Bill Summary
The "Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act" is a proposed piece of legislation aimed at enhancing the safety and well-being of law enforcement officers in the United States. The Act mandates the Attorney General to produce reports on several key areas concerning violent attacks against law enforcement personnel.
Key provisions of the Act include:
1. **Data Collection**: The Attorney General is required to report on the number and nature of violent attacks, including ambushes targeting law enforcement officers. This encompasses a detailed examination of federal, state, and local responses to such incidents.
2. **Training and Preparedness**: The Act calls for an analysis of the training programs available to law enforcement and their effectiveness in preparing officers for ambush attacks and other violent situations.
3. **Mental Health Resources**: The legislation emphasizes the importance of mental health support for law enforcement officers, requiring a report on the availability of mental health resources and the frequency of stress-related responses to aggressive incidents.
4. **Legislative Recommendations**: The reports will include recommendations for improving responses to violence against officers and addressing mental health concerns, as well as identifying any legislative tools that could be useful in enhancing officer safety.
Overall, this Act seeks to provide a comprehensive approach toward understanding and addressing the challenges faced by law enforcement officers, aiming to support their safety, training, and mental health.
Possible Impacts
The "Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act" could affect people in the following ways:
1. **Enhanced Safety for Law Enforcement Officers**: By requiring comprehensive reporting and analysis of violent attacks on law enforcement officers, this legislation may lead to improved safety measures and protocols. This could result in better training and resources for officers, ultimately reducing the risk of ambushes and violent incidents, which would benefit not only law enforcement personnel but also the communities they serve by fostering safer environments.
2. **Increased Accountability and Resources for Mental Health Support**: The Act mandates the examination of mental health resources available to law enforcement officers, which could lead to enhanced support systems for officers dealing with stress and trauma. As a result, officers may receive better access to mental health services, reducing the stigma around seeking help and promoting overall well-being, which in turn could improve their performance and interactions with the public.
3. **Impact on Community Relations and Trust**: The focus on reporting and acknowledging the risks faced by law enforcement could lead to increased public awareness and understanding of the challenges officers face. If communities see that their law enforcement agencies are better supported and equipped to handle crises, it may help build trust between law enforcement and the community. Conversely, it could also result in heightened tension if perceived as prioritizing officer safety over community concerns, potentially affecting public sentiment and interactions with police.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1418 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1418
To require the Attorney General to develop reports relating to violent
attacks against law enforcement officers, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 10, 2025
Mr. Grassley (for himself, Mr. Lujan, Mr. Tillis, Ms. Hassan, and Mr.
Cassidy) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Attorney General to develop reports relating to violent
attacks against law enforcement officers, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Improving Law Enforcement Officer
Safety and Wellness Through Data Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) There has been a rise in anti-police rhetoric and a
corresponding rise in violence against law enforcement
officers.
(2) In 2022, a total of 60 police officers were feloniously
killed in the line of duty.
(3) Nearly 30 percent of police officer killings in 2022
were caused by unprovoked attacks or ambushes on officers.
(4) Law enforcement officers bravely put themselves at risk
for the betterment of society.
(5) A data collection that represents the full
circumstances surrounding violent attacks and ambush attacks on
law enforcement officers is vital for the provision of needed
Federal resources to Federal, State, and local law enforcement
officers.
(6) Police suffer assaults and other offenses that do not
rise to the level of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and
Assaulted or National Incident-Based Reporting System reporting
due to the frequency of such incidents, lower risk to officers,
and minimal administrative resources to report such frequent
events.
(7) The mental health of law enforcement officers has
suffered due to overwork, recruitment issues, and the general
stress of their work.
(8) The people of the United States will always remember
the victims of these hateful attacks against law enforcement
officers and stand in solidarity with individuals affected by
these senseless tragedies and incidents of hate that have
affected law enforcement communities and their families.
(9) The United States must demonstrate to its brave law
enforcement officers that they are important, valued, and
respected.
(10) Congress has made a commitment to helping communities
protect the lives of their police officers, as evidenced by the
Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program Reauthorization Act
of 2015 (Public Law 114-155; 130 Stat. 389) and other laws.
(11) Subsection (c) of the Uniform Federal Crime Reporting
Act of 1988 (34 U.S.C. 41303(c)) requires the Attorney General
to ``acquire, collect, classify, and preserve national data on
Federal criminal offenses as part of the Uniform Crime
Reports'' and requires all Federal departments and agencies
that investigate criminal activity to ``report details about
crime within their respective jurisdiction to the Attorney
General in a uniform matter and on a form prescribed by the
Attorney General''.
SEC. 3. ATTACKS ON LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS REPORTING REQUIREMENT.
