Many people who gravitate toward law enforcement’s profession are competitive in nature. Organizing a friendly competition can drive interest and participation in 

a campaign. 

Cost: Competitions need to be organized, tracked, and concluded. This requires staff time. 

Competitions with prizes tend to be more interesting, and securing something appropriate 

is an extra step. 

Benefit: If you use this tactic properly, you can use competition data to accurately measure 

the progress of your campaign. Prizes can be either donated or a sunk cost, such time off. 

Campaign example: A wellness campaign geared at flu prevention might include a competition between precincts or divisions. To win, a precinct/division must have the highest rate 

of employees who received a flu shot. Employees assigned to the winning precinct/division 

would receive a time off credit, which would typically be off-set by a reduction in sick leave 

because of the department’s increased flu inoculation.

Las Vegas Police Driving Safety Campaign

Over the course of five months, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) suffered the loss of two 

officers because of unrelated crashes. In one instance, the 

officer failed to wear his seat belt, and the LVMPD saw an 

opportunity to affect a change regarding employee driving 

and safety habits. The department hoped that by encouraging safe driving speeds and seat belt use, it could reduce 

major injury accidents and accident occurrences overall. 

The campaign required a multifaceted approach that 

hinged on additional training and changes to department 

policy, the way it handles accidents, and the extent to 

which it encourages seat belt use. The campaign, initiated 

in 2009 by Sheriff Doug Gillespie, is an ongoing initiative, and the LVMPD reports reduced accidents, including major injury accidents, attributed to a cultural shift 

toward safer driving habits including seat belt use. 
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

44

Developing a Campaign

 Radio broadcasts. One of the most iconic tools of law enforcement is the police radio. 

Employees reliably disseminate and receive information using this technological mainstay. In 

many cases, radio broadcasts are accessible to the public via police scanners.

Cost: While air time is precious, the department already owns this asset. However, not 

every police employee is issued a radio or has a job for which listening to a radio is part of 

the daily routine. This means purchasing additional radios or finding alternative means for 

those employees to access the information.

Benefit: Radio broadcasts reach a captive audience. If the campaign is patrol or traffic safety-focused, there is an opportunity to reach your target audience. This tactic could be 

especially effective when paired with other less restrictive tactics.

Campaign example: Campaign tag lines could be broadcast to boost awareness. Minimally 

intrusive repetition can go a long way to embed key campaign messages into department 

culture. The Honolulu Police Department’s “Arrive Alive” and the Peel Regional Police’s 

“Just Go Home” campaigns are great examples where broadcasting taglines could reinforce 

existing traffic safety messages without consuming much airtime.

Step 7. Identify a budget and resources 

Money for campaigns can be scarce, but police agencies are remarkably resourceful in covering modest costs with existing funds and personnel. Most of the campaigns included in this 

publication were carried out with little additional money. Rather, the various departments 

refocused personnel, developed partnerships with various community and professional organizations, and secured grants. Some organizations you might approach for funding include 

the following:

 Public health organizations

 Labor and industries

 Physicians

 Insurance providers

 Grant providers 

With the proliferation of desktop publishing and video editing capabilities on personal computers, it has never been easier to self-produce posters, brochures, videos, and other campaign 

materials. However, beware of materials that appear too amateurish. Poor grammar, silly clipart, 

and bad design can doom an otherwise good idea and an important campaign. 
45

Some tactics, like video production, could require substantial funding if the resources for 

writing, shooting, and editing are not available in the police agency or as a service from the 

municipal or county government. Still, many departments have been successful in convincing 

local marketing, advertising, and public relations agencies to take on campaign development 

pro bono. Others have offered internships to public relations students and included public 

relations positions in their list of volunteer opportunities. With a little creativity and some legwork, a department can end up with well-produced materials and professional quality work 

that lends a level of credibility to the overall campaign. 

Paying for different elements of the campaign is only one part of the budgeting challenge. 

Having the necessary personnel to develop and implement it is another. Engaging people at 

various ranks and from different divisions of the department is a way to temporarily assemble 

the people needed to do the work. Even if the public information staff is sufficiently large 

enough to handle the work, it is beneficial to involve others in the department who have the 

interest and skill so buy-in to the strategic approach begins well before the plan is unveiled. 

Sacramento Police Focus on Health and Wellness

From 2000 to 2003, workers compensation 

claims for the Sacramento Police Department 

(SPD) averaged $2.1 million for sworn employees and $303,000 for nonsworn employees 

per year. To reduce these expenditures and the 

number of on-duty injuries, the SPD contracted 

a fitness coordinator to develop and manage a 

health and wellness program. The coordinator, 

hired in 2003, gives nutritional advice; provides 

customizable workout plans; and writes articles 

promoting exercise safety, healthy living, commitment, and creative ways to remain active. 

Employees were made aware of these services via e-mail and flyers and during briefings. In 2009, the department established 

an on-duty workout program. Twice weekly, 

hour-long workout sessions are permitted 

by on-duty employees who underwent BMI 

and baseline physical performance testing. 

Uniform pins were waiting for officers who 

improved performance on their fitness tests. 

Between 2006 and 2009, the SPD saw an 

increase in the number of employees participating in the program and a corresponding 

59 percent decrease in workers compensation claims for sworn employees. Nonsworn 

employees drew 43 percent fewer claims in that 

same period. 

As claims steadily declined, the SPD secured 

funding to upgrade its workout facilities, though 

some officers assisted in some upgrades including minor electrical work and painting. 
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

46

Developing a Campaign

Step 8. Establish evaluations and measurements 

Ideally, a campaign would have a clear starting point that would enable you to measure whether your efforts are making a difference in employee health and wellness or officer safety. Unfortunately, many campaigns offer little that helps leaders know if they are making any progress. 

