Dear Representatives Sykes, Bacon, Ivey, and Fitzpatrick,
I am writing on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police to advise you of our support for H.R. 8871, the “Law Enforcement Scenario-Based Training for Safety and De-Escalation Act.”
Law enforcement officers face a wide variety of situations while on the job, from responding to behavioral health crises to dealing with an active shooter. For this reason, it is imperative that officers have access to the most comprehensive and updated training available to prepare them for whatever scenario they encounter.
This legislation would direct the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) to authorize grants to State, and local law enforcement agencies to provide law enforcement personnel access to an immersive, real-life, scenario-based training curriculum which will improve community-police relations, as well as officer safety and resilience. This kind of scenario-based training will also improve an officer’s critical decision-making, problem-solving, and crisis intervention skills. Many of these programs specifically emphasize de-escalation procedures, which is a crucial competency for law enforcement. We believe that wider access to this type of training is critical for officers to successfully protect and serve their community.
On behalf of the more than 373,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, I thank you all for your leadership on this issue. If I can be of any help or provide additional information in support of this legislation, please do not hesitate to contact me or Executive Director Jim Pasco in our Washington, D.C. office.
Sincerely,
Patrick Yoes
National President