WHEREAS, the Highway Safety Committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) endorses the mission of Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI), a nationwide, non-profit organization dedicated to reducing deaths and injuries at highway-rail grade crossings and along railroad rights-of-way; and

WHEREAS, the IACP at its 99th Convention in 1992 adopted a resolution on trespassing on railroad property and a Railroad Trespassing Enforcement Model Policy; and

WHEREAS, violating highway-rail grade crossing warning signs and signals and/or trespassing upon railroad property are illegal acts that should not be condoned in any way; and

WHEREAS, media coverage of or advertisements depicting persons disregarding crossing warning signs and signals and/or trespassing and illegal train riding has tended to romanticize rather than condemn these acts; and

WHEREAS, the injuries and deaths that result from failing to heed warning signs and signals at highway-rail crossings and/or from trespassing upon railroad property are avoidable; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the IACP Highway Safety Committee reaffirms its safety partnership with Operation Lifesaver, Inc., by 1) promoting educational efforts designed to increase caution at highway-rail grade crossings, and discouraging trespassing upon railroad property; 2) actively assisting railroad police agencies in removing trespassers on railroad property; and 3) discouraging and condemning media coverage or advertisements which are counterproductive to these efforts; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, in the pursuit of the safety goals stated above, that IACP will encourage its members to become involved with OLI as presenters, and to further disseminate OLI's lifesaving messages to school groups, community, business, and civic organizations throughout North America.