This may be because no data exists or because a campaign is proactively addressing concerns 

before they manifest into problems that would rise to the level of being tracked. In the struggle 

with measuring outcomes, many organizations simply default to a position that essentially says, 

“We did a lot—sent out e-mails, put up posters, created videos, and hosted events. We’re not 

sure if we really made a difference, but we hope we did.” 

There are good reasons why establishing measures can be difficult. Health and wellness data is 

mostly private. Unless individuals volunteer information, the department has no way to really 

know whether diabetes, heart disease, or other chronic health conditions are present and 

to what degree. Similarly, mental health concerns like PTSD and suicidal tendencies are not 

often known. There may simply be little or no information that provides the department 

with data as a verifiable starting point or data that allows measures of achievement. But that 

doesn’t necessarily mean there is no information on which to base a campaign and provide 

meaningful measures. 

The Honolulu Police Department took on the challenge of improving health and fitness. It 

started not with data about known health conditions but with data about the various injuries 

and illnesses that were costing the department in worker’s compensation claims. 

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Focus on Preventable Crashes

In 2004, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg (North 

Carolina) Police Department (CMPD) began 

a campaign targeting preventable crashes—

those determined to be the fault of a CMPD 

employee. Compiling data has been instrumental to the success of the program. Pinpointing frequent types and causes of preventable 

accidents allowed the department to develop 

both classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction designed to address its most common 

crash scenarios.

At its peak, the department experienced 11 

preventable crashes per million miles driven. 

Following the implementation of its training, 

that number has dropped to as low as 5.5 preventable crashes per million miles driven, a 

50 percent reduction. 
47

The Long Beach (California) Police Department took a slightly different approach and 

focused on incenting voluntary participation in a program that establishes baseline measures 

(see below sidebar). 

You don’t have to use complicated algorithms to determine whether your efforts are making 

a difference. Putting even basic measures in place is important because it forces a focus on 

results, not process or outputs. Improving the quality of measurements begins with making 

sure the objectives are expressed in measurable terms and understanding what information 

needs to be available to make the evaluation. The challenge, then, is to find them. Possibilities 

include the following:

 Worker’s compensation claims

 Use of sick leave

 Car crashes

 Survey data

 Conditions

 Observations

If an objective is to “reduce officer injuries by 40 percent,” there is both a starting benchmark 

and a way to assess whether the decrease is achieved. If the objective is more ill-defined, like 

“increase officers’ use of seat belts,” there is likely no definitive data that summarizes exactly 

how many officers wear their seat belts. Typically, this would involve statistically valid and reliLong Beach Police Wellness/Fitness Program

The Long Beach (California) Police Department 

focuses on physical fitness with an emphasis on 

nutrition and medical care. It uses monetary 

awards to incent voluntary participation. 

The initial program has two phases: a medical 

screening phase and a physical fitness phase. 

The medical screening requires participants to 

get an annual physical exam and record baseline 

measures for cholesterol, heart rate, and blood 

pressure. The physical fitness phase includes 

measuring body fat and an officer’s ability to 

complete various physical tests. Point values 

are assigned to different achievement levels 

based on the participant’s age. Points earned are 

assigned monetary values. 

Fifty-one percent of officers voluntarily participated in the program in 2012. In 2013, the participation rate was 45 percent.
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

48

Developing a Campaign

able surveys on both ends of the process. If there is no starting benchmark, the objective could 

be written to establish one: “To achieve an 85 percent compliance rating for officers wearing 

seat belts.” 

Whatever type of evaluation is planned, it is wise to build in checkpoints for progress reports 

along the way instead of waiting until year end to measure results. These mini-evaluations enable the department to make adjustments to its plan as conditions warrant. 

Flexibility is vital to any plan. New conditions will develop that need to be addressed, a change 

in leadership may cause new priorities, and some issues may dissipate. The ability to adapt a 

plan to accommodate environmental changes is the mark of a strategic enterprise. 
49

Conclusion

The ever-changing landscape against which law enforcement agencies work presents a long list of challenges for leaders to navigate. As budget cuts stretch resources and delay critical equipment purchases 

and upgrades, and as societal shifts create new realities officers encounter on the streets, executives must 

be vigilant in protecting the safety and well-being of those officers who put themselves at risk every day 

on behalf of the citizens they serve. 

Ensuring the necessary safety and health infrastructure is in place has never been more important. Establishing and strengthening organizational cultures that support these efforts is essential. Officers must be 

able to provide the high level of service our communities expect, and it is all but impossible to do this 

when officers neglect their own safety and health. To help officers take care of themselves and do their 

jobs well, 

maintaining and investing in officer safety, health, and wellness is one of the most critical actions an 

agency can take. Finding ways to achieve ongoing development is vital to the preservation of officer 

wellness. A starting point for discussing the complexities, available resources, and best practices can 

be accomplished through leadership and management, policies and procedures, training, and healthy 

lifestyles. (Fiedler 2011, 10)
50
51

Appendix A. 

Generational Chart

Allen (n.d.) compiled the following information to provide insight into important differences between generations. 

Law enforcement agencies can use this chart to help tailor their campaigns and communications to different age groups.

