2020.06.08 Public Safety Commission Packet

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6.1 RECOMMENDATION: The U.S. Department of Justice should enhance and further promote its multi- faceted officer safety and wellness initiative. 6.1.1 ACTION ITEM: Congress should establish and fund a national "Blue Alert" warning system. 6.1.2 ACTION ITEM: The U.S. Department of Justice, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, should establish a task force to study mental health issues unique to officers and recommend tailored treatments. 6.1.3 ACTION ITEM: The Federal Government should support the continuing research into the efficacy of an annual mental health check for officers, as well as fitness, resilience, and nutrition. 6.1.4 ACTION ITEM: Pension plans should recognize fitness for duty examinations as definitive evidence of valid duty or non -duty related disability. 6.1.5 ACTION ITEM: Public Safety Officer Benefits (PSOB) should be provided to survivors of officers killed while working, regardless of whether the officer used safety equipment (seatbelt or anti -ballistic vest) or if officer death was the result of suicide attributed to a current diagnosis of duty -related mental illness, including but not limited to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 6.2 RECOMMENDATION: Law enforcement agencies should promote safety and wellness at every level of the organization. 6.2.1 ACTION ITEM: Though the Federal Government can support many of the programs and best practices identified by the U.S. Department of Justice initiative described in RECOMMENDATION 6.1, the ultimate responsibility lies with each agency. 6.3 RECOMMENDATION: The U.S. Department of Justice should encourage and assist departments in the implementation of scientifically supported shift lengths by law enforcement. 6.3.1 ACTION ITEM: The U.S. Department of Justice should fund additional research into the efficacy of limiting the total number of hours an officer should work within a 24 -48-hour period, including special findings on the maximum number of hours an officer should work in a high risk or high stress environment (e.g., public demonstrations or emergency situations). 6.4 RECOMMENDATION: Every law enforcement officer should be provided with individual tactical first aid kits and training as well as anti -ballistic vests. 6.4.1 ACTION ITEM: Congress should authorize funding for the distribution of law enforcement individual tactical first aid kits. 6.4.2 ACTION ITEM: Congress should reauthorize and expand the Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) program. 6.5 RECOMMENDATION: The U.S. Department of Justice should expand efforts to collect and analyze data not only on officer deaths but also on injuries and "near misses."