National Police Week

The official dates for National Police Week 2009 are May 10–16. Peace Officer Memorial Day is Friday, May 15, 2009, as established by Public Law 87-726.

Each year during Police Week, police departments hold open houses, conduct tours of their facilities, and hold community activities to celebrate police officers and their duties. On May 15, most local communities hold a memorial service in remembrance of police officers who have made the supreme sacrifice for their communities.

In May, thousands of law enforcement officers, supporters, and survivors of officers killed in the line of duty will travel to Washington, D.C., to take part in the events of National Police Week. Signature events include the 21st Annual Candlelight Vigil at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, starting at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 13, and the Peace Officers Memorial Day Service, starting at 12 noon on Friday, May 15, at the U.S. Capitol.

The National Police Survivors’ Conference, sponsored by Concerns of Police Survivors, will be held on May 14 and 16. Other events and activities for National Police Week 2009 are being finalized by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) and will be announced on the NLEOMF’s National Police Week 2009 Web site (www.nleomf.com).

U.S. Flags at Half-Staff May 15

In 1994, a joint resolution of the U.S. Congress directed that the flag of the United States be flown at half-staff on all government buildings on May 15. Most local communities incorporate a resolution into their municipal code designating days that flags will be flown at half-staff. Once local governments have identified the appropriate days, businesses and others tend to follow suit. Police executives are encouraged to ensure that May 15, National Peace Officers Memorial Day, is observed in their local jurisdictions’ ordinances and to conduct a local campaign to inform businesses of this observance.

Flying the national colors at half-staff on National Peace Officers Memorial Day serves to honor officers who died in service to the community and the country. Unfortunately, many businesses are unaware of this authorization under Public Law 103-322. Local police executives can overcome this lack of awareness with an education effort.

2009 IACP Award Deadlines Approaching

The IACP awards program supports the association’s mission to advance the art and science of policing. Awards recognize outstanding achievement by law enforcement organizations and individuals. Applications for IACP awards undergo rigorous evaluation to ensure that only the most deserving recipients receive recognition.

For several awards, application deadlines are fast approaching. Applications for these awards can be found on the IACP Web site.

Deadline	Award
April 10	IACP/LogIn Excellence in Victim Services Award
April 13	IACP/Motorola Webber Seavey Award for Quality in Law Enforcement
April 15	IACP August Vollmer Excellence in Forensic Science Award
April 17	Civil Rights Award
May 1	Michael Shanahan Award for Excellence in Public/Private Cooperation
May 1	IACP Environmental Crimes Committee Chief Dave Cameron Award
May 11	Vehicle Theft Award of Merit
May 15	J. Stannard Baker Award for Highway Safety
May 15	IACP/SAIC Award for Outstanding Achievement in Law Enforcement Volunteer Programs
May 31	Police Officer of the Year
May 31	Excellence in Police Aviation
June 1	IACP/West Government Services Award for Excellence in Criminal Investigations
July 15	IACP Excellence in Law Enforcement Research Award

Most IACP award applications are available online at www.theiacp.org. Once on the site, visitors should click on “About” and then “Awards.”

IACP Events

The new IACP Web site has a feature that enables all members to keep in touch with IACP events. From the main page at www.theiacp.org, visitors can click on “Conferences” and “Calendar of all events.”

Members can search by the following categories: all, conference, meeting, other, summit, and training. This is a quick and fast way to peruse all of the IACP’s membership events.

Free Training from Center for Domestic Preparedness

The threat of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) facing today’s emergency responders is frighteningly real. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP), a terrorist attack using such weapons is likely by the end of 2013. In addition to criminal events, the potential for accidental chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) hazards also exists. Whether criminal or accidental, these incidents will require a law enforcement response, as law enforcement responders may be the first to secure the scene.

The Law Enforcement Protective Measures (LEPM) and Law Enforcement Response Actions (LERA) courses, offered by the CDP, provide instruction regarding WMD-related topics that include terrorist tactics and targeting, as well as hands-on training designed to show CBRNE-specific response skills.

This training gives responders a hands-on approach to “seeing and doing.” Officers learn the correct way to wear and use lifesaving equipment when responding to hazardous crime scenes—while carrying loaded weapons—including traffic collisions involving dangerous chemicals; serving warrants; and finding laboratories for manufacturing explosives, radiological dispersal devices, dangerous drugs, chemical weapons, or biological weapons. The training here involves protective actions officers must take once a threat has been identified or perceived—whether intentional or accidental.

Located in Anniston, Alabama, the CDP training center offers 39 courses designed for all emergency response disciplines. The CDP features the latest techniques and procedures and some of the best equipment available during training. At the CDP, training for state and local responders is fully funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Round-trip air and ground transportation, lodging, and meals are provided at no cost to responders or their agencies or jurisdictions.

The LEPM and LERA courses are two days combined. But most participants include a third day at the CDP’s toxic agent facility for the WMD Hands-On Training (HOT) course. The Chemical, Ordnance, Biological, and Radiological Training Facility (COBRATF) is the only U.S. training center that affords responders the opportunity to train in a nerve agent environment. The experience enables graduates to effectively prevent, respond to, and recover from incidents involving chemical weapons and other hazardous materials.

To learn more about the CDP, readers can visit http://cdp.dhs.gov or call 866-213-9553.

Terrorists Sought by INTERPOL

INTERPOL has issued an unprecedented global alert for 85 terrorist suspects wanted by Saudi Arabia.

INTERPOL’s General Secretariat headquarters published the global alert in February at the request of INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau (NCB) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 83 Saudis and 2 Yemenis are wanted at the national level by Saudi Arabia on terrorism-related charges, including links to al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia as well as in Iraq and Afghanistan.

General Mansoor Al-Turki, a spokesman for the Saudi Ministry of Interior, said that INTERPOL was asked for assistance because its global police network and tools provided elements essential for locating and detaining fugitives for their eventual extradition to Saudi Arabia. He also urged the suspects to turn themselves in.

“By asking for INTERPOL’s assistance, Saudi Arabia wishes to ensure that all INTERPOL member countries are made aware that these men are dangerous and that their activities represent a security concern not only for Saudi Arabia and the entire region but also for the world as a whole,” said INTERPOL secretary general Ronald K. Noble.

Never before has INTERPOL been asked to alert the world about so many dangerous fugitives at one time. More than 5,000 fugitives wanted by INTERPOL were arrested in 2008. There are currently more than 13,000 persons listed in INTERPOL’s database of individuals linked to terrorist activities. ■

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