In Focus: Law Enforcement

Police work is tough, stressful, and dangerous. Officers are put in dangerous situations every day, whether arresting an armed suspect, responding to a domestic violence call, chasing a wanted felon, or running into a burning building to evacuate residents.

When considering officer wellness and safety, it’s important to go beyond the immediate dangers in the field and recognize the stress and psychological strain police work can cause.

For law enforcement to be effective in this difficult and dangerous field, building trust and mutual respect between police officers and their communities is essential. With support from OJP, efforts such as the National Initiative for Building Community Trust and Justice and the Youth Focused Policing Resource Center are designed to improve relationships and increase trust between communities and justice personnel.

Additionally, through research and a variety of programs such as the Bulletproof Vest Partnership/Body Armor Safety Initiative, the NIJ Standards and Testing Program, and BJA's VALOR Initiative, OJP is working to provide critical safety information and resources to law enforcement personnel.

During National Police Week (May 14-20, 2017), access the Law Enforcement Resources Special Feature for topical information and access to OJP and other federal resources.

Access the Law Enforcement Resources Special Feature

Publications

Defusing Difficult Encounters

High-Priority Information Technology Needs for Law Enforcement

Personal Armor Fit Assessment

The Vicarious Trauma Toolkit

More Publications

Related Resources

BJS: Law Enforcement

Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP)/Body Armor Safety Initiative (BASI)

Justice Technology Information Center: Law Enforcement Technology

Looking at the Impact on Policing of Body Worn Cameras

National Body-Worn Camera Toolkit

More Related Resources