We have identified five key tenets by which we can improve officer safety—areas where we can make a difference. Below 100 isn’t about statistics. It’s about each and every officer, trainer and supervisor taking individual and collective responsibility for the decisions and actions that contribute to safety.
For those in a leadership position, Below 100 means supporting a culture of safety throughout your department. Make doing the right thing so ingrained in your personnel that it becomes the norm and not the exception. Just as importantly, hold accountable those who stray outside what should be common sense. Often, a private word with a misguided officer is all it takes to correct his or her misperception. Law Officer Magazine is committed to providing you the tools and resources you need to make a culture of safety thrive throughout your department.
Finally, Below 100 is a challenge that recognizes each officer death as a tragedy. It’s our duty to face down death and protect the innocent when called to do so. It’s a fact: Good cops will die each year. But working together—and only by working together—we can keep our streets and ourselves safer.