TRADITIONALISTS BABY BOOMERS GENERATION X MILLENNIALS

Core values Adhere to rules

Conformers/

conformity

Contributing 

to the collective

Dedication/sacrifice

Delayed reward

Discipline

Don’t question 

authority

Duty before pleasure

Family focus

“Giving back” is important

Good is important

Hard work

Law and order

Loyalty

Patience

Patriotism

Respect for authority

Responsibility

Savers

Stabilizing

Trust in government

Anti-government

Anti-war

Anything is possible

Equal opportunities

Equal rights

Extremely loyal 

to their children

Involvement

Optimism

Personal gratification

Personal growth

Question everything

Spend now, worry 

later

Team oriented

Transformational

Trust no one over 30

Want to “make 

a difference”

Work

Youth

Balance

Diversity

Entrepreneurial

Fun

High job 

expectations

Highly educated

Independent

Informality

Lack of 

organizational 

loyalty

Pragmatism

Seek life balance

Self-reliance

Skepticism/cynical

Suspicious of 

boomer values

Techno literacy

Think globally

Achievement 

Avid consumers 

Civic duty 

Confidence 

Diversity 

Extreme fun 

Extremely spiritual 

Extremely 

techno savvy 

Fun! 

High morals 

Highly tolerant 

Hotly competitive 

Like personal attention 

Members of 

global community 

Most educated 

generation 

Now! 

Optimism 

Realism 

Self-confident 

Sociability 

Street smarts 

Current age 63–86 44–62 28–43 8–27
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

Appendix A. Generational Chart

TRADITIONALISTS BABY BOOMERS GENERATION X MILLENNIALS

Famous 

people

Bob Dole and 

Elizabeth Taylor

Bill Clinton 

and Meryl Streep

Jennifer Lopez Ashton Kutcher 

and Serena Williams

Number 80 million 51 million 75 million

Other 

names

Veterans, silent, 

moral authority, 

radio babies, and 

the forgotten 

generation

“Me” generation and 

moral authority

Gen X, Xers, the doer, 

post-boomers, and 

13th generation

Generation Y, Gen Y, 

Generation Next, 

echo boomers, 

chief friendship 

officers, and 24/7s

Influencers WWII, Korean War, 

Great Depression, 

New Deal, Rise on 

Corporations, and 

Space Age

Raised by parents 

who just survived the 

Great Depression

Experienced hard 

times while growing 

up, which were

 followed by times 

of prosperity

Civil Rights, Vietnam 

War, Sexual Revolution, Cold War/Russia, 

and Space Travel

Highest divorce rate 

and 2nd marriages 

in history

Post-war babies 

who grew up to be 

radicals of the 70s 

and yuppies of 

the 80s

As children, promised “The American 

Dream,” which they 

pursue; as a result, 

they are seen as 

being greedy, 

materialistic, and 

ambitious

Watergate, energy 

crisis, dual income 

families and single 

parents, first generation of latchkey kids, 

Y2K, energy crisis, 

activism, corporate 

downsizing, end of 

Cold War, moms 

work, and increased 

divorce rate

Perceptions shaped 

by growing up having to take care of 

themselves early and 

watching their politicians lie and their 

parents get laid off

Came of age when 

USA was losing its 

status as the most 

powerful and prosperous nation in the 

world

The first generation 

that will not do as 

well financially as 

their parents did

Digital media, childfocused world, school 

shootings, terrorist 

attacks, AIDS, and 9/11 

terrorist attacks

Typically grew up as 

children of divorce

Hope to be the next 

great generation and 

to turn around all the 

“wrong” they see in 

the world today

Grew up more sheltered than any other 

generation as parents 

strived to protect 

them from the evils 

of the world

Came of age in a 

period of economic 

expansion

Kept busy as kids

First generation 

of children with 

schedules

Attributes Committed 

to company

Competent

Confident

Conservative

Dedication

Doing more 

with less

Ability to handle 

a crisis

Ambitious

Anti-establishment

Challenge authority

Competent

Competitive

Adaptable

Angry but don’t 

know why

Antiestablishment 

mentality

Big gap with boomers

Can change

Competent

Ambitious but not 

entirely focused

At ease in teams

Attached to their 

gadgets and parents

Best educated

Confident

Diversity focused—

multiculturalism
53

TRADITIONALISTS BABY BOOMERS GENERATION X MILLENNIALS

Attributes 

(cont’d)

Ethical

Fiscally prudent

Hardworking

Historical viewpoint

Honor

Linear work style

Loyal to organization/

employers (duty, honor, and country)

Organized

Patriotic

Respectful of authority

Rules of conduct

Sacrifice

Strong work ethic

Task-oriented

Thrifty-abhor waste

Trust hierarchy and 

authority

Consensus leadership

Consumerism

Ethical

Good 

communication 

skills

Idealism

Live to work

Loyal to careers 

and employers

Most educated as 

compared to other 

three generations

Multi-taskers

Optimistic

Political correctness

Rebellious against 

convention, 

beginning with 

their conservative 

parents

Strong work ethic

their work ethic but 

now seek a healthy 

life/work balance

Traditionally found 

their worth in

Willing to take on 

responsibility

Confident

Crave 

independence

Ethical

Flexible

Focus on results

Free agents

High degree of 

brand loyalty

Highest number of 

divorced parents

Ignore leadership

Independent

Loyal to manager

Pampered by their 

parents

Pragmatic

Results-driven

Self-starters

Self-sufficient

Skeptical 

of institutions

Strong sense 

of entitlement

Unimpressed with 

authority

Willing to put in the 

extra time to get 

a job done

Willing to take on 

responsibility

Work to live

Work/life balance

Eager to spend money

Fiercely independent

Focus is children/family

Focus on change using 

technology

Friendly scheduled, 

structured lives

Globalism (global 

way of thinking)

