Washington, DC - Patrick Yoes, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, applauded the reintroduction of H.R. 1551, the “Protect and Serve Act.” The bipartisan bill was introduced by Representatives John H. Rutherford (R-FL) and Joshua S. Gottheimer (D-NJ) and four other original cosponsors: Representatives Jared F. Golden (D-ME), Peter A. Stauber (R-MN), Kevin R. Hern (R-OK), and Scott L. Fitzgerald (R-WI).
“We applaud Representatives Rutherford and Gottheimer for once again leading the charge on this important legislation, which the FOP helped to develop in response to the surge of violence directed at law enforcement officers in the form of calculated and ambush-style attacks,” Yoes said. “So far this year, 55 officers have been shot in the line of duty, eight of whom were killed. This includes seven over this past weekend in California, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Two officers with the Virginia Beach Police Department were ‘executed’ during a traffic stop and an officer in Pennsylvania was killed after a gunman took hostages at a hospital. Congress needs to address this issue and do it quickly.”
The “Protect and Serve Act” would impose, in limited circumstances, Federal penalties on individuals who deliberately target local, State or Federal law enforcement officers with violence. So far this year, there have been seven ambush-style attacks, which has resulted in seven officers being shot, four of whom died.
“Our members are under fire by individuals motivated by nothing more than a desire to kill or injure a cop. Law enforcement officers, who serve their communities and put their lives on the line for fellow citizens, should not be hunted and targeted just because of the uniform that they wear,” Yoes said.
Ambush attacks and violence targeting law enforcement officers have been increasing in recent years. A recent report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) concluded: “While the overall number of officers who were feloniously killed was declining, the percentage of officers feloniously killed during surprise attacks was increasing.”
“Law enforcement is a higher calling for those who take the oath to protect and serve. It is these men and women who run toward danger to protect the public when everyone else is running away,” stated Yoes. “When a member of the public calls for help, we answer that call. Now, we are the ones asking Congress for help—pass the ‘Protect and Serve Act’ now!”