FBINAA JANFEB MAG.2019

Q & A

F B I N A A . O R G | J A N / F E B 2 0 1 9

RESPONSES BY ROY BETHGE/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JOHN BENNETT/CORE TRAINER, BOARD SECRETARY

What is Below 100 and its mission and vision?

What are the leading indicators that show you how safe agencies are, and where do you see room for improvement?

Below 100 is an officer-safety not-for-profit training organization built around the mission of reducing line-of-duty deaths (LODDs) to less than one hundred per year. The last time this occurred was 1943. To be clear, no line-of-duty death is acceptable. Our goal of less than 100 is merely a starting point and, we believe, an achievable goal. We believe that by focusing on reducing LODDs through training we will also have a dramatic impact on reducing preventable injuries to the men and women serv- ing our communities.

Generally, rates of officer injuries and motor vehicle crashes are a good indicator of where an agency is at with regard to safety, but that can be a rather basic view as agency culture, morale and working environment play key roles as well. Agency crash rates, particularly at-fault accidents and financial settlement numbers are good indicators as well.

What is the philosophy behind the 5 Tenets?

Below 100 developed our 5 core officer safety tenets by examining LODDs and their main causes. In fact, if each LODD is examined through the "lens" of our core tenets, it is often the case where one, if not several, of the tenets were violated. Our philosophy evolves around the tenets -five 'simple' but not 'easy' tenets - being a template against which officers can judge how they conduct themselves in their day-to-day activities. These tenets are simple in that they lack complexity, but not necessarily easy because they require significant effort. For example, as simple as it may be to put a seat belt on, it may not be an easy task for some who have developed the habit of not wearing it through the years. We generally have two types of training courses available. The first is what we call our “Intensive” which is the line-level main course. We also have more than 20 “Core Trainers” who provide train-the-trainer courses to equip others to deliver this life saving training. In the past few years we have added some “Best Practices Symposiums” which explore ways agencies have used Below 100 to reduce inju- ries and line-of-duty deaths. This year we plan to host our first ever Below 100 Conference to bring stakeholders together and find innovative solutions in officer safety training and technology. We’re excited to be working with Below 100 to jointly reduce the line of duty deaths to below 100. How to you see Below 100 and the FBINAA collaborating together in the future? The FBINAA represents many of the top decision makers in law enforcement agen- cies around the nation. Through our partnership we hope to have a greater influ- ence in getting our message out. The FBINAA also adds credibility to Below 100 and our programs while expanding our reach. In addition, this partnership pro- vides a venue for problem solvers and change agents to come together as we work toward making law enforcement officers safer. What type of events to you host throughout the year?

Do you feel that officer resiliency, safety and wellness is a core value in most agencies? If not, why not?

While we do believe that most agencies have a strong focus on these areas, as a profession we are largely failing our officers who have taken an oath to protect and serve. Looking at the data we know that police officer suicide, mental health issues and officer injuries continue to plague our profession. We can and must do more.

What are the biggest obstacles agencies face regarding building a culture of officer resiliency, safety and wellness?

Police officers tend to dislike two things: change, and the way things are. Although a light-hearted way of explaining it, there is a serious undertone in that assess- ment as cultures in law enforcement are very slow to change. This is evident in the LODD trends year after year as we are dying in many of the same ways, year after year. For example, the two leading causes of LODDs most years are motor-vehicle related crashes and felonious gunfire. Albert Einstein defined insanity as quite simply, doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. When you look at LE LODDs and the two annual leading causes in the context of this definition, it certainly seems to fit. In this sense, the biggest obstacle seems to be our unwillingness or inability to change our mindset and conduct with regard to preventable deaths.

How do you instill a sense of urgency in getting the line of duty deaths to below 100 each year and how do you maintain it on an ongoing basis?

One of the things that makes Below 100 training so impactful is that the program was designed and is presented to hit officers at the emotional level. We do that not only by our delivery of the material, but by imploring and (hopefully) inspiring officers to realize the impact that even one death has on the stakeholders in that officer's life; to get officers to realize that their life doesn't just belong to them, but to their family, friends, colleagues and members of the community in which they serve as well. We examine the ripple effect that a LODD death has had on those in the lives of the officers who made the ultimate sacrifice.

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