Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “National Law Enforcement Officers Remembrance, Support and Community Outreach Act”.
National Law Enforcement Officers Remembrance, Support and Community Outreach Act
A BILL
To authorize the Attorney General to establish the National Law Enforcement Officers Remembrance, Support and Community Outreach program, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Findings
Congress finds the following:
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and the National Law Enforcement Museum in Washington, DC, represent the only law enforcement campus in the United States and serves a critical national mission of honoring and remembering those law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty, educating the public about the important role of law enforcement in a democratic society, and working to reduce the number of line of duty deaths and injuries among law enforcement.
It is in the national interest to ensure that the unique education and outreach programs of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund and National Law Enforcement Museum be maintained and enhanced.
In 1984, Congress passed, and President Ronald Reagan signed into law, a joint resolution to authorize the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Inc., to establish a National Law Enforcement Heroes Memorial (Public Law 98–534) in Washington, DC.
Dedicated on October 15, 1991, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial honors Federal, State, local, and Tribal law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the safety and protection of our nation and its people. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial is centered in the 400 block of E Street, NW, Washington, DC and is the nation’s monument to law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. The Memorial was built entirely with private funds.
In 2000, Congress passed, and President William J. Clinton signed into law, the National Law Enforcement Museum Act (Public Law 106–492), which authorized the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Inc. to build the National Law Enforcement Museum on Federal land in Washington, DC, to honor and commemorate the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers in the United States.
In April 2016, construction began on the National Law Enforcement Museum in Washington, DC, across the street from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Judiciary Square. In October of 2018 the National Law Enforcement Museum was completed and formally opened in October of 2018. No Federal funds were used to build the museum.
The National Law Enforcement Museum’s mission is—
to honor and commemorate the extraordinary service and sacrifice of America’s law enforcement officers;
to serve as an important bridge between law enforcement’s past and present, between the heroes of yesteryear and those who have followed in their footsteps, and between America’s peace officers and the public they serve; and
to increase public understanding and support for law enforcement and to promote law enforcement safety.
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund maintains the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial wall in Washington, DC, which includes the names of every law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in American history. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund adds names of fallen officers to the Memorial wall every year.
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund has become the foremost organization in the country that memorializes law enforcement heroes who die in the line of duty and compiles statistics on law enforcement fatalities and injuries.
The programs of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund and the National Law Enforcement Museum play a critical role in educating the public about the vital importance of law enforcement in a democratic society and the critical role law enforcement plays in protecting and serving the public, and the sacrifices law enforcement officers have made to serve in this role and protect the public.
The community education and outreach programs, activities, and special exhibits within the National Law Enforcement Museum help bring local law enforcement agencies closer to the communities they serve, and help to foster a better understanding between law enforcement and communities.
The National Law Enforcement Museum’s Officer Safety and Wellness education and outreach programs and activities help provide local, State and Federal law enforcement agencies with critical information on best practices to reduce the number of line of duty deaths and injuries and provide communities and the public with education concerning the sacrifices made. These programs, activities, and special exhibits are vitally important at a time when annual line of duty deaths among law enforcement officers remain at an historically high level.
Since the establishment of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in 1991, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund has worked cooperatively with local, State and Federal law enforcement agencies to properly honor the sacrifices made by law enforcement and provide key programming to reduce the number of law enforcement fatalities and injuries, and foster better understanding between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
Law enforcement agencies around the country are dedicated to continuous improvement and innovation in officer and community safety, and to building trust through community-based engagement and interventions.
Since 2020, there has been a significant increase in the number of law enforcement officers resigning or retiring. According to the Police Executive Research Forum, over the past 3 years there has been an almost 24 percent increase in the number of law enforcement officers retiring, and more than 47 percent increase in the number of law enforcement officers resigning.
Over the past 2 years, a number of local governments have decreased funding for local law enforcement agencies at a critical time when law enforcement agencies are having a difficult time recruiting and retaining officers. A number of law enforcement agencies across the country remain understaffed, and many law enforcement agencies have been forced to declare personnel emergencies and require mandatory overtime.
The resulting deficit in confidence and support jeopardizes public safety. A sustained national effort to restore confidence and understanding in law enforcement is urgently needed.
Sec. 3 Establishment of national law enforcement officers remembrance, support, and community outreach program
Establishment— Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall establish within the Department of Justice a National Law Enforcement Officers Remembrance, Support, and Community Outreach Program (hereinafter referred to as “the Program”).
Programs— During the first 7 fiscal years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall award a grant under the Program to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund for the expenses associated with operating and enhancing the community outreach, public education, and officer safety and wellness programs operated by the of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund and National Law Enforcement Museum, including programs to—
memorialize law enforcement heroes who died in the line of duty and compile statistics on law enforcement fatalities and injuries;
honor and commemorate the extraordinary service and sacrifice of America’s law enforcement officers;
increase public understanding of and support for law enforcement, and bring local law enforcement agencies closer to the communities they serve;
educate the public about the vital importance of law enforcement in a democratic society and the critical role law enforcement plays in protecting and serving the public, and the sacrifices law enforcement officers have made to serve in this role and protect the public;
provide local, State and Federal law enforcement agencies with critical information on best practices to reduce the number of line of duty deaths and injuries and provide communities and the public with education concerning the sacrifices made;
facilitate forums around the country to educate local, State and Federal law enforcement agencies about best practices to promote officer safety and wellness, as well as community-based engagement and interventions.
Progress report— For each of the first 7 fiscal years the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is awarded a grant under the Program, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund shall submit a report to the Attorney General that—
documents, consistent with the funding provided from the Department, the progress in delivering public education, community outreach and officer safety and wellness programming;
provides a formal accounting of total amounts of Federal funds expended during the fiscal year.
Submission to Congress— Each fiscal year, the Attorney General shall submit the report required under subsection (c) to Congress and shall make the report available to the public on the internet website of the Department of Justice.
Authorization of appropriations—
In general— There are authorized to be appropriated to the Attorney General to carry out this section $6,000,000 for each of the first 7 fiscal years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.
Exception— If in any fiscal year the amount appropriated pursuant to the authorization under paragraph (1) is not the full amount provided by such paragraph, the Attorney General may transfer such sums as may be necessary from the Office of Justice Programs, up to the amount specified in paragraph (1), to carry out this section.