This week, Rep. Mike Johnson (LA-04) hosted two conference calls with police chiefs and sheriffs across Louisiana. These calls fall during National Police Week and amidst the passage of multiple bills to support law enforcement officers across the nation.
Rep. Johnson released the following statement:
“Louisiana was recently named the most dangerous state in America for law enforcement officers. We must do all we can to reverse this shameful statistic, and I am committed to advance every possible measure in Congress to ensure our brave first responders have the resources and support they need to protect themselves and our communities. I have visited with police chiefs and sheriffs all across Louisiana this week to compare notes and hear their concerns about the issues they face on a daily basis. I have been a tireless advocate for law enforcement my entire career, and I am proud to continue that advocacy here in Washington.”
BACKGROUND
Legislation under consideration on the House floor in honor of National Police Week:
H.R. 510, the Rapid DNA Act of 2017 – establishes a system for integration of Rapid DNA instruments for use by law enforcement to reduce violent crime and reduce the current DNA analysis backlog
H.R. 1892, the Honoring Hometown Heroes Act – amends the United States Flag Code to allow governors to fly the American flag at half-staff in the event a law enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty
H.R. 1428, the American Law Enforcement Heroes Act - amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to specify that hiring and training additional career law enforcement officers is an allowable use of grant funds under the Community Oriented Policing Services program and includes prioritizing the hiring and training of veterans
H.R. 1616, the Strengthening State and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act - authorizes the National Computer Forensics Institute, located in Hoover, Alabama; this center is operated by the U.S. Secret Service and trains state and local law enforcement, prosecutors and judges from all over the nation in handling digital evidence. It has trained more than 6,250 local officials from all 50 states and three U.S. Territories.
H.R. 115, the Thin Blue Line Act - amends Title 18, U.S.C.; federal criminal code to expand the list of statutory aggravating factors in death penalty determinations to also include the killing or attempted killing of a law enforcement officer, firefighter or other first responder.
H.R. 1039, the Probation Officer Protection Act of 2017 - amends the federal criminal code to authorize a probation officer to arrest a person (i.e., a person other than the probationer) without a warrant if there is probable cause to believe the person forcibly assaulted or obstructed a probation officer engaged in the performance of official duties
