1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Probation Officer Protection Act of 2019”.
Probation Officer Protection Act of 2019
A BILL
To amend section 3606 of title 18, United States Code, to grant probation officers authority to arrest hostile third parties who obstruct or impede a probation officer in the performance of official duties.
2. Authority of probation officers
In general— Section 3606 of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
in the heading, by striking “and return of a probationer” and by inserting “authority of probation officers”;
by striking “If there” and inserting “(a) If there”; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(b) A probation officer, while in the performance of his or her official duties, may arrest a person without a warrant if there is probable cause to believe that the person has forcibly assaulted, resisted, opposed, impeded, intimidated, or interfered with the probation officer, or a fellow probation officer, in violation of section 111. The arrest authority described in this subsection shall be exercised under such rules and regulations as the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts shall prescribe.”
Table of sections— The table of sections for subchapter A of chapter 229 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to section 3606 and inserting the following: