Dear Representatives Larsen and Gluesenkamp Perez,
I am writing on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police to advise you of our support for H.R. 9871, the “End Fentanyl Trafficking with Local Task Forces Act.”
The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne-JAG) program is one of the most important tools that our law enforcement agencies have in the fight against fentanyl trafficking. These Byrne-JAG grants provide funding for crime prevention programs, training programs, and a range of other resources for communities and law enforcement agencies to address issues and needs in their jurisdiction. These grants include resources to help combat the fentanyl epidemic, which does not respect jurisdictional boundaries, and has resulted in the deaths of more than 100,000 Americans annually.
Your legislation would invest and expand in multiple anti-drug task forces in the U.S. Department of Justice to improve cooperation and collaboration between departments to combat the fentanyl epidemic. This would include authorizing new funding towards hiring and retaining officers, creating new anti-drug tasks forces, and procuring equipment and upgrading technology. Specifically, this legislation would increase funding for the Anti-Heroin Task Force (AHTF), which directly benefits State law enforcement agencies operating in jurisdictions experiencing a high volume of heroin and fentanyl trafficking. Additionally, this legislation would authorize the Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) to provide technical assistance through training centers to instruct officers on the best practices for combating opioid trafficking.
On behalf of the more than 377,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, I thank you both 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