Below 100 trainers have worked selflessly and tirelessly to make an impact—and it's worked. Last year we saw the lowest level of line-of-duty deaths in more than 50 years, demonstrating that we really can change culture with a commonsense approach.
In addition to reducing LODDs, there has been the added benefit of reduced injuries, fewer crashes and lowered liability exposure for departments. After instituting Below 100 training, one organization dramatically changed their risk profile, actually driving down their 
at-fault crashes to a record low. (See the story of Yolo County, Calif., Sheriff in last month's issue or go to LawOfficer.com and keyword search "Yolo.") Below 100 is helping reduce risk to officers—and citizens—all over the country, and this is a game changer for our profession.
Dale Stockton and I submitted a proposal to the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) to present at the upcoming IACP Law Enforcement Information Management Conference. Our presentation, entitled Improving Officer Safety with Existing Technology, was approved and we will be co-presenting at the 38th Annual IACP LEIM Conference & Technology Exposition in Atlanta on May 22.
Following is a brief preview of what thst audience will hear. I challenge you to take a look and see where you can make simple and cost-effective changes that will save lives.
Technology
In-car cameras have been helping law enforcement improve officer safety for more than 20 years now. They've been used on countless occasions to help officers tell the story of what happened on a specific incident, and protect the officer from false allegations. At times they've documented the tragic loss of an officer's life. Over the past few years, many camera manufacturers have added features to their systems that can help improve officer safety through accountability—but only if the department uses the features available.
Most camera systems allow you to set a speed at which the camera automatically starts recording and many systems automatically generate a record/report of when this occurs. Many have a default speed setting as high as 100 mph. For most jurisdictions, it should be lower; possibly much lower. It depends on your operational environment but consider what's reasonable and dial in accordingly.
It's critical that someone within the organization regularly review the speed activations. Many, perhaps even the majority, may be legitimate. But you'll find times when they aren't. This is a constructive learning opportunity and a great way to both improve officer safety and reduce liability exposure for the organization. The reviews should be done by a supervisor who can address frequent offenders appropriately and recognize those who drive safely.
Most systems turn on the audio when the unit starts to record, so make the most of this feature and require officers who are running hot to verbally document their clearance of intersections. Failing to properly clear intersections kills or seriously injures dozens of officers and citizens every year. A simple statement documented on an in-car system—such as, "Clear left, clear right," as the officer checks for oncoming traffic—provides both safe practice and documentation of the effort. It also becomes a practice that becomes the norm during the stress of a pursuit or emergency response.
Body-worn cameras are new to the law enforcement market and quickly gaining popularity. Officers who once swore at the cameras are now swearing by them. Although not a replacement for in-car cameras, the body-worn systems give a picture similar to what the officer sees during any given situation and help protect everyone involved. Again, review of video is key to improving performance. Supervisors should check recordings periodically and work with officers to identify areas of improvement. Here's the key: The priority should always be on improving officer safety and not on imposing discipline. Don't forget to recognize really good performance because what gets recognized gets repeated.
Training
When I think about the broad definition of the fourth tenet of Below 100—WIN: What's Important Now?—I'm reminded of the countless mistakes that have been made over the years that have taken way too many lives, caused serious injuries and cost many officers their careers. Just take a look at the Officer Down Memorial Page (www.ODMP.org), and you'll find several examples of officers who were killed during training sessions or blue-on-blue shootings. These are absolutely preventable and the losses and damage extend far beyond the life of the fallen officer. Some who have been involved in these situations have lost their jobs and even been criminally prosecuted. We can change this!
Reality-based training (RBT) is one way to improve the decision-making skills of officers. Several of our trainers recently spent time with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) to go through their RBT Program. LVMPD recognized the need to institute a reality-based training program and has become a leader in using real-life situations that have gone bad to train others, thus helping ensure that deadly mistakes are not repeated. It works.
Conclusion
Our profession has changed more in the past 20 years than at any other time in the history of our nation. The changes that have taken place in the last three years as a result of Below 100 efforts have helped shift our culture to one that is embracing common-sense officer safety. The improvement is undeniable and officers are alive today because of changes that have taken place. There's still work to be done. Are you willing to help change the culture of law enforcement? Come join the discussion in Atlanta!