Greatly indulged by 

fun, loving parents

Have not lived without 

computers

Heroism—consider 

parents their heroes

High-speed stimulus 

junkies

Hope to make life 

contributions to world

Incorporate individual 

resp. into their jobs

Individualistic yet 

group-oriented

Innovative—think 

out of box

Invited as children 

to play a lead role in 

family’s purchasing 

and travel decisions

Look to the workplace 

for direction and to 

help them achieve 

their goals

Loyal to peers

“Me first” attitude 

in work life

Most doted upon 

of any generation 

at work

Net-centric team 

players

Open to new ideas
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

Appendix A. Generational Chart

TRADITIONALISTS BABY BOOMERS GENERATION X MILLENNIALS

Attributes 

(cont’d)

Optimistic

Parent advocacy 

(parents are 

advocates)

Political savvy 

(like the boomers)

Respect given for 

competency not title

Respectful of character 

development

Seek responsibility 

early in their roles

Self-absorbed

Sociable—makes 

workplace friends

Strong sense of 

entitlement

Techno savvy—

digital generation

Think mature 

generation is “cool”

Very patriotic 

(shaped by 9/11)

Want to please others

Business 

focus

Quality Long hours Productivity Contribution

Work ethic 

and values

Adhere to rules

Dedicated 

work ethic

Duty before fun

Expect others to 

honor their commitments and behave 

responsibly

Individualism 

is not valued

Like to be respected

Challenge authority

Crusading causes

Dislike conformity 

and rules

Heavy focus on 

work as an anchor 

in their lives

Loyal to the team

Process-oriented

Question authority

Care less about 

advancement 

than about work/

life balance

Enjoy work but are 

more concerned 

about work/life 

navigation

Expect to influence 

the terms and conditions of the job

Have a work ethic 

that no longer mandates 10-hr days

Believe that because 

of technology, they 

can work flexibly 

anytime, anyplace 

and that they should 

be evaluated on work 

product—not how, 

when, or where they 

got it done

Expect to influence 

the terms and conditions of the job

Goal-oriented
55

TRADITIONALISTS BABY BOOMERS GENERATION X MILLENNIALS

Work ethic 

and values 

(cont’d)

Like to hear motivational messages

Linear work style

Socialization is 

important

Their word is 

their bond

Value attendance

Value compliance

Value dedication

Value due process 

and fair play

Value good attitude

Value hard work

Value honor

Value loyalty

Value practical 

knowledge

Value sacrifice

Relationship-focused 

at work

Strive to do their 

very best

Value ambition

Value collaboration

Value equality

Value personal 

fulfillment and 

gratification

Value personal 

growth

Value teamwork

Value youthfulness

Want a flexible route 

into retirement

Want respect from 

younger workers

Willing to take risks

Work efficiently

Like a casual work 

environment

Looking for 

meaningful work 

and innovation

Move easily between 

jobs and criticized 

for having no attachment to a particular 

job/employer

Outcome-oriented

Output-focused

Prefer diversity, 

technology, 

informality, and fun

Rely on their technological acuity and 

business savvy to stay 

marketable

Want to get in, 

get the work done, 

and move on to 

the next thing

Work/family balance 

is important to them

Have a work ethic that 

no longer mandates 

10-hour days

High expectations of 

bosses and managers 

to assist and mentor 

them in attainment 

of professional goals

Looking for careers 

and stability

Looking for meaningful 

work and innovation 

May be the first 

generation that 

readily accepts 

older leadership

Mentoring is important 

to them

Obsessed with career 

developments

Prefer diversity, 

technology, informality, 

and fun

“Real Revolution”—

decrease in career 

ambition in favor of 

more family time, less 

travel, and less personal pressure

Recognize that people 

make the company 

successful

Thrive in a collaborative 

work environment

Tolerant

Training is important

Understand importance of great mentors

Want long-term 

relationships with 

employers but on 

their own terms

Want to enhance work 

skills by continuing 

education
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

56

Appendix A. Generational Chart

TRADITIONALISTS BABY BOOMERS GENERATION X MILLENNIALS

Preferred 

work environment

Clear chain of command

Conservative

Hierarchal

Top-down management

Democratic

Equal opportunity

“Flat” organizational 

hierarchy

Humane

Warm, friendly environment

Access to information

Access to leadership

Efficient

Fast paced

Flexible

Fun

Functional

Informal

Positive

Achievement-oriented

Collaborative

Diverse

Flexible

Fun

Highly creative

Positive

Want continuous feedback

Work is . . . An obligation

A long-term career

A career

An exciting adventure

Work and then retire

A contract

A difficult challenge

Just a job

A means to an end

Fulfillment

Flexible work arrangements

What they 

are looking 

for in a job

Clearly defined 

rules/policies

Company with good 

reputation and ethics

Do what you know 

needs to be done

Job security 

and stability

Recognition and 

respect for their 

experience

Value placed 

on history/traditions

Ability to shine / 

be a star

Company represents 

a good cause

Fit in with company 

vision/mission

Like to achieve work 

through teams

Make a contribution

Need clear and 

concise job 

expectations 

and will 

get it done

Team approach

Cutting edge 

systems/tech

Dynamic 

young leaders

Flexibility 

in scheduling

Forward-thinking 

company

If you can’t keep 

them engaged, 

they will seek it in 

another position

If you can’t see the 

reason for the task, 

they will question it

Input evaluated 

on merit not age/

seniority

Expect to be 

paid well

Expect to learn new 

knowledge and skills 

(they see repeating 

tasks as a poor use of 

energy and time and 

an example of not 

being taken seriously)

