This past week, NAPO met with staff of House Democratic and Republican leadership to discuss the pro-law enforcement legislation we want to see moved during National Police Week this year to honor the law enforcement profession. NAPO discussed the need for legislation to enhance officer safety by increasing penalties for the murder, attempted murder, or assault of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers, the LEOSA Reform Act, legislation aiding state and local agencies to hire and retain qualified officers, a bill to cover exposure-related cancers under the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) Program, and legislation to provide public safety officers with access to affordable homeownership.

NAPO pledged its support for the Justice for Fallen Law Enforcement Act, S. 3767, which would create a criminal penalty of the death penalty or life imprisonment for the murder of a federal, state, and local enforcement officer and create a criminal penalty of 20 years in prison for assault resulting in serious injury to a federal, state, and local law enforcement officer. This bill is critical, as there is a serious and growing trend of armed attacks on law enforcement officers. According to a May 2023 report from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), 331 officers were shot in the line of duty in 2022, of which 62 officers died from their injuries. Ambushes accounted for 126 of those officer shootings and 32 deaths. While the number of officers dying from their injuries may be decreasing, the number of officers targeted for violence remains persistently high.

Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) introduced S. 3409, the End Solitary Confinement Act, with which NAPO has some serious concerns. The bill would end solitary confinement and strictly limit the use of alternative unit placement in all federal correctional facilities and would attempt to force state and local detention centers and prisons to follow suit using penalties to Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) program funding. We sent the Senator a letter Feb. 26 outlining why we must oppose the bill. The staffing and resource shortages at the U.S. Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is a growing issue impacting correctional officers, BOP staff, and incarcerated individuals. Correctional officers are facing mandated overtime, often working 16-hour shifts. When overtime is not enough to ensure the prison population is sufficiently supervised, BOP management is forced to pull medical personnel, librarians, and janitors from their duties to function as correctional officers.This places all individuals within the prison facility in danger.

NAPO has serious concerns with President Biden’s nominee to be a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Adeel A. Mangi, who was narrowly approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Jan. 18. We sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Ranking Member Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Jan. 25, outlining our concerns with Mr. Mangi’s nomination and urging opposition to his nomination.

NAPO Executive Director Bill Johnson had an opinion piece published in the Washington Times on Feb. 20, entitled, “In the battle against fentanyl, closing U.S. trade loophole bolsters law enforcement efforts”.

Two FY24 funding opportunities were announced. FY24 Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program is accepting grant applications through May 9, 2024 and  FY24 Connect and Protect: Law Enforcement Behavioral Health Response Program has a deadline of May 1, 2024.

Click here for the Feb. 27, 2024 Washington Report for more details on these and other legislative issues.