Dear NAPO members,

This is huge! This is exactly what we have been arguing for over the last two years in meetings with Ron Davis, Eric Holder, Loretta Lynch, Vanita Gupta, Obama’s DOJ staff, all with ZERO interest. Then, we brought this up in written remarks which we hand delivered to the Trump transition team at the Heritage Building meeting late last year (this meeting focused on DOJ and law enforcement). This Executive Order directly addresses exactly what we were saying! I mean exactly! Please note it follows NAPO’s position in making the case for EXISTING CONSTITUTIONAL bases for federal protections of state and local officers, and not the other guys’ request to create a new federal hate crime.

Please see the “Increased Penalties” section of our written recommendations, attached, and compare it with the President’s Executive Order, just issued today:

EXECUTIVE ORDER

– – – – – – –

PREVENTING VIOLENCE AGAINST FEDERAL, STATE, TRIBAL,
AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Policy. It shall be the policy of the executive branch to:

(a) enforce all Federal laws in order to enhance the protection and safety of Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers, and thereby all Americans;

(b) develop strategies, in a process led by the Department of Justice (Department) and within the boundaries of the Constitution and existing Federal laws, to further enhance the protection and safety of Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers; and

(c) pursue appropriate legislation, consistent with the Constitution’s regime of limited and enumerated Federal powers, that will define new Federal crimes, and increase penalties for existing Federal crimes, in order to prevent violence against Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers.

Sec. 2. Implementation. In furtherance of the policy set forth in section 1 of this order, the Attorney General shall:

(a) develop a strategy for the Department’s use of existing Federal laws to prosecute individuals who commit or attempt to commit crimes of violence against Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers;

(b) coordinate with State, tribal, and local governments, and with law enforcement agencies at all levels, including other Federal agencies, in prosecuting crimes of violence against Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers in order to advance adequate multi-jurisdiction prosecution efforts;

(c) review existing Federal laws to determine whether those laws are adequate to address the protection and safety of Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers;

(d) following that review, and in coordination with other Federal agencies, as appropriate, make recommendations to the President for legislation to address the protection and safety of Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers, including, if warranted, legislation defining new crimes of violence and establishing new mandatory minimum sentences for existing crimes of violence against Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers, as well as for related crimes;

(e) coordinate with other Federal agencies to develop an executive branch strategy to prevent violence against Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers;

(f) thoroughly evaluate all grant funding programs currently administered by the Department to determine the extent to which its grant funding supports and protects Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers; and

(g) recommend to the President any changes to grant funding, based on the evaluation required by subsection (f) of this section, including recommendations for legislation, as appropriate, to adequately support and protect Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers.

Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

DONALD J. TRUMP

THE WHITE HOUSE,
February 9, 2017

This is unbelievable, it really is, we literally helped write this new policy! It is not too much to say that we have a new day dawning for American LEOs when it comes to the President of the United States and the Department of Justice supporting us.

Bill
William J. Johnson, Esq., CAE
Executive Director
National Association of Police Organizations
317 S. Patrick Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
(703) 549-0775
bjohnson@napo.org
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