Expect to work with 

positive people and 

company that can 

fulfill their dreams

Flexible schedules

Friendly environments 

(respond poorly to 

inflexible hierarchical 

organizations; respond 

best to more networked, less hierarchical organizations)

May need to be 

given a list of options 

because of being 

a product of the 

“drop down and 

click menu”
57

TRADITIONALISTS BABY BOOMERS GENERATION X MILLENNIALS

What they 

are looking 

for in a job 

(cont’d)

Social network

Strong, ethical 

leaders/mentors

Treated with respect 

in spite of age

Want to be challenged; don’t want 

boring job 

Want to be evaluated 

on output not input—

on the work product 

itself

Want to make 

a difference

Work assets Bring value to the 

workplace with 

their experience, 

knowledge

Consistent

Dependable

Detail-oriented

Disciplined

Hardworking

Loyal

Stable

Thorough

Use their institutional experience 

and intuitive wisdom 

to face changes 

in the workplace

Anxious to please

Can creatively break 

down the big picture 

into assignments

Challenge the 

status quo

Good at seeing 

the big picture

Good team players

Mission-oriented

Politically savvy—

gifted in political 

correctness

Service-oriented

Will go the 

extra mile

Work hard

Adapt well 

to change

Consumer mentality

Direct communicators

Don’t mind direction 

but resent intrusive 

supervision

Eager to learn; very 

determined

Good short-term 

problem skills

Good task managers

Highly educated

Multitaskers

Not intimidated by 

authority

Technologically savvy

Thrive on flexibility

Value information

Want feedback

Will do a good job 

if given the right 

tools

Collaboration

Consumer mentality

Fast

Goal-oriented

Highly educated

Multitask

Optimistic

Positive attitude

Technologically 

savvy

Tenacious
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

58

Appendix A. Generational Chart

TRADITIONALISTS BABY BOOMERS GENERATION X MILLENNIALS

Work 

liabilities

Avoid conflict

Don’t adapt 

well to change

Don’t deal well 

with ambiguity

Hierarchical

Right or wrong

Typically take a 

top-down approach 

modeled by the 

military chain of 

command

Challenge authority 

of traditionalists

Dislike conflict

Don’t like change

Expect everyone 

to be workaholics

Judgmental 

if disagree

Not good 

with finances

Peer loyalty

Process 

before results

Self-centered

Built “portable” 

resume

Cynical; skeptical

Dislike authority

Dislike rigid work 

requirements

Don’t understand 

the optimism of 

boomers and Gen Y

Impatient

Lack people skills

Mistrust institutions

No long-term outlook

Reject rules

Respect competence

Distaste for menial work 

(they are brain smart)

High expectations

Impatient

Inexperienced

Lack discipline

Lack of experience

Lack of skills for dealing 

with difficult people

Need structure

Need supervision

Respond poorly to 

those who act in an 

authoritarian manner 

or who expect to be 

respected

Keys to 

working 

with

Consider their feelings

Follow rules well 

but want to know 

procedures

Like the 

personal touch

Tend to be 

conservative in 

workplace

Tend to be frustrated 

by what they see as 

a lack of discipline, 

respect, logic, and 

structure especially 

if the workplace is 

more relaxed or 

spontaneous

Think that work 

is not supposed 

to be fun

Are motivated by 

their responsibilities 

to others

Before doing anything, 

need to know why it 

matters, how it fits into 

the big picture, and 

what impacts it will 

have on whom

Careers define 

them; work is 

important to them

Do well in teams

Don’t take 

criticism well

Expect their work and 

themselves to matter

Less likely to offer 

necessary recognition

Need flexibility, attention, and freedom

Respond well to attention and recognition

Silly routines 

are frustrating

Want to hear 

their ideas matter

Allow them to 

have fun at work

Give them the 

latest technology

Give them time 

to pursue other 

interests

Want independence 

in the workplace 

and informality

Expect to be treated 

respectfully; raised to 

feel valued and very 

positive about themselves; see as a sign 

of disrespect any 

requirement to do 

things just because 

this is the way it has 

always been done or 

to pay one’s dues

Grow teams and 

networks with great 

care; develop the 

tools and processes 

to support faster 

response and more 

innovative solutions

Interactive work 

environment

Like a team-oriented 

workplace

Offer structured, 

supportive work 

environment

Pay close attention 

to helping them 

navigate work and 

family issues
59

TRADITIONALISTS BABY BOOMERS GENERATION X MILLENNIALS

Keys to 

working 

with (cont’d)

Were valued youth, 

teens, and young 

adults and expect 

to be valued in the 

workplace

Personalize work and 

also involve in teams

Provide a work 

environment that 

rewards extra effort 

and excellence

Provide engaging experiences that develop 

transferable skills

Provide rational for 

the work you’ve asked 

them to do and the 

value it adds

Provide variety

Take time to learn 

about their personal 

goals

Want to work with 

bright, creative people

Want to work 

with friends

Leadership 

style

Directive

Command 

and control

Hierarchy

Collegial

Consensus/

consensual

Ask why

Challenge others

Competence

Everyone is the same

Achievers

TBD (This group has not 

spent much time in 

the workplace, so this 

characteristic is yet to 

be determined.)

View of 

authority

Respectful Impressed Unimpressed Relaxed

My 

heroes 

are . . .

The unit Kennedys

Martin Luther King Jr.

What’s a hero?

Boss

My grandparents

Boss—if things are right

Themselves

Interactive 

style

Individual Team player

Loves to 

have meetings

Entrepreneur Participative

Technology 

is . . .

