The Advancing 21st Century Policing Community Report 2017 The Advancing 21st Century Policing Community Repo | Page 15

Advancing 21 st Century Policing: The Arlington Police Department Report to the Community
OFFICER WELLNESS AND SAFETY
Policies require officers to wear seat belts and bullet-
proof vests. Training is provided to raise awareness of
the consequences of failure to do so.
Seat belts save
lives. City
policy requires
all personnel
to wear a seat
belt when
operating a
city vehicle.
Arlington Police Department General Orders require all
personnel to wear seat belts while operating a city
vehicle.
During a two-year period starting in 2015, Arlington
officers were involved in 69 crashes. Of that number, 65
officers were wearing seat belts, which places the
department’s seat belt compliance rate at 94 percent.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, traffic related crashes continue to be a
leading cause of officer deaths over the past 15 years.
Arlington officers and Police Service Assistants are also
issued body armor to wear while on duty and in uniform.
Seat belts and body armor are saving lives.
Additional safety and protection
The Arlington City Council wanted armored vests and
ballistic helmets for every police officer in the field and
in the 2016-17 city operating budget, they authorized
the funding to purchase these items.
Additional safety
and protection for
officers include vest
with ceramic plates
and bullet resistant
head gear.
This additional armor enhances the safety of the men and
women in blue. Officers already wear a vest under their
shirt that can stop most handgun rounds, but that is not
enough to stop ammunition from a high-powered rifle.
The department is seeking to provide high-powered rifle
resistant body armor to officers. The bullet-resistant head
gear is new for most officers.
In September 2016, funds were also earmarked for a
body-worn camera program.
Officers respond safely to a vehicle crash and standoff on Interstate 30.
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