Data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ National Crime Victimization Survey, which tracks reported and unreported crimes, has put to rest any doubts that violent crime has surged in recent years. This increase is consistent with a years-long ideological war on police that continues today.
It’s a war that has consequently contributed to the disintegration of communities nationwide and claimed innocent lives.
Ambushes and assaults on law enforcement officers, which have grown to record highs according to the FBI, are just one destructive sign of this war.
One of these acts is the increase in prosecutions of officers who use justified force in concert with the Constitution and their training. Another is the attempt to eradicate qualified immunity protections, a doctrine the Supreme Court has upheld since 1967.
The fallout has been profound. As law enforcement agencies cannot recruit an adequate number of officers, they’ve been reduced to coaxing applicants with large monetary bonuses. Or, they’ve lowered hiring standards, including those relating to credit history, education, past drug use and physical fitness.
Unless this trajectory changes, we will need to be concerned with whether an officer will arrive on time and whether the quality of that officer will be up to par.
The bulldozer that was — and continues to be — taken to policing has caused so much chaos that it may take years to reverse course. That’s if we start rebuilding now.
The good news is that the landscape at the federal level is conducive to the type of restoration that policing requires. Critical to this is legislation that deters violence against police officers, supports them and allows them to perform their work according to the law.
With National Police Week approaching, this is an optimal time to contact federal lawmakers to urge them to support bills that can catapult the change law enforcement desperately needs.
There are several federal bills that, if passed, would go a long way to revive law enforcement.
—The Qualified Immunity Act of 2025 would codify existing qualified immunity protections into law.
—The Police Officer Self-Defense Protection Act is a bill that would provide federal protections for officers who use justified force when facing a credible threat.
—The Fighting Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Act of 2025 would mandate the Justice Department to propose a PTSD treatment program for police officers and other first responders, similar to what’s available to military members.
—The Protect and Serve Act of 2025 would create a federal crime for knowingly targeting a federal, state or local police officer with violence.
—The Thin Blue Line Act would expand federal death penalty eligibility for murdering or attempting to murder a state or local police officer.
Hosting police appreciation parties, thanking officers for their service, and other visible signs of support are always encouraged, especially as law enforcement continues to be under fire. Getting meaningful legislation passed into law is something that will last.
This National Police Week, we can send a resounding message that we support and value the men and women of law enforcement and the laws they were sworn to uphold.
