WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) thanked law enforcement officers in North Carolina and across the nation on National Police Week and pledged his continued support the ensure they have the equipment, training, and resources they need to protect themselves and our communities. Senator Tillis is a co-sponsor of the Police Week Resolution that unanimously passed the Senate.

During Police Week, the Senate is considering three bills co-sponsored by Senator Tillis. The bipartisan Safeguarding America’s First Responders Act would ensure families of public safety officers lost to COVID-19 can quickly access survivor benefits. Additionally, the bipartisan Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection Act would require the FBI to collect voluntary, anonymous data on police suicides and attempted suicides from local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Collecting this data will help inform policy solutions so that law enforcement suicides can be prevented. The third bill, the COPS Counseling Act, would protect the privacy of law enforcement officers who participate in peer support counseling.

Watch Senator Tillis' video statement for National Police Week HERE.

“This National Police Week, I want to take a moment to thank everyone in law enforcement for the work you do to keep us safe. Law enforcement officers swear an oath to protect us by putting their lives on the line, even as we fight COVID-19, but sadly many become targets of senseless acts of violence causing injury and loss of life. However, they continue to bravely answer their call of duty to ensure our safety and security,” said Senator Tillis. “As long as I’m a U.S. Senator, I will strongly support our men and women in blue and I will ensure they have the equipment, training, and resources they need to protect themselves and our communities.”

Additional legislation Senator Tillis has introduced or co-sponsored supporting Law Enforcement Officers:

• Supporting and Treating Officers in Crisis Act of 2019 (Became law 7/25/2019)
  • Reauthorizes for FY2020-FY2024 and revises Department of Justice grants to provide family support services to law enforcement personnel.
    • Among other changes, the bill allows grants to support additional services such as suicide prevention and mental health programs.
• Thin Blue Line Act
  • Bill introduced by Tillis expands the list of statutory aggravating factors in death penalty determinations to also include killing or targeting a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or other first responder.
• Probation Officer Protection Act of 2019
  • Bill introduced by Tillis authorizes 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.
• Providing Officers With Electronic Resources (POWER) Act
  • Bill authorizes the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services within the Department of Justice to make grants to law enforcement agencies to purchase a chemical screening device and to train personnel to use, and interpret data collected by, such device. (re: fentanyl and opioids)
• Back the Blue Act of 2019
  • Bill increases penalties against criminals who intentionally target law enforcement officers and provide new tools for officers to protect themselves.
• Protecting America’s First Responders Act (Passed Senate 5/16/2019)
  • Bill updates the PSOB program’s definition of disability to ensure that officers who are permanently unable to secure meaningful gainful employment following a catastrophic injury in the line of duty remain eligible for benefits. Applicants who have been denied benefits in the past three years would be able to re-apply using the updated definition.
• Never Forget the Heroes (House Bill became law 7/29/2019)
  • Bill funds through FY2090 the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001.

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