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Police Officer Safety in Jeopardy
Since last October, 163 officers have been killed in the line of duty nationwide, with more than a third of them killed by gunfire. Attorney General Eric Holder yesterday unveiled the Preventing Violence Against Law Enforcement and Ensuring Officer Resilience and Survivability (VALOR) initiative, a nationwide training and technical assistance program aimed at reducing and preventing law enforcement officer line of duty injuries and deaths.
The VALOR initiative was created to train officers in techniques for approaching violence encounters. A key aspect of the VALOR training will include how to anticipate and survive a violent encounter, with training based on the ‘The Deadly Mix’ framework (officer, offender, and circumstances that brought them together).
Under the VALOR initiative, the government allocated $800,000 for the initial development of a nationwide training and technical assistance program. The program will also include training on how to identify concealed weapons and armed gunmen, and be trained for high-risk tactical situations that may involve active shooters or hostages.
Attorney General Holder said, ‘These losses of mothers and fathers, spouses and siblings, children and colleagues represent an alarming increase in police officer fatalities. The Justice Department is committed to turning back this rising tide; to meeting increased violence with renewed vigilance; and to doing everything within our power – and using every tool at our disposal – to keep law enforcement officers safe.’
In addition to the VALOR initiative grant, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) awarded $467,312 to the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) to launch the Center for the Prevention of Violence Against the Police. The center will serve as a clearinghouse for information and analysis about injury and violence against law enforcement officers.
The Justice Department has committed more than $40 million for officer safety programs in Fiscal Year 2010. This includes more than $30 million to reimburse law enforcement agencies for the purchase of body armor, respond to line of duty deaths, enhance deconfliction efforts and boost technology development.
Attorney General Holder also announced the expansion of the Smart Policing program to six new sites, bringing the total number of participating agencies to 16. The Smart Policing program focuses on evidence-based practices that target a specific crime problem that can be replicated by law enforcement agencies across the country.
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Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons|Crime Prevention
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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