(a) In General.--Not later than 270 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, in consultation with the
Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Director of the
National Institute of Justice, and the Director of the Criminal Justice
Information Services Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
shall submit to the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and the
Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives a report
that includes--
(1) the number of offenders that intentionally target law
enforcement officers because of their status as law enforcement
officers;
(2) the number of incidents reported to the Law Enforcement
Officers Killed and Assaulted Data Collection that occur
through the coordinated actions of 2 or more parties;
(3) a description of the Federal response to ambushes and
violent attacks on Federal law enforcement officers;
(4) a detailed survey of what State and local responses are
to ambushes and violent attacks on State and local law
enforcement officers;
(5) recommendations for improving State, local, and Federal
responses to ambushes and violent attacks on law enforcement
officers;
(6) a detailed survey of Federal and State-based training
programs that law enforcement officers receive in preparation
for violent attacks, including ambush attacks;
(7) an analysis of the effectiveness of the programs
described in paragraph (6) in preparing law enforcement
officers for violent attacks, including ambush attacks;
(8) recommendations on how to improve State, local, and
Federal training programs for law enforcement officers relating
to ambush attacks;
(9) an analysis of, with respect to the Patrick Leahy
Bulletproof Vest Partnership under part Y of title I of the
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C.
10530 et seq.)--
(A) the efficacy of the Partnership in distributing
protective gear to law enforcement officers across the
United States, including any location-specific
limitations to the distribution under such Partnership;
and
(B) the general limitations of the Partnership,
including any location-specific limitations to the
distributions under the Partnership, considering the
fact that law enforcement officers are suffering from
ambush attacks;
(10) an analysis of the ability of the Department of
Justice to combine the Law Enforcement Officers Killed and
Assaulted Data Collection and a 09C Justifiable Homicide report
for officer-involved shooting reports and any roadblocks to
producing a clear report with such information;
(11) an analysis of the ability of the Criminal Justice
Information Services of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to
expand data collection to include a suspect offender's level of
injury at the time of a reported Law Enforcement Officers
Killed and Assaulted Data Collection incident;
(12) an analysis of the existence and extent of, and
reasons for, disparities in the availability and reporting of
data between--
(A) data relating to ambush attacks against law
enforcement officers; and
(B) other types of violent crime data; and
(13) an analysis of any additional legislative tools or
authorities that may be helpful or necessary to assist in
deterring ambush attacks against law enforcement officers.
(b) Development.--In developing the report required under
subsection (a), the Attorney General, the Director of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, the Director of the National Institute of
Justice, and the Director of the Criminal Justice Information Services
Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, shall consult relevant
stakeholders, including--
(1) Federal, State, Tribal, and local law enforcement
agencies; and
(2) nongovernmental organizations, international
organizations, academies, or other entities.
SEC. 4. AGGRESSION AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS REPORTING
REQUIREMENT.
(a) In General.--Not later than 270 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, in consultation with the
Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Director of the
National Institute of Justice, shall submit to the Committee on the
Judiciary of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House
of Representatives a report on--
(1) an analysis of the ability to implement a new category
in the Uniform Crime Reporting System and the National
Incident-Based Reporting System on aggressive actions, conduct,
or other trauma-inducing incidents against law enforcement
officers that, as of the date of enactment of this Act, are not
reported in such systems;
(2) the level of detail the category described in paragraph
(1) would include and the standard of evidence that would be
used for any reported incidents;
(3) an analysis of how to engage State and local law
enforcement agencies in reporting the data described in
paragraph (1), despite the fact that such data is beyond the
standard crime-based reporting to the systems described in
paragraph (1);
(4) an analysis of potential uses by the Department of
Justice and any component agencies of the Department of Justice
of the data described in paragraph (1);
(5) an analysis of the existence and extent of, and reasons
for, disparities in the availability and reporting of data
between--
(A) data relating to aggressive actions or other
trauma-inducing incidents against law enforcement
officers that do not rise to the level of crimes; and
(B) other types of violent crime data; and
(6) an analysis of additional legislative tools or
authorities that may be helpful or necessary to assist in
deterring aggressive actions, conduct, or other trauma-inducing
incidents against law enforcement officers.
(b) Development.--In developing the report under subsection (a),
the Attorney General, the Director of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, and the Director of the National Institute of Justice
shall consult relevant stakeholders, including--
(1) Federal, State, Tribal, and local law enforcement
agencies; and
(2) nongovernmental organizations, international
organizations, academies, or other entities.
SEC. 5. MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS REPORTING REQUIREMENT.
(a) In General.--Not later than 270 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, in consultation with the
Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Director of the
National Institute of Justice, shall submit to the Committee on the
Judiciary of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House
of Representatives a report on--
(1) the types, frequency, and severity of mental health and
stress-related responses of law enforcement officers to
aggressive actions or other trauma-inducing incidents against
law enforcement officers;
(2) mental health and stress-related resources or programs
that are available to law enforcement officers at the Federal,
State, and local levels, especially peer-to-peer programs;
(3) the extent to which law enforcement officers use the
resources or programs described in paragraph (2);
(4) the availability of, or need for, mental health
screening within Federal, State, and local law enforcement
agencies; and
(5) additional legislative tools or authorities that may be
helpful or necessary to assist in assessing, monitoring, and
improving the mental health and wellness of Federal, State, and
local law enforcement officers.
(b) Development.--In developing the report required under
subsection (a), the Attorney General, the Director of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, and the Director of the National Institute of
Justice shall consult relevant stakeholders, including--
(1) Federal, State, Tribal and local law enforcement
agencies; and
(2) nongovernmental organizations, international
organizations, academies, or other entities.
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