Dear Representatives Lee and Ross,
I am writing on behalf of the membership of the Fraternal Order of Police to advise you of our support for H.R. 5882, the “Safer Supervision Act,” which would reform the existing protocols on terminating supervised release for some offenders.
Federal probation officers, who work hand-in-hand with law enforcement, routinely manage caseloads exceeding 100 cases per officer, straining their ability to provide meaningful supervision to those who need it most. The bill you have introduced addresses this reality by requiring individualized assessments for supervised release and allowing for early termination for compliant, lower-risk defendants who have demonstrated good conduct and who pose no threat to public safety. By focusing limited resources on higher-risk individuals, the bill will allow probation officers to prioritize proactive supervision, compliance monitoring, and interventions that truly enhance community safety.
The legislation includes safeguards like opportunities for government objection, victim input, and careful public safety assessments, to ensure that early termination is granted only when appropriate. The FOP also supports the bill’s provisions directing a study on law enforcement availability pay for Federal probation and pretrial services officers. These elements will provide valuable data to support our nation’s dedicated corrections and law enforcement professionals.
On behalf of the more than 382,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, we look forward to working with you both to get this measure through Congress. If you need any further information about our support for 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