Officer safety and wellness has always been a priority for the IACP; the organization believes that no injury to or death of a law enforcement professional is acceptable. The strong leadership displayed by the association’s members for the concern and well-being of their officers uniquely positions the IACP to address officer safety and wellness. The IACP is well positioned to provide guidance to law enforcement leadership in protecting their most important asset—their people.

This culture of safety and wellness has led to many projects and initiatives over IACP’s 120-year history, and almost all IACP projects and services have an officer safety and/or wellness component. Recently, several larger efforts have been made to address safety and wellness. In 2009, the IACP conducted a year-long study of officer injuries, with the goal to develop practical resources to assist law enforcement agencies in responding to officer injury vulnerabilities. This led to the establishment of the IACP National Center for the Prevention of Violence Against the Police in 2010. The purpose of this center is to provide guidance to law enforcement agencies on how to prevent felonious assaults.