WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all recognize that law enforcement officers, in the course of discharging their daily responsibilities, must deal with a new generation of alternative-powered vehicles, including hybrid and electric vehicles; and

WHEREAS, according to the U.S. DOE, more than one million alternative-powered vehicles are projected to be on America's roadways by 2015, and these vehicles increasingly will proliferate on roadways worldwide; and

WHEREAS, hybrid and electric vehicles involved in crashes represent significant safety risks not encountered in those operated by traditional internal combustion engines, for example, they can move unexpectedly, involve high voltage and hazardous chemicals, and have re-ignited days after crashing and burning; and

WHEREAS, law enforcement officers who respond to emergency incidents involving alternative-powered vehicles should be provided with specific knowledge to assess the risks and with protective measures for both public and officer safety; and

WHEREAS, NFPA—in cooperation with DOE, NHTSA, and IACP—has developed a model training program for law enforcement officers to assist them in safely performing their duties; and

WHEREAS, the "Electric Vehicle Safety Training for Law Enforcement" course was designed with officer safety in mind to educate law enforcement officers in the risks relative to electrically-powered and hybrid vehicles; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the IACP, duly assembled at its 119th Annual Conference in San Diego, California, supports the safe and effective deployment of law enforcement personnel to incidents involving hybrid and electric vehicles and urges law enforcement agencies to provide training to officers via the "Electric Vehicle Safety Training for Law Enforcement" or similar courses.

Submitted by: Highway Safety Committee
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