NCJ Number
237340
Date Published
October 2011
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This paper discusses the objectives and content of the Officer Safety Toolkit, which was developed by agencies of the U.S. Justice Department in order to provide a comprehensive officer safety portfolio for quality training, technical assistance, and resources to State, local, and tribal governments in their efforts to promote officer safety.
Abstract
The toolkit has five objectives. One objective is to prevent violent encounters between officers and citizens as well as prepare officers to survive such attacks when they occur. A second objective is to share critical information to officers that will improve their awareness of any situation they may encounter, along with the most appropriate responses to critical events. A third objective is to identify potential danger and protect officers from injury. A fourth objective is to reduce overall violence in the communities officers serve. A fifth objective is to prepare law enforcement agencies to support their officers and their families should a tragic event occur. Since its release, approximately 5,000 print or electronic copies of the toolkit have been distributed nationwide. Annotated listings of online resources are provided for the following topics: preventing, surviving, and responding to violent encounters; shielding officers from injury; reducing overall violence in communities; and supporting officers, their survivors, and agencies.