|
Hazards on the Job. Every day, officers
risk death and serious injury as a result of criminal assault.
What is not well known is that accidents on the job produce
almost as many officer fatalities and injuries as those at
the hands of criminals.
Each year over 150 police officers die in the United States.
One third of these officers are killed in vehicle accidents,
a third are killed by firearms and a third are killed in other
activities. In the past two years, three officers have died
after being shot with live ammunition during scenario-based
training. These deaths are preventable!
Two global organizations, long committed to protecting the
lives of law-enforcement officers, have joined forces in a
campaign to help improve officer safety. The Law Enforcement
Safety Foundation (LESF), formerly The National Tactical Officers
Foundation, and Spectra Technologies, a Honeywell business,
have launched "Safe Today, Alive Tomorrow." This officer-safety
awareness program is dedicated to preventing job-related accidents
and helping officers cope with the devastating effects of
loss and trauma.
Safety Policy and Procedures. One of the leading causes of
injury and death during police officer training is the failure
to conduct safety briefings and follow sound safety procedures.
This program will provide sample Safety Policy and Procedures
in areas where most officer accidents occur.
Safety Videos. The "Safe Today, Alive Tomorrow" program makes
its debut with a video series that gives officers insight
into safety tactics and the awareness of key danger zones.
The three, five-minute videos draw attention to preventing
mistakes in the areas where most officer deaths and injuries
occur, improving firearms training and avoiding automobile
accidents. The LESF is making the videos available to all
interested law-enforcement agencies.
|
