Dear Representative Zeldin,
I am writing on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police to advise you of our
support for H. Res. 1093, a resolution to establish a “Bill of Rights” to support law enforcement.
Law enforcement officers have one of the toughest and most dangerous jobs in the nation. They
alone are charged with keeping our streets and neighborhoods safe from crime. Because of this
enormous responsibility, law enforcement officers are held to a much higher standard of personal
and professional conduct – as they should be.
As a result, law enforcement officers are subject to false accusations and investigations of
alleged misconduct, but they are not always afforded due process rights during these
investigations. With thousands of police departments across the country, there are varying levels
of protections for law enforcement officers during investigations. There is a clear need for a
nationwide standard of procedural protections for law enforcement officers accused of
misconduct to ensure an officer’s rights are safeguarded.
Your resolution would acknowledge this need for a uniform set of standards to be put in place to
ensure due process rights for law enforcement officers. As your resolution states, these crucial
rights have already been established for public employees by the U.S. Supreme Court in Garrity
v. New Jersey, Gardner v. Broderick, and Sanitation Men v. Commissioner of Sanitation. The
men and women of law enforcement deserve the protections you recognize in this resolution as
they work tirelessly to protect and serve our communities.
On behalf of the more than 355,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, I am proud to
offer our support for this resolution. If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to
contact me or Executive Director Jim Pasco in my Washington office.
Sincerely,
Patrick Yoes
National President