The Officer Robert Wilson III Preventing Violence Against Law Enforcement Officers and Ensuring Officer Resilience and Survivability (VALOR) Initiative is an effort to improve the immediate and long-term safety, wellness, and resilience of our nation’s law enforcement officers. Through a multifaceted approach that includes delivering no-cost training (professional education), conducting research, developing and providing resources, and establishing partnerships that benefit law enforcement officers, the VALOR Initiative seeks to provide our law enforcement with innovative, useful, and valuable resources and skills.
VALOR continuously evolves to confront the many complex issues, concerns, and trends that law enforcement officers face and to integrate the latest research and practices to address all aspects of officer safety, wellness, resilience, and performance. The nature of all of these critical ongoing issues are ever-changing; many times, being driven by local, state, and national events. This can have a direct effect on an officer's ability to prevent or survive the rigorous challenges and threats that she or he may face in the line of duty.
The Department of Justice and the Bureau of Justice Assistance are dedicated to helping our law enforcement officers and the communities they serve stay safe and well. Because officer safety and community safety are intrinsically bound, requiring a strong and positive partnership, the VALOR Initiative provides a comprehensive approach to addressing law enforcement officers' needs and to building those strong and positive partnerships with the communities they serve.
See the October 2023 issue of Justice Matters, which focused on officer safety and wellness.
The VALOR Initiative supports our law enforcement through its programs that address the following topics:
VALOR Officer Safety and Wellness Program (VALOR Program)
Dedicated to officer safety and wellness, the VALOR Program is a comprehensive effort that includes in-person and virtual training, dynamic resources, and customized assistance for law enforcement officers and their agencies. The goal of the program is to provide law enforcement personnel with the necessary tools to return home safe and well after every shift. The VALOR Program offers training and resources for every level of law enforcement—from agency executives to mid-level supervisors and line officers.
In addition to its extensive suite of training offerings, VALOR’s newest training, Safer Together, emphasizes and strengthens the link between officer safety and wellness, community trust, and crime reduction by offering trainings that provide practical strategies that officers can employ during most encounters to minimize the impact of stress and connect with their community members. Officers who adopt the skills that they learn from Safer Together trainings are not only helping themselves but are also helping to build trust and promote a healthier community climate, which means less stress and less danger for everyone.
Law Enforcement Agency and Officer Resilience Training Program
This training and technical assistance program delivers a variety of in-person and virtual resilience trainings and resources to law enforcement. The goal is to build more resilient officers and agencies by enhancing knowledge and skills in resiliency to help officers overcome adversity and challenges, manage stress, maintain peak performance, and thrive in their personal and professional lives.
National Suicide Awareness for Law Enforcement Officers (SAFLEO) Program
The mission of the SAFLEO Program is to educate law enforcement officers and agencies to better understand the causes of suicide. To achieve this mission, SAFLEO offers in-person and virtual training, tailored assistance, and innovative resources that are founded upon evidence-based learning strategies and the latest in suicidology and mental wellness research. By normalizing help-seeking in the law enforcement profession, SAFLEO encourages officers and their colleagues and families to have courageous conversations about mental health and to collaborate effectively to prevent law enforcement suicides.
National Consortium on Preventing Law Enforcement Suicide
This Consortium convenes a group of experts including researchers, sworn officers, academia, and mental health professionals to address law enforcement suicide. The Consortium has developed several resources for agencies and officers including awareness and prevention tools and recommendations on how to address and message about mental wellness and suicide.
National Law Enforcement Roadway Safety Program
This program provides a suite of no-cost training, technical assistance, and resources to local, state, and tribal law enforcement agencies with the goal of preventing officer injuries and fatalities on the nation’s roadways from officer-involved collisions and struck-by incidents.
Project L.E. Aware
This program developed the Nobility of Policing video and poster series and an online course on compassion fatigue.
Analytics to Improve Officer Safety Program
This program developed practical, actionable risk-reduction strategies for officers responding to calls for service. Products developed include issues briefs on the use of predictive analytics in policing and risks to officer safety; officer safety and wellness bulletins on trainee health and collection and use of officer injury data; and an in-depth report on the work and life stressors of law enforcement personnel.
My Voice. Our Community
My Voice. Our Community. is a nationwide messaging, education, and community engagement campaign focused on community violence reduction. The customizable toolkit provides agencies and other key stakeholders with the tools they need, including customizable public service announcements, to partner with community groups and involve community members, inspire action, and strengthen community connections with the ultimate goal of reduced crime. The campaign was first adopted in Knoxville, TN – watch the video on the web page to learn more about their success!