Hoover Dam The microwave What you can hold in 

your hand; cell/PDA

Ethereal—intangible

Communications 

media

Rotary phones

One on one

Write a memo

Touch-tone phones

Call me anytime

Cell phones

Call me only at work

Internet

Picture phones

E-mail
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

60

Appendix A. Generational Chart

TRADITIONALISTS BABY BOOMERS GENERATION X MILLENNIALS

CommunicationDeliver your message 

based on the history/

traditions of the 

company and how 

they can fit

Discrete

Don’t waste 

their time

Focus-words 

not body language

Like hand-written 

notes, less e-mail, 

and more personal 

interaction

Memo

Present your story 

in a formal, logical 

manner

Show respect for 

their age/experience 

(address as Mr., Sir, 

or Mrs.)

Slow to warm up

Use formal language 

Use good grammar 

and manners (no 

profanity)

Use inclusive 

language (we, us)

Answer questions 

thoroughly and 

expect to be pressed 

for details

Avoid manipulative/

controlling language

Diplomatic

Emphasize the company’s vision and 

mission and how

 they can fit in

Establish a friendly 

rapport

Get consensus—

include them, or they 

may get offended

In person

Learn what is 

important to them

Like the personal 

touch from managers

Okay to use first 

names

Present options 

(flexibility)

Speak open—

direct style

Use body language 

to communicate

Use e-comms / 

face to face

Avoid buzz words 

and company jargon

Blunt/direct

Don’t micromanage

Emphasize “WIIFM” 

in terms of training 

and skills to build 

their resume

Has the potential 

to bridge the generation gap between 

youngest and oldest 

workers

Immediate

Learn their language 

and speak it

Share info 

immediately 

and often

Talk in short 

sound bites

Tie your message 

to results

Use direct, straightforward approach

Use e-mail as #1 tool

Use informal 

communication style

Use straight talk, 

present facts

Be careful about 

the words you use 

and the way you say 

it (they are not good 

at personal communication because of 

technical ways of 

communicating)

Be humorous; show 

you are human

Be positive

Communicate in 

person if the message 

is very important

Determine your goals 

and aspirations and 

tie message to them

Don’t talk down; 

they will resent it

Polite

Prefer to learn in 

networks and teams 

using multimedia while 

being entertained 

and excited

Show respect through 

language, and they

will respect you

Use action verbs

Use e-mail and 

voicemail as #1 

tools

Use language

to portray visual 

pictures

Use positive, respectful, 

motivational, electronic communication 

style (e.g., cell phones, 

e-mail, IM, and text); 

these are fun
61

TRADITIONALISTS BABY BOOMERS GENERATION X MILLENNIALS

Feedback 

and rewards

Feedback on 

performance as 

they listen

No news is 

good news

Satisfaction is 

a job well done

Want subtle, private 

recognition on an 

individual level 

without fanfare

Appreciate awards 

for their hard work 

and the long hours 

they work

Enjoy public 

recognition

Feel rewarded by 

money and will often 

display all awards, 

certificates, and 

letters of appreciation 

for public view

Give something 

to put on the wall

Like praise

Somewhat more 

interested in soft 

benefits than 

younger generations

Title recognition

Are self-sufficient; 

give them structure 

and some coaching but implement 

a hands-off type of 

supervisory style

Freedom is the 

best reward

Need constructive 

feedback to be 

more effective

Not enamored by 

public recognition

Prefer regular feedback on their work 

but less dependent 

on being told that 

they are good 

people

Somewhat more 

interested in benefits 

than younger 

generations

Want to be 

rewarded with 

time off

Be clear about goals 

and expectations

Communicate 

frequently

Like to be given 

feedback often and 

will ask for it often

Meaningful work

Provide supervision 

and structure

Want recognition 

for their heroes: 

bosses and 

grandparents 

Managers who 

balance these 

frames of reference 

in rewarding workers 

create a more 

valuable experience 

for both the employee 

and worker

Messages 

that 

motivate

“Your experience 

is respected”

“You are valued”

“You are needed”

“Do it your way”

“Forget the rules”

“You will work 

with other bright, 

creative people”

Motivated 

by . . .

Being respected

Security

Being valued, 

needed

Money

Freedom and 

removal of rules

Time off

Working with other 

bright people

Time off

Money is . . . Livelihood Status symbol Means to an end Today’s payoff
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

62

Appendix A. Generational Chart

TRADITIONALISTS BABY BOOMERS GENERATION X MILLENNIALS

Work and 

family life 

balance

“Ne’er the two shall 

meet”

At this point in their 

lives, they are interested in flexible hours 

and are looking to 

create balance in 

their lives after 

working most of it

“Live to work”

No balance

At this point in their 

lives, they are interested in flexible hours 

and looking to create 

balance in their lives; 

they have pushed 

hard, all work and no 

play, and are beginning to wonder if it 

was worth it

“Work to live”

Balance is important; 

they will sacrifice 

balance but only 

occasionally

“Work to live”

Balance is important; 

they will sacrifice 

balance but only 

occasionally

They value their lifestyle 

over upward mobility; 

if presented with a 

work promotion that 

will throw their life out 

of balance, they will 

choose their lifestyle

Mentoring Actions with focus 

on standards and 

norms

Allow the employee 

to set the rules of 

engagement

Ask what has worked 

for them in the past 

and fit your approach 

to that experience

Emphasize that you 

have seen an particular approach work 

in the past; don’t 

highlight uniqueness 

or need for radical 

change

Investment in longterm commitment

Let them define the 

outcome you both 

want

Respect their 

experience

Show support for 

stability, security, 

and community

Support long-term 

commitment

Use testimonials 

from the nation’s 

institutions

Appreciate they 

paid their dues under 

the hierarchical rules

Demonstrate the 

importance of a 

strong team and 

their role

Emphasize that their 

decision is a good one 

and a victory for them

Follow up, check 

in, and ask how the 

individual is doing 

on a regular basis, 

but do not 

micromanage

Need to know they 

are valued

Pre-assess their 

comfort level with 

technology before 

new projects

Show how you 

can help them use 

their time wisely

Stellar career 

important as they 

question “where I 

have been and 

where I am going”

Teach them 

balance: work, 

family, financial, 

etc.

