Law enforcement officers are also targets of gun violence. This year alone, the number of police officers killed by firearms in the first half of 2011 is 33 percent higher than the numbers from the first half of 2010.

With support from Joyce, in October 2010, a group of ten national law enforcement organizations joined to create The National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence. The Partnership aims to bring the collective voice of law enforcement organizations to bear on policies impacting public safety and gun violence.

The Partners agreed to a statement of principles and five action goals, the first of which is to support policies that can help prevent gun violence and curb illegal firearms. Through a new grant from Joyce, the Police Foundation will be the managing partner of the group and will have two primarily goals: facilitate the work of the Partners and advance gun violence strategies in two pilot cities.

“Police aren’t the only party involved in this issue, but we can have a leading role,” said Police Foundation president Hubert Williams. “The Partnership is ten different organizations with ten different missions, but we can develop one message and speak with one voice for the law enforcement community. Because of the threat posed by firearms to officers and community safety, the law enforcement community understands the importance of preventing gun crime and violence before it occurs.”

The Partners will begin working in two pilot cities, using a community engagement model to advance gun violence reduction policies and practices appropriate to the needs of each site. The work will focus on engaging key stakeholders (including law enforcement, government officials, school leaders, community and youth organizations, victims' advocates, and the faith-based community) to contribute to a policy agenda and action plan that could be implemented locally and potentially replicated statewide.

More information on Joyce’s Gun Violence Program.