AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) and the Law Enforcement Officer

• NCJ Number: 107541
• Author(s): T M Hammett
• Date Published: 1987
• Length: 6 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Type: Training (Aid/Material)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: National Institute of Justice Research in Action Reprinted from NIJ Reports, SNI 206, November-December 1987

Annotation

This article summarizes medical information on AIDS, discusses concerns expressed by police departments, and offers suggestions on how law enforcement agencies can educate and protect their staff.

Abstract

Facts on the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) which causes AIDS, the spectrum of reactions to the virus, and common symptoms are explained. Also examined are tests for AIDS and how the virus is transmitted. Nearly all of the 35 police departments surveyed by the Police Executive Research Forum for this report expressed concerns related to AIDS. Anxiety levels tended to be highest in departments serving jurisdictions with few AIDS cases, suggesting that misinformed fear may be inversely related to actual experience with AIDS victims. The article explores three areas of police anxiety: assaultive behavior, police lockups, and casual contact. It emphasizes the need for effective training programs keyed to specific law enforcement issues and situations and notes that trained officers can exert a positive educational influence in their communities. Legal and labor issues involving AIDS are examined, with attention to officers' obligation to perform their duty, agency responsibility to prevent transmission, and responsibility to prevent transmission in police lockups. Charts summarize statistics on AIDS, appropriate responses to AIDS-related law enforcement contacts, and issues involved in testing policies.