Allow flexibility

Appear to enjoy 

your work

Ask for their input in 

selecting an option

Be more hands off

Be prepared to 

answer “why” often

Encourage a learning 

environment

Encourage creativity 

Follow up and meet 

your commitments; 

they are eager to 

improve and expect 

you to follow through 

with information

Get them involved

Listen and learn!

May need help in 

taking responsibility 

for full process 

completion and in 

appreciating how 

their input affects 

the whole

Allow options, including 

working from home 

and flex time

Be flexible

Be impressed with 

their decisions

Challenge them

Encouragement 

to explore new 

avenues through 

breaking the rules

Establish mentoring 

programs

Goals—in steps 

and actions

Honor their optimism 

and welcome and 

nurture them

Offer customization—

a plan specific to 

them

Offer peer-level 

examples

Raise the bar on self 

as they have high 

expectations

Respect them

Spend time providing 

information and 

guidance
63

TRADITIONALISTS BABY BOOMERS GENERATION X MILLENNIALS

Mentoring 

(cont’d)

Need their managers 

to appreciate that 

they have a life and 

can be more efficient 

one task at a time; 

they will leave in a 

second if a better 

deal comes along

Offer a casual work 

environment and 

lighten up

Offer variety 

and stimulation

Present yourself 

as an information 

provider, not boss

Provide learning 

and development 

opportunities

Provide situations 

to try new things

They work with you, 

not for you

Use their peers 

as testimonials

Career 

development

Not really an option 

for the traditionalists; 

taught to keep their 

nose to the grindstone; ultimate goal 

was simply to move 

up within the organization but realized 

this happened only 

to a few

Focus on developing 

their careers through 

opportunities within 

one organization or 

at least one industry; 

moved up based 

on seniority and not 

always on skill and 

expertise

Take a proactive 

approach to career 

development through 

more degrees and 

experiences both with

in the organization 

and without; this is 

often seen as being 

dis-loyal to the company, but Gen Xers 

see it as being loyal 

to themselves

Millennials will enter 

the work force with 

more experiences than 

any generation before 

them; they will continue to seek this through 

requests for more experiences and opportunities; if they don’t get it 

at their work, they will 

seek it elsewhere

Training 

and development

Training should 

contribute to the 

organization’s goals

Training is a contribution to the organization’s goals but is 

also a path to promotion and additional 

compensation

Training enhances 

their versatility in the 

marketplace and 

investment in their 

future; not necessarily 

loyal to the company 

who trained them

Willing and eager to 

take risks; don’t mind 

making mistakes—

they consider this a 

learning opportunity
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

64

Appendix A. Generational Chart

TRADITIONALISTS BABY BOOMERS GENERATION X MILLENNIALS

Retirement Put in 30 years, retire, 

and live off pension/

savings

If I retire, who am I?

I haven’t saved 

any money, so I 

need to work, at 

least part time 

I’ve been downsized 

so I need to work, 

at least part time

I may retire early; I’ve 

saved my money

I may want different 

experiences and may 

change careers

I may want to take 

a sabbatical to 

develop myself

Jury is still out but 

will probably be 

similar to Gen Xers

Fundraising 

tips

Have one-on-one 

meetings and ask 

their advice

No e-mail fundraising 

here; the more 

personal, the better

Offer them conservative planned giving 

and financial management tools

Older generations 

(including boomers) 

may be more interested in planned giving 

and financial management tools

Respond better to 

traditional solicitation 

strategies like personal 

letters and face-toface meetings

Appeal to 

their idealism

Could your agency 

be where they spend 

their “third age”?

Get them involved; 

allow them to find 

self-fulfillment through 

work with your 

organization

Offer them more 

aggressive planned 

giving and financial 

management tools

Put them out front 

and in the spotlight

Allow them to work 

independently for 

your agency and 

on their own terms—

can’t stand infinite 

committee meetings

Creative use of new 

technologies

Lone ranger 

philanthropy and 

volunteerism

Messages can be 

delivered by technology but need to 

be short and to the 

point

Social 

entrepreneurs—

“micro-loans”

Understand their 

primary focus is 

their family

Use humor 

in appeals

Younger generations 

have shorter attention 

spans; the trick is to 

engage them quickly 

(often with humor), 

let them see how 

they can make a 

difference, and 

connect things they 

care about like their 

families and 

environment

“Mid-century 

modern” is cool 

again

Act fast on their 

interest, or you will 

lose them

Link your cause 

to sustainability

Put them in charge 

of using technologies 

for appeals; no long 

appeal letters

Use them for focus 

groups; ask their 

opinions

Utilize their networks; 

have them plan events 

that interest them

Source: Reproduced and adapted with permission from Allen n.d.
65

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Resources

The Badge of Life

http://www.badgeoflife.com/

This website provides training on suicide awareness and prevention and support resources.

Below 100

www.Below100.com

This initiative aims to reduce the number of line-of-duty deaths to below 100, a number not 

seen since 1944. This website offers training and educational resources with a focus on the 

basic tenets of safety. 

