Agencies recognized at annual conference during National Police Week
Washington, DC, (May 9, 2021)—For the seventh consecutive year, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is highlighting agency-level achievements in the areas of officer safety and wellness as part of its Destination Zero Program. Established in 2014, the primary objective of the program is to decrease causal factors that injure and kill law enforcement officers as well as recognize agencies that have implemented innovative programs in order to share best practices with the entire law enforcement community. To further foster this goal, agencies with effective programs in the areas of General Officer Safety, Officer Traffic Safety, Officer Wellness, and Comprehensive Officer Safety are asked each year to submit details of their initiatives as part of the National Officer Safety and Wellness Awards, which are presented at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund’s Annual Conference in Washington, DC.
Following a rigorous evaluation process, 12 agency programs were selected as finalists for 2021. A seven-member selection committee, representing nearly every type of law enforcement agency, carefully considered each of the finalists’ programs to determine winners for each category. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial is proud to announce the following 2021 National Officer Safety and Wellness Award winners:
- General Officer Safety: West Carrolton, Ohio, Police Department
- Officer Traffic Safety: Harris County, Texas, Constable Precinct 5
- Officer Wellness: Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina, Police Department
- Comprehensive Officer Safety: Oxford, Alabama, Police Department
“We would like to congratulate our winners for 2021, as well as extend our appreciation to all agencies who participated in the program this year,” said Marcia Ferranto, CEO of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. “Through these collaborative efforts, we hope to more effectively share best practices across agencies to provide more tools for the officers who serve our communities to be safer on the job.”
In addition to the four winning agencies, the following finalists were also acknowledged:
- Fort Smith, Arkansas, Police Department
- Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department
- La Mesa, California, Police Department
- Montgomery, Texas, Police Department
- National Institutes of Health Police Department, Maryland
- Norfolk, Virginia Police Department
- McHenry, Illinois Conservation District Police
- Miami Beach, Florida, Police Department
The National Officer Safety and Wellness Awards are presented annually, and agencies are encouraged to submit details about their successful safety and wellness programs to the Memorial Fund’s Officer Safety & Wellness Initiative, at www.DestinationZero.org.
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About the National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum
Established in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to telling the story of American law enforcement and making it safer for those who serve. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial contains the names of 22,611 officers who have died in the line of duty throughout U.S. history. For more information about the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, visit LawMemorial.org. Authorized by Congress in 2000, the 57,000-square-foot National Law Enforcement Museum at the Motorola Solutions Foundation Building tells the story of American law enforcement by providing visitors a “walk in the shoes” experience along with educational journeys, immersive exhibitions, and insightful programs. The Museum is an initiative of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information on the Law Enforcement Museum, visit LawEnforcementMuseum.org.
Daniel Forde
[email protected]
(601) 664-2010