First of all, thank you for the opportunity to serve you: The members of perhaps the greatest law enforcement leadership association in the world. This past year has been all about what we as police leaders—working together with the IACP Board of Officers, the Executive Committee, and our extraordinary professional staff—could do to enhance and improve the availability of policing best practices, training, information, programs, and services around the world. During the past 11 months, our IACP staff, working with a number of IACP committees, has produced some incredibly promising work that will without a doubt have far-reaching positive outcomes for police administrators for many years to come.

When I was sworn in as your president in Chicago, Illinois, nearly one year ago, I vowed to you that, during my term, the first priority of the IACP would be to continue a comprehensive reduction strategy regarding violence against police officers. I am proud to say that every issue we have worked on, in every meeting I have attended, and in every relationship fostered, the number one priority continues to be the safety of our officers. In fact, a renewed focus of the association will be to continue this work to ensure that everything we do is looked at in terms of how it will positively affect officer safety. Working with staff, we also have looked at the current efforts on officer safety, wellness, and officer suicide. During this review it became apparent that steps needed to be taken to better coordinate and enhance our efforts in this critical area. To that end, I am pleased to announce the creation of the IACP Center for Officer Safety and Wellness. The center’s mission is to enhance the law enforcement profession’s ability to be well equipped, well trained, and physically and mentally prepared to confront violence and other threats and dangers inherent in policing. The center will be organized around the simple principle that no injury to or death of a law enforcement professional is acceptable.