California Commission on Police Officer Standards and Training

http://www.post.ca.gov/safedriving.aspx

This site provides material supporting the California POST’s SAFE Driving Campaign (Situation-Appropriate, Focused, and Educated).

In Harm’s Way: Law Enforcement Officer Suicide Prevention Toolkit

http://cop.spcollege.edu/INHARMSWAYResourceOnline/StartHere.pdf

This toolkit, which focused on suicide prevention, was developed for and distributed to all 

Florida law enforcement agencies in 2007. 

National Police Suicide Foundation 

http://www.psf.org/

This website offers training on suicide awareness and prevention and support services.

The National Prevention Toolkit on Officer-Involved Domestic Violence

http://nationaltoolkit.csw.fsu.edu/

This toolkit was developed as a project of the Law Enforcement Families Partnership at the 

Institute for Family Violence Studies within Florida State University’s College of Social Work. It 

includes training and informational resources. 
Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One

70

Resources

Officer Safety and Wellness Group

http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/Default.asp?Item=2603

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Policing Services, this 

web page includes research and recommendations developed as part of the Officer Safety 

and Wellness Group initiative. 

Police One

http://www.policeone.com/

This site provides a variety of articles, training, and educational resources addressing officer 

safety and wellness topics.

SafeShield Initiative

http://www.theiacp.org/SafeShield-Project

The IACP Division of State Associations of Chiefs of Police (SACOP) created the SafeShield 

initiative. Dedicated to protecting the nation’s law enforcement officers, SafeShield’s organizing philosophy is that law enforcement leaders cannot accept the proposition that accidents 

or injuries are a reality of the law enforcement profession. The only acceptable belief is zero 

officers killed or injured. 

VALOR

https://www.valorforblue.org/Home

This website is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s focus on officer safety. It provides training and resources in support of officer safety initiatives.
71

About the Major Cities 

Chiefs Association

The Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) is a professional association of chiefs and sheriffs representing the largest cities in the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom. MCCA 

membership is comprised of chiefs and sheriffs of the 66 largest law enforcement agencies in 

the United States, nine in Canada, and one in the United Kingdom. Taken together, they serve 

82.5 million people (69.5 U.S., 10.5 Canada, and 2.5 UK) with a sworn workforce of 190,402 

(161,664 U.S.; 20,506 Canada; 8,232 UK) and non-sworn personnel. 

The MCCA was formed in 1949 to provide a forum for executives to share ideas, experiences, and strategies for addressing the challenges of policing large urban communities. While 

the forum remains a primary purpose, as the MCCA has grown, its purpose has expanded 

to include 

 influencing national public policy on law enforcement matters;

 enhancing the development of current and future leaders;

 encouraging and sponsoring research.

The MCCA’s U.S. members are very active in advisory roles to the U.S. Departments of 

Justice, Homeland Security, and Defense and are frequently invited to testify before Congress. 

The Canadian and UK members serve in similar roles in their countries.
72

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, territory, and tribal law enforcement agencies through information and grant resources. 

Community policing is a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies that support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques, to proactively address the immediate 

conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime. 

Rather than simply responding to crimes once they have been committed, community policing 

concentrates on preventing crime and eliminating the atmosphere of fear it creates. Earning the 

trust of the community and making those individuals stakeholders in their own safety enables law 

enforcement to better understand and address both the needs of the community and the factors 

that contribute to crime.

The COPS Office awards grants to state, local, territory, and tribal law enforcement agencies to 

hire and train community policing professionals, acquire and deploy cutting-edge crime fighting 

technologies, and develop and test innovative policing strategies. COPS Office funding also provides 

training and technical assistance to community members and local government leaders and all levels of law enforcement. The COPS Office has produced and compiled a broad range of information 

resources that can help law enforcement better address specific crime and operational issues, and 

help community leaders better understand how to work cooperatively with their law enforcement 

agency to reduce crime.

 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 approximately 125,000 additional officers to more than 

13,000 of the nation’s 18,000 law enforcement agencies across the country in small and large 

jurisdictions alike.

 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 8.57 million topic-specific publications, 

training curricula, white papers, and resource CDs. 

COPS Office resources, covering a wide breadth of community policing topics—from school and 

campus safety to gang violence—are available, at no cost, through its online Resource Center at 

www.cops.usdoj.gov. This easy-to-navigate website is also the grant application portal, providing 

access to online application forms. 

Making Officer Safety and Wellness Priority One: A Guide to Educational Campaigns provides law enforcement agencies 

with an informative process in developing and implementing effective campaign strategies to create a culture of 

officer safety and wellness. This guide offers a fresh perspective on targeting the best messaging and branding 

approaches that will engage all members in the police department. It describes in detail what to consider in terms 

of delivery and messaging, such as generation, age, and gender, and how to tailor the campaign to meet the needs 

of the audience. To be more specific, this publication discusses identifying safety and wellness issues, establishing 

campaign goals and objectives, outlining strategies, and developing educational campaigns for varying budgets and 

resources. This guide is a must-read for all ranks who are the leaders for creating a culture of safety and wellness 

through education and commitment. 

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services

145 N Street NE

Washington, DC 20530

To obtain details about COPS Office programs, 

call the COPS Office Response Center at 800-421-6770.

Visit the COPS Office online at www.cops.usdoj.gov.

Major City Chiefs Association

Visit the Major City Chiefs Association 

online at www.majorcitieschiefs.com.

ISBN: 978-1-932582-95-6

Published 2014

e06143649