NOW ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR THE SIXTH ANNUAL TOP COPS AWARDS

Please find a nomination form enclosed. If you should have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact the NAPO office. The location and date for the Sixth Annual TOP COPS Awards® ceremony will be announced shortly.

NAPO’S NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS’ RIGHTS CENTER BUSY FILING BRIEFS IN SUPPORT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS NATIONWIDE

NAPO’s National Law Enforcement Officers’ Rights Center has been busy filing briefs and lending support through legal advice to law enforcement officers nationwide. Two notable briefs were recently filed with the U.S. Supreme Court.

On November 9, 1999, the Rights Center filed an amicus curiae or "friend of the court" brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of State of Wyoming v. Houghton, which is a case involving the rights of police officers to search containers within a vehicle during traffic stops. The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case on January 12, 1999, and we are awaiting their decision.

An amicus curiae or brief was also filed by the Rights Center with the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of John H. Alden et al. v. State of Maine, which is a case involving the rights of state employees to sue a state under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for compensation for overtime pay.

For a copy of either brief, please do not hesitate to contact the NAPO office at (800) 322-6276. NAPO will inform you of the Supreme Court’s decision upon its release.

As NAPO reported to you earlier, on June 29, 1998 the Rights Center filed an amicus curiae brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of the Knowles v. Iowa. This case involved Fourth Amendment vehicular search and seizure rights. It directly affected the authority of law enforcement officers to protect themselves and the public by conducting a search for weapons whenever they stop a motor vehicle for a traffic violation and issue a citation instead of making an arrest.

NAPO’s brief urged the Court to consider the safety of law enforcement officers during traffic stops and to allow them the right to search a vehicle with probable cause whether the search is incident to arrest or citation.

On December 8, 1998, the Supreme Court ruled against the premise in NAPO’s brief, stating that police cannot be given blanket authority to search people and their cars without consent after ticketing them for traffic violations.

NAPO was disappointed by the Court’s decision, but found it gratifying that the Court did not overturn Iowa’s statute allowing for arrests in lieu of citations for traffic offenses, ensuring officer safety.

Reminder
11^th Annual Public Safety Pension & Benefits Seminar
& Executive Board Meeting
February 21-26, 1999
Harrah’s Casino Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada
(800) 392-9002

You may have received materials from the NAPO office listing different dates for the conclusion of the annual Legal Rights & Legislative Seminar. The correct dates are as follows:

Tuesday, April 27, 1999
Legislative Briefing, Lobbying Day and Congressional Awards Reception

You will be receiving a brochure and registration form shortly. To make hotel reservations now, please call the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill at (800) 492-8832.

POLICE DEATHS REMAIN HIGH DESPITE DROP IN CRIME RATE REPORTS NLEOMF AND COPS

According to figures released this week, there has been another dramatic drop in the nation's crime rate. However, despite this good news, the number of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty does not reflect this substantial reprieve from crime. There were 155 federal, state and local law enforcement fatalities during 1998, compared to 160 during 1997, according to preliminary figures released by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) and the Concerns of Police Survivors Inc. (COPS).

The FBI has reported that crime has been on a steady decline throughout our country since 1992. There was a nearly seven percent decrease in the number of serious crimes reported from 1996 to 1997, which is in stark contrast to the more than 20 percent increase in police deaths experienced during that same period. Just two weeks ago, the FBI announced that the nation's crime rate dropped another five percent during the first half of 1998.

"Our courageous crime fighters appear to be winning the war, but at considerable cost," declared NLEOMF Chairman Craig W. Floyd. "Since crime began its steady downward slide in 1992, more than 1,100 federal, state and local law enforcement officers have lost their lives in the performance of duty. That averages out to 158 police deaths each year, or one officer killed somewhere in America roughly every 54 hours," he reported.

For the fifth straight year, California was the deadliest state in the nation for the law enforcement profession, with 17 police fatalities. California was followed by Florida with 13 line of duty deaths, Texas with eight, and Arkansas, Indiana and Virginia with seven each. The U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico also suffered seven law enforcement fatalities in 1998, and there were 18 federal law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Twelve of the officers killed in 1998 were women, the most ever recorded in a single year. There were five female officers killed in 1997.

Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc. (COPS) has announced that it will be sponsoring National Police Survivors’ Seminars on May 14 and 16, 1999 in Washington, DC, during National Police Week. The seminars will offer de-briefing sessions, general sessions led by professionals familiar with trauma and grief issues and the "C.O.P.S. Kids and Teens" program. Participants are encouraged to seek support in smaller sessions with survivors (widows with other widows, parents with other parents, etc.) during the seminars. For more information, contact Terrie Soper (573) 346-4911.

National Police Week 1999 is May 9 – 15. National Peace Officers Memorial Day is May 15. The Candlelight Vigil sponsored by the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund will take place on May 13 at the Memorial.

On January 12, 1999, the Detroit News reported that the Michigan Court of Appeals reinstated former Detroit Police Officer Walter Budzyn’s four- to 15-year prison sentence for his March 1993 manslaughter conviction in the death of motorist Malice Green. This means that Budzyn may be returned to prison in early February pending a parole board hearing.

You may remember that Detroit Police Officers Larry Nevers and Walter Budzyn were charged criminally after Malice Green, a drug suspect, died after fighting with the officers. The Malice Green case received national media attention, including a profile on the CBS program "60 Minutes."

NAPO’s National Law Enforcement Officers’ Rights Center filed briefs on behalf of the officers during their appeals.

The New Jersey State Department of Labor, in association with the New Jersey State Department of Health, the New Jersey State Safety Council, the New Jersey State Police and the New Jersey State PBA PEOSHA Committee is looking for information from NAPO members regarding the placement of secondary equipment in police vehicles. This includes, but is not limited to, radios, computers, radar units, LoJack units, shotguns, and video equipment. The Governor of New Jersey has formed a subcomittee with representatives from the above agencies to look into possible safety concerns regarding the equipment placement and the possibility of injury to officers in the event of an accident. Any members with information who can assist the committee or any members who have knowledge of similar studies, please contact the NJ State PBA, PEOSHA Committee, 158 Main Street, Woodbridge, NJ 07095.

Elaine Shannon, NAPO’s contact at Time Magazine, has asked us to let you know about a book that she recently co-authored with Danny O. Coulson. NO HEROES: INSIDE THE FBI’S SECRET COUNTER-TERROR FORCE goes into the secret world of what it was like to be in the middle of the deadliest terrorist attack in American history, which took 168 lives – the Oklahoma City bombing. Other high-profile cases are also examined, including the Atlanta prison riots, Ruby Ridge and Waco. From Pocket Books, the book will be available in March 1999.

As you can see, NAPO continues to grow! We welcome these terrific organizations, and look forward to working for them in Washington, DC!

Whether you’ve called the NAPO office to inquire about Convention, register for the Pension Seminar, or find out anything, chances are…you’ve spoken with Jacki Jackson. Jacki began working with the Detroit Police Officers’ Association in 1985, assigned to NAPO. In 1992, she packed up her life and moved to Washington, DC to help set up the NAPO office. As NAPO’s Administrative Assistant Jacki has overseen NAPO’s transformation from a two-person office to an 11-person office. She organized countless NAPO conventions and seminars across the country. We are sad to report that this crucial member of our team has decided to relocate to Minneapolis, effective at the end of March 1999. We’ll miss you greatly, Jacki!

REMINDER
21^st Annual NAPO Convention
August 11-16, 1999
Hyatt Regency Denver
Denver, Colorado
(800) 358-5593