Congress passes Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act
In a victory for NAPO and officers across the country, Congress passed the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act( H. R. 2228) on Dec. 22, sending it to President Trump to be signed into law.
The legislation would help law enforcement agencies establish or enhance mental health care services for their officers by making grants available to initiate peer mentoring pilot programs, developing resources for mental health providers based on the specific mental health challenges faced by law enforcement, and supporting law enforcement officers by studying the effectiveness of crisis hotlines and annual mental health checks.
According to the National Study of Police Suicides, officers are 2.5 times more likely to die from suicides than from homicides. State and local law enforcement officers respond to our country’ s greatest tragedies, as well as violent crimes that occur in our communities. They have seen and experienced horrors that they cannot forget, yet they still put their lives on the line every day to protect and serve us. It is time that we as a nation recognize the stress and strain of the job and give officers the resources they need to address their emotional and mental wellbeing.
The enactment of the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act was a top priority for NAPO. We offer our sincere appreciation to Senators Joe Donnelly( D-IN) and Don Young( R-IN) and Congresswoman Susan Brooks( R-IN) for their leadership on this issue and their commitment to ensuring that we have access to the best mental health services available. We also thank House and Senate leadership, including Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley( R-IA) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte( R-VA), for their support of the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act and their dedication to seeing it become law.
Attorney general reverses Obama administration policy on enforcement of federal marijuana laws
On Jan. 4, Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a memorandum reversing the 2013“ Cole Memo.” That document, from then-Deputy Attorney General James Cole, directed federal prosecutors to back off enforcement of federal marijuana laws in states that had legalized the drug and had a regulatory system in place.
In the memorandum, the attorney general directs all U. S. Attorneys to enforce the laws enacted by Congress, which generally prohibit the cultivation, distribution and possession of marijuana. This change is intended to return local control to federal prosecutors, who know where and how to deploy federal resources to most effectively reduce violent crime, fight the dissemination of drugs and dismantle criminal gangs. It is not intended to direct federal agents to go after individual pot users, but to help stop the mass distribution of this gateway drug and help tackle our country’ s massive drug crisis.
NAPO victory: Congress passes INTERDICT Act
In another year-end victory for NAPO, Congress passed the International Narcotics Trafficking Emergency Response by Detecting Incoming Contraband with Technology( INTER-
DICT) Act( S. 708 / H. R. 2142) on Dec. 21. The bill was sponsored by Senator Edward Markey( D-MA) and Congresswoman Nicki Tsongas( D-MA) and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick( R-PA).
Fentanyl, particularly when it’ s manufactured illicitly, and other synthetic drugs are having deadly consequences on communities across the country. Because illicit fentanyl is so powerful— just a few saltsized grains can kill an adult— small amounts go a long way for drug traffickers. These relatively small and potent amounts mean that fentanyl is difficult and hazardous to detect, making it easy to traffic across the border and a danger to those trying to stop its importation.
U. S. Customs and Border Protection( CBP) is on the front lines of the battle to detect and halt illegal fentanyl and other synthetic drugs being trafficked into the United States. CBP has had success interdicting these drugs with high-tech chemical screening devices, with the support of scientists in CBP laboratories. However, CBP needs additional resources to continue and expand its abilities. The INTERDICT Act supports the CBP by providing for additional chemical screening devices, scientists and other resources to help prevent the illegal importation of these illicit drugs and safeguard CBP field personnel from possible deadly exposure.
NAPO 30th Annual Pension & Benefits Seminar
The 30th Annual Police, Fire, EMS & Municipal Employee Pension & Benefits Seminar will be held at Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on Jan. 28-30. Participate in discussions on the pressing topics that are affecting your pension fund and benefits.
Topics will include: Pension Threats & Reforms, the U. S. Supreme Court Case that May Gut Unions Across the Country, Plan Fund & Design, the Pension Crisis that started in Kentucky and Why It May Be Coming to Your State Soon, Tax Reform and the Loss of State and Local Tax Deductions, the Death of the 401( k) Plan, Medicare Options and Security Breaches.
NAPO’ s Legislative Scorecard for the 1st Session of the 115th Congress
Find out how your representatives and senators voted on our priority issues by reviewing NAPO’ s Mid-Term“ Legislative Scorecard” for the 115th Congress, which is now available on our website. The results include all recorded votes that impacted NAPO’ s members in the House of Representatives and Senate during the 1st Session of the 115th Congress( 2017-18).
The Legislative Scorecard includes descriptions of the votes studied during this Congress, as well as NAPO’ s stance on each of the votes; spreadsheets which detail House and Senate support by member and state; a map depicting the level of Congressional support for the law enforcement community across the country; a chart reflecting support by political party in the House and the Senate; and a table detailing the average level of support in the House and Senate by state.
If you have any questions about the Legislative Scorecard or any of the legislation that NAPO is currently working on, please contact Andy Edmiston at aedmiston @ napo. org. d
24 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ JANUARY 2018