Press release:
Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) today released the following statement to recognize National Police Week and to highlight his intention to vote in favor of six legislative items throughout the week in support of U.S. law enforcement.
The legislative items will include the Thin Blue Line Act (H.R. 115), the Honoring Hometown Heroes Act (H.R. 1892), the American Law Enforcement Heroes Act (H.R. 1428), the Probation Officer Protection Act (H.R. 1039), the Rapid DNA Act of 2017 (H.R. 510), and the Strengthening State and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act (H.R. 1616).
“National Police Week is an opportunity for our country to come together to honor our men and women in blue for the service they provide to our communities,” Congressman Collins said. “On behalf of the towns, cities, and villages throughout New York’s 27th Congressional District, I want to thank our law enforcement officers for consistently putting their lives on the line to keep us safe.”
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy declared May 15th as Peace Officers’ Memorial Day. This week, the United States will honor our courageous law enforcement officers during National Police Week. Every year since 1982, members of the U.S. law enforcement community, their families and friends have gathered on Peace Officer’s Memorial Day in Washington, D.C., to mourn the fallen and remember their heroic acts.
“Our first responders are willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice to uphold law and order within the communities they serve, but too often their heroic acts are repaid with undue criticism,” Congressman Collins said. “They deserve the full support of the federal government. I am confident the six pieces of legislation that will be voted on this week will provide U.S. law enforcement with the federal resources and support they need to continue keeping us safe.”
Thin Blue Line Act (H.R. 115)
- Makes killing, or attempting to kill, a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or other first responder, an aggravating factor in death penalty determinations.
Honoring Hometown Heroes Act (H.R. 1892)
- Authorizes the governor of a state to proclaim the American flag be flown at half-staff to honor a first responder who died in the line of duty.
American Law Enforcement Heroes Act of 2017 (H.R. 1428)
- Authorizes COPS grantees to prioritize funds to hire veterans as law enforcement officers.
Probation Officer Protection Act of 2017 (H.R. 1039)
- Authorizes probation officers to arrest a person if there is probable cause to believe the person forcibly assaulted or obstructed a probation officer while they were conducting official duties.
Rapid DNA Act of 2017 (H.R. 510)
- Establishes a system for integration of Rapid DNA instruments for use by law enforcement to combat violent crime and reduce the current DNA analysis backlog.
Strengthening State and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act of 2017 (H.R. 1616)
- Authorizes the National Computer Forensics Institute to disseminate homeland security information related to the investigation and prevention of cyber and electronic crime and related threats, and educate, train, and equip state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement officers, prosecutors and judges.
