Deputy Sheriff Health and Safety Enhancement Initiative
JAG Grant Proposal 2015-Project Abstract
The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office is a full service local law enforcement agency providing service to approximately 138,000 residents and thousands of annual visitors to Stafford County, Virginia. The Department provides service through 260 dedicated employees, including 182 sworn deputy sheriffs. The Department conducts multiple activities to prevent crimes, engages in community policing efforts and activities, and strives for close, positive relationships with community members and organizations. The Department answers over 70,000 calls for service from the community annually.
The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office is engaged in an ongoing program of insuring that Deputy Sheriffs are physically ready to perform all of the essential duties of the position effectively and safely, as well as providing appropriate safety equipment for use in field operations. In an effort to address physical fitness and safety there is a need to upgrade equipment utilized in the incumbent physical abilities testing, pilot a fitness training program to maintain fitness levels, and provide supporting written information for exercise and nutrition. In addition, when personnel are in the field operating in hazardous conditions, including controlling accident scenes and traffic movement, there is a need to provide safe and modern methods of delineating hazardous areas and traffic patterns for on-scene personnel and the public.
The grant funds will provide a 165lb. simulated person for use in physical ability testing during recruiting new deputies, as well as for veteran officers annual fitness testing; provide for a pilot fitness training program for the purpose of evaluating the training program’s success and suitability for future use; provide quick reference guides to employees on health and fitness related subjects; and equip all patrol vehicles with portable Powerflare LED emergency warning beacons for use in delineating traffic lanes and hazardous areas in a safe and effective manner. The enhancements to ongoing initiatives would allow for more rapid implementation of program components and provide for the physical safety of Deputy Sheriffs and the public more quickly. It would assist in hiring new deputies, enhance officer safety, and provide needed specialized tactical safety equipment.