Dear Representative Malliotakis,
I am writing on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police to advise you of our support for H.R. 1260, the “U.S. Park Police Modernization Act.”
Recruitment and retention of law enforcement officers at the Federal level is a critical issue, and the U.S. Park Police (USPP) is no exception. It is common, for example, to assign an entire squad to respond to a single incident. This could be as few as one or two officers, which in turn would leave the rest of the patrol area dangerously unmanned and vulnerable. This past summer, a large protest transpired outside Union Station which ultimately became a mass arrest operation. With so few officers available to respond to a non-permitted protest involving hundreds of persons engaged in vandalism and other violence, we were fortunate that no officers or participants in the unlawful assembly were seriously injured.
Your legislation would address the growing crisis that faces the USPP and its ability to protect and serve the public. This legislation smartly restructures the service timeline for an officer’s career, leveling it with other Federal law enforcement agencies such as the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division and the U.S. Capitol Police. It will include a reduction in the number and time between pay grade steps for officers. Subsequently, these changes will make it easier for the USPP to effectively recruit and retain talented officers and foster better equity with other Federal law enforcement officers.
On behalf of the more than 377,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, I thank you 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