Community Oriented Policing Services – Strategic Applications International
Overview: For many law enforcement agencies, risk management is a practice that seeks to identify and mitigate risk for both officers and the public. At stake is the well-being of officers and the public, as well as the integrity of the institutions that protect and serve a community. Law enforcement agencies, in the course of executing their duties, are often liable for any form of misconduct, harm, or violation of rights done to the community. Cities, counties, and municipalities also assume risk as the fiduciary agents of law enforcement agencies for injuries, for failure to execute duties in a responsible and legal manner, or for violation of an officer’s rights or safety.
Risk management is a critical component of budget planning in most medium-sized and large law enforcement organizations. Managing risk requires departments to engage in actuarial predictions that affect budgets and budget planning. Failure to account for civil liability events such as officer misconduct or mishandling of public protests can cost a city or the taxpayers millions of dollars. Every city, town, and municipality is vulnerable to risks associated with providing law enforcement services. One claim in a small jurisdiction could devastate not only the local budget but also public trust.
To stimulate dialogue about risk management partnerships and collaboration, the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, in partnership with Strategic Applications International, convened a forum on December 7, 2016. Attendees included representatives from law enforcement agencies and local governments as well as risk management leaders at the local, state, and national levels. (For the complete list of forum participants, see appendix C.) This report is a summary of the facilitated discussion, preforum interviews with participants, and a literature review.
