Officer Safety Corner: Duty and Passion: A Retiring Chief’s Perspective on SafeShield and IACP Efforts to Promote Safety and Wellness

With the end of a law enforcement career that has spanned over 34 years—including 12 1/2 years as a chief of police—only one month away, there have been countless opportunities to reflect on numerous aspects of law enforcement that matter, but the most important issue that comes to mind is officer safety. As any chief executive will tell you, officers are the most valuable resource in an agency, and their safety is essential. Unfortunately, officer safety is not a tangible object that law enforcement leaders can wrap their arms around—it is a duty to those who serve in their agencies. For some chiefs, this author included, officer safety is more than just a duty; it is a passion.