Law enforcement involves a wide array of medical concerns affecting both officers and the individuals they encounter. When these concerns arise, police chiefs often seek advice from departmental lawyers or rely on fire department paramedics to handle the situation. A police chief who seeks medical advice from a departmental lawyer may be advised on the legal and liability issues of providing or withholding treatment, but will not learn how to equip their officers to provide care, and fire department paramedics may not be able to rush in if the patient is threatening the scene’s safety.

Therefore, the outcome of a medical situation will often be in the hands of the primary first responder—the officer on scene, who may not be properly trained and equipped to successfully manage a medical emergency. One of the goals of the IACP Police Physicians Section is to make sure officers are trained and equipped to successfully manage the medical emergencies they may face on duty.