UFPO writes U.S. Senators to Support Passage of Bill S. 3719

On behalf of the United Federation of Police Officers, I write to express our strong support for S. 3719, the “National Law Enforcement Remembrance, Support and Community Outreach Act.” I respectfully urge you to co-sponsor this bipartisan, pro-law enforcement legislation,introduced by Senators Thom Tillis and Richard Blumenthal.

S. 3719 would establish within the U.S. Department of the Interior a formal program through which the Secretary of the Interior would provide annual support to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) to enhance the community outreach, publiceducation, and officer safety and wellness programs of the National Law Enforcement Museum.

NLEOMF, which operates the National Law Enforcement Museum, and the Museum itself were created by Acts of Congress in 1984 and 2000. The fact that Congress saw fit to create both the National Law Enforcement Memorial and the National Law Enforcement Museum sets a powerful precedent and underscores the importance of their mission. NLEOMF and the Museum are uniquely qualified to partner with the Department of the Interior in fulfilling the vital mission of educating the public about the key role law enforcement plays in our democracy, strengthening the bond between communities and law enforcement, promoting officer safety and wellness, and advancing quality scholarship on law enforcement history.

At a time when many law enforcement agencies across the country remain understaffed, and many departments have been forced to declare personnel emergencies and rely on mandatory overtime, there is a critical need to enhance public understanding and appreciation of law enforcement while also improving the safety and wellness of the officers who serve our communities.

Fostering a more informed and constructive relationship between law enforcement and the public is essential to public safety, community trust, and social cohesion. A sustained national effort to preserve the history of American law enforcement, strengthen understanding of the profession, and support the wellbeing of those who wear the badge is urgently needed. S. 3719 is an important step toward accomplishing those goals.

Thank you for your consideration of this important legislation. On behalf of the United Federation of Police Officers, I respectfully urge you to co-sponsor S. 3719 and support its passage in the United States Senate.

Sincerely,

Sean R. McArdle, Acting President, United Federation of Police Officers