Much of the meeting was focused on the new report from the COPS Office, Understanding Firearms Assaults against Law Enforcement Officers, which was produced by the OSW Group. The report addresses two primary safety concerns in law enforcement – injuries and deaths among officers and premeditated and unprovoked ambushes of officers. It examines the various risks thought to influence the use of deadly force against police officers in the United States.

The report looked at LEOKA data on reported assaults with a firearm against an officer between 2007 and 2011. 1,926 law enforcement agencies reported at least one assault during the five-year period. From among these agencies, there were 1,014 firearms assaults on officers with injuries, 10,149 firearms assaults against officers without injuries, and 148 deaths attributable to firearms assaults against officers.

In reviewing the report, the OSW Group noted that the report is limited in its understanding of the true impact of assaults against law enforcement because there is a lack of data on the assaults that resulted in injury or the attempted assaults where shots were fired, but missed the target. It is important to look at the overall picture of ambushes on officer to fully comprehend where, how and why officers are being targeted.

The OSW Group also discussed whether officer safety and wellness would be improved by departments instituting two person patrol units. NAPO has advocated for such a policy over the past year and has called on the COPS Office to prioritize for funding recipients who will institute a policy of two person units for all patrol shifts and patrol assignments. NAPO believes that federal funds earmarked for state and local police cannot be put to any better use than this immediate and practical way of ensuring greater officer safety and survivability in the face of an escalating war on police.

While putting two officers in each patrol car, on each beat, etc., will not prevent all attacks, as the assassination of Officers Ramos and Liu in New York City makes clear, it will deter many and thwart others that might still be attempted. COPS Office Director Ron Davis, who participated in the OSW Group meeting, stated that he supports doing further research as to the need for two person patrols, but said he could not put it as a requirement for agencies to receive COPS grants.

The OSW Group decided to move forward with supporting further research into the need for two person patrols. It would look at the costs and benefits, the impact on officer safety and psychological wellbeing, and where and in what circumstances two person patrols should be used.

NAPO will continue to participate in the National Officer Safety and Wellness Group and we look forward to seeing the results on the research on two person patrols. Rank and file officers must get the support and resources they need to protect themselves and the communities they serve.

Programs like the Department of Defense’s (DOD) 1033 program and grant programs at the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security have been vital resources in allowing state and local law enforcement to acquire items used in search and rescue operations, disaster response, and active shooter situations that they otherwise would not be able to afford. This equipment has not led to the “militarization” of police, but rather has proven to be essential in protecting communities against violent criminals with increasing access to sophisticated weaponry, IEDs, body armor and sometimes even armored vehicles.

The limitations on military surplus equipment for state and local law enforcement are a result of Executive Order 13688 and the Law Enforcement Equipment Working Group that it created. On October 1, 2015, the recommendations of the Working Group went into effect and the Department of Defense is currently in the process of recalling lifesaving military surplus equipment from state and local law enforcement agencies. Not only are law enforcement across the country now scrambling to fill in the equipment gaps left behind, but they must also develop new training policies and expand their inventory reporting to include equipment previously outside of the Federal purview to ensure that they do not “misapply” the use of such equipment.

Given the unfortunately high number of mass shootings that have occurred in 2015 alone and the fact that state and local law enforcement are the first line of defense, it is improper that the Administration has questioned the appropriateness of state and local agencies acquiring such equipment for the protection of their communities. NAPO worked closely with Senator Toomey on the development of this legislation and we thank him for his leadership on this important issue.

NAPO is working to educate members of Congress on the importance of the 1033 program and similar programs and urging their support for the Lifesaving Gear for Police Act. We will work with Congress to ensure that state and local law enforcement have the resources they need to safely and effectively protect our communities.