NSA Traffic Safety Committee Changing the Culture of Safety June 2013 Craig W. Floyd Chairman & CEO National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund
The Big Picture 19,981 Officers on the Memorial Firearms-related deaths: 11,124 (56%) Traffic-related deaths: 5,709 (28%) Other causes: 3,148 (16%) 2
Fatalities at Sheriffs Offices Total on Memorial: 4,021 Firearms-related deaths: 2,516 (63%) Traffic-related deaths: 994 (25%) Automobile: 716 Struck: 168 Motorcycle: 80 Train: 30 Other causes: 511 (13%) 3
2012 Fatalities at Sheriffs Offices 30 fatalities at Sheriffs Offices nationwide Traffic-related: 15 (50%) Firearms-related: 12 (40%) Other: 3 (10%) 4
2013 Additions to Memorial Of the 321 officers added to the Memorial this year: 96 served with Sheriffs Offices (30%) 87 officers were killed in traffic-related incidents (27%) Automobile: 42 Motorcycle: 16 Struck: 21 Train: 8 5
Changing the Culture of Safety
Lessons Learned from Canada 7 Canadian Memorial Service: One officer honored Toronto Model (Chief Bill Blair) 8,000 officers: 1 death in 10 years Guaranteed Arrival Program: reduced traffic crashes by 70% Mandatory seatbelt and vest wear policies Sensors in vehicles checking speed and seatbelt usage In-car cameras: officers know they are monitored Education: what happens in crash with & without seatbelt Officer Safety Committee: meets once a month Move Over/Slow Down Laws: public education campaign
Boca Raton (FL) P.D. Officer Safety & Wellness Program Chief David Alexander Crash-free bonus: $1,200 for no at-fault crashes Mandatory vest wear Internal officer safety webpage Message: People are most valuable resource Wellness and safety are critical to mission Embody, emphasize, and reemphasize principles Stress Below 100 principles 8
Below 100 Principles Watch your speed Wear your seatbelt Hands free policy for use of phones and other devices while vehicles are in motion Make Bluetooth devices available to employees Blank screen technology laptop shuts down when vehicle gets to certain speed 9
Partnership with NHTSA & NSA Partnership with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Member, NSA Traffic Safety Committee (John Shanks) 10 Objective: Reduce the number of traffic-related officer fatalities and injuries
Together We Are Making A Difference!
Law Enforcement Officer Fatalities: 2011 v. 2012 2011 2012 % Change Total Fatalities 169 120-29% Firearms-related 72 49-32% Traffic-related 61 47-23% Other Causes 36 24-33% 12 Lowest in 53 years
Favorable Trends in 2012 120 officers killed Lowest since 1959 47 traffic-related fatalities Lowest since 1991 49 firearms-related fatalities 3 rd lowest in 50 years 13
Traffic-related Fatalities: 1972-2012 90 80 70 60 64 61 50 40 30 43 27% decrease since 1972 23% decrease since 2011 47 20 10 0 1972 1977 1982 1987 1992 1997 2002 2007 2012 14
2013 Traffic-related Fatalities Of the 11 fatalities from sheriff s offices, 5 are traffic-related deaths: Deputy Sheriff Billy Grimsley Portsmouth (VA) Sheriff's Office Corporal Terry Johnson Sebastian County (AR) Sheriff's Office 15 Deputy Sheriff Chad Christian Key Grayson County (TX) Sheriff's Office
2013 Traffic-related Fatalities Deputy Sheriff Douglas Leon Hanna Washita County (OK) Sheriff's Office Master Deputy Sheriff Joseph 'Shane' Robbins Polk County (FL) Sheriff's Office 16
Average Traffic Fatalities Per Decade: 1960s-2000s 2012 47 34% less than decade avg. 2000s 1990s 1980s 1970s 1960s 72 per year 60 per year 65 per year 60 per year 61 per year 17 0 20 40 60 80
Officer Fatalities: 2013 v. 2012 (as of June 18, 2013) 2013 2012 % Change 18 Total Fatalities 49 43 +14% Firearms-related 16 17-6% Traffic-related 18 18 0 Other Causes 15 8 +88% So far in 2013, traffic-related fatalities are the same as this time last year.
Concerns Moving Forward
Impediments to Creating a Culture of Safety Historical rock hard culture Budget cuts Not enough research and cost analysis Elected officials who don t get it FTOs undo what s learned at academy Officers who take the risks become the heroes Too accepting of injuries and deaths ( Bad things happen ) 20
Areas of Focus 21 Seatbelts 42% of officers killed in auto crashes last three decades were not wearing seatbelts In 2012, 10 of 26 officers killed in auto crashes were not wearing seatbelts (38%) Body Armor More than 30% of officers killed in 2010 and 2011 were not wearing body armor In 2012, 44 of 120 officers killed were not wearing body armor (37%) Public Education 49 states have Move Over/Slow Down laws More than 70% of driving public has never heard of law Budget cuts Less training, less equipment, less technology and less manpower puts officers at greater risk not to mention the citizenry! Distracted driving 20% of auto crashes caused by distracted driving
Can the Culture be Changed?
Smoking 1950: more than 50% of Americans smoked cigarettes Today: 20% of Americans smoke cigarettes Smokers in 1950 Smokers in 2012 60% 50% 40% Yes No 80% 60% No 30% 40% 20% 10% 20% Yes 23 0% 0%
Criminal Justice Hawaii s Opportunity Probation with Enforcement (HOPE) Swift, certain and proportionate punishment Offenders who miss a probation appointment or fail a drug test are immediately jailed (for no more than 3-4 days) Participants in HOPE were: 55% less likely to be arrested for a new crime 72% less likely to use drugs 53% less likely to have their probation revoked Served 48% fewer days of incarceration 24
Canada s Lone Fallen Hero Officer Vincent Roy Police de Bromont Québec End of Watch: 12-1-2011 Struck and killed 25
Find us online: For more information: Memorial: NLEOMF.blogspot.com Museum: LawEnforcementMuseum.blogspot.com Craig W. Floyd National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (202) 737-3400 cfloyd@nleomf.org www.lawmemorial.org www.lawenforcementmuseum.org Memorial: www.facebook.com/nleomf Museum: www.facebook.com/lawenforcementmuseum www.twitter.com/nleomf www.youtube.com/user/thenleomf 26