PHX Reporter

WASHINGTON, DC – On the first day of National Police Week, Rep. Ruben Gallego(AZ-03) joined Reps. Josh Gottheimer(NJ-05), John Rutherford(FL-05), Steven Horsford(NV-04), and Anthony D’Esposito(NY-04) in co-sponsoring the Invest to Protect Act, bipartisan legislation to help small and midsized police departments, including Tribal police departments, recruit and provide safety training, de-escalation training, and mental health support for their officers.

“Too often, it is smaller police departments in rural and Tribal areas that face some of the toughest challenges,” said Rep. Gallego. “I’m proud to help introduce the bipartisan Invest to Protect Act which makes the kind of smart, targeted investment these departments need to keep their communities and their officers safe.”

The Invest to Protect Act makes critical, targeted investments in small and midsize police departments with fewer than 200 sworn officers. Specifically, the bill:

• Invests in officer safety, de-escalation, and domestic violence response training, allowing officers to receive critical training that will make them even more effective at their jobs;
• Creates grants for small departments to recruit and retain new officers, to help keep their existing officers and recruit new ones;
• Allows departments to provide mental health resources for their officers; and,
• Authorizes $50,000,000 of existing funding per year for five years for local police departments.

The legislation has 54 original cosponsors and is endorsed by the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), the National Troopers Coalition (NTC), the National Sheriffs’ Association, the Sergeants Benevolent Association, the National Tactical Officers Coalition, and the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association.

Earlier this year, Rep. Gallego introduced the Bridging Agency Data Gaps & Ensuring Safety (BADGES) for Native Communities Act, a bipartisan bill that strengthens Tribal law enforcement and increases public safety in Indian Country. He also requested over $1 million in Community Project Funding for the San Carlos Apache Police Department for fiscal year (FY) 2024. In FY 2022, Rep. Gallego secured

 $480,000 for the City of Glendale to upgrade its 911 call center.

Full text of the legislation can be found here. 

Original source can be found here.