Dear Mr. Chairman and Senator Durbin,
I am writing on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police to advise you of our support for Todd W. Blanche to be the next Attorney General of the United States and to urge the Committee on the Judiciary to favorably report his nomination to the full Senate.
We believe that Mr. Blanche possesses a distinguished record of public service with an understanding and appreciation of the vital role played by the U.S. Department of Justice in supporting law enforcement. He began his career at the Department as a paralegal and contractor in the Criminal Division and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. In 2006, he rose through the ranks to become an Assistant United States Attorney in that District and served as the co-chief of its violent crimes division for eight years. This experience has provided him with firsthand knowledge of the challenges, dangers, and dedication of Federal, State, and local law enforcement officers who work to keep our communities safe.
As Deputy U.S. Attorney General, and more recently as Acting U.S. Attorney General, Mr. Blanche has dedicated himself to building and maintaining effective partnerships between State and local law enforcement agencies across the country and the Justice Department. He has demonstrated a strong commitment and a genuine respect for the sacrifices made by officers every day. He also shares our commitment to make real reforms to the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) program to restore it once more to a proactive asset for disabled and deceased officers and their families rather than a ponderous, bureaucratic obstacle standing between survivor families and the benefits they deserve.
If confirmed, we are confident Mr. Blanche will continue to prioritize officer safety, wellness, and operational effectiveness. The FOP looks forward to continuing our productive partnership with him to strengthen critical State and local law enforcement assistance programs that directly support our members and the law enforcement community, including those administered by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), the Edward J. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne-JAG) program, law enforcement mental health and wellness initiatives, de-escalation training programs, initiatives to combat violent crime and hold accountable those who attack our officers for simply doing their jobs.
We believe Mr. Blanche’s leadership will help ensure that the Department of Justice remains focused on public safety, the rule of law, and providing unwavering support for the law enforcement professionals who risk their lives daily to protect our families and communities.
On behalf of the more than 382,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, we commend President Trump on his nomination of Todd W. Blanche to lead the Justice Department and urge the committee to favorably report his nomination. If you need any further information about our support for Mr. Blanche, please do not hesitate to contact me or Executive Director Jim Pasco in our Washington, D.C. office.
Sincerely,
Patrick Yoes
National President