This guide is a practical, field-ready resource for law enforcement, healthcare safety leaders, and violence prevention professionals who need to share time-sensitive information without missteps. It clarifies the purpose of cross-sector collaboration and anchors on a core principle: “protected” information does not automatically mean “prohibited” from disclosure. The guide explains when healthcare providers may lawfully disclose PHI to law enforcement under HIPAA’s permitted disclosure pathways, and it highlights what officers typically do not need so requests remain narrowly tailored and defensible. It also provides clear talking points for officers when HIPAA is misunderstood or over-applied, along with a good-faith/rational-basis framework to support legally sound decision-making. To make this usable in the moment, the guide includes a quick self-check before requesting PHI, documentation guidance, and robust appendices: a HIPAA disclosure decision tree, a reference list of legal authorities for safety disclosures, and a ready-to-use letter template for requesting PHI under permitted disclosure provisions.