2021
Finalist | General Safety
National Institutes of Health Police Department
State: MD
Resources
National Institutes of Health Police | 2021 General Safety Executive Summary
Overview
The National Institutes of Health Police Department (NIHPD) is the police agency that protects and patrols the nations’ top medical research facility and is adjacent to the Walter Reed Military Hospital. The NIH police have a large campus with several important research facilities that handle infectious diseases, radiation, and biohazards, as research is conducted on a myriad of ailments and diseases. This creates a dynamic and often dangerous environment for the officers who must be prepared for incidents, crimes, and demonstrations at their high security Federal campus. To prepare and equip their officers the NIHPD has taken strong steps to protect and train its officers to respond to any threat they may encounter.
All officers are issued an array of tactical and medical intervention equipment. They carry all the standard equipment that a police officer would normally carry, such as a 9mm side arm, OC spray, soft body armor and expandable baton, but are trained on many tactical scenarios and prepared for immediate medical intervention. All NIH officers are certified in Basic Life Support and carry IFAKs (Individual First Aid Kits).
The officers receive the standard two firearm qualifications each year but have two enhanced firearm training sessions a year, to improve shooting and keep skills up. This includes re-qualifying with their issued patrol rifles. Tied to this, is their new 300-degree firearms MILO training simulator, which uses 4K images of the NIH campus in its scenario-based training.
The officers also received radiation training and response to biohazards and receive Tactical Medical Training. The NIHPD have Civil Disturbance gear to deploy in any protests or demonstrations.
The officers and their vehicles are equipped with bright orange medical bags that carry an array of first aid equipment that can help them address major trauma. They train with full sized life like mannequins and the kits have a variety of interventions such as Phokus Woundcubes, and quick clot bandages.
The NIHPD has a Patrol K-9 section and have training mannequins that simulate injured dogs. This assist officers’ as they practice first aid and stabilizing a traumatic wound to a police K-9.
In an effort to remain nimble and patrol in a more cost-effective way, the NIHPD has purchased new electric Zero-fleet motorcycles. These silent and light weight bikes allow officers to patrol the campus and go in all paved areas as well as across terrain. These motorcycles or E-cycles can carry extra equipment so that it is with the officer as they respond.
The NIHPD has also purchased 4 drones and begun deploying them to support law enforcement operations and to make scene safer by providing intelligence in real time. The agency has partnered with Health and Human Services to improve resources for their officers and provides a free gym membership to all its officers.
