Roundtable Wrap Up: State and Local Law Enforcement Need More Support from Federal Agencies

WASHINGTON—Yesterday, the Subcommittee on Federal Law Enforcement held a roundtable on “A View from the Frontlines: A Police Week Roundtable on Emerging Issues Facing American Law Enforcement.” During the roundtable, members and participants examined the challenges state and local law enforcement agencies face when working with federal agencies, and participants provided feedback on how agencies can collaborate with each other more effectively. Subcommittee Chairman Clay Higgins (R-La.) acknowledged the nearly 25,000 officers who gave their lives in the line of duty and invited officers to share their agencies’ critical needs and offer suggestions on how they can be better supported.  
 
“State and local law enforcement agencies are force multipliers for federal law enforcement. They need more cooperation, enhanced support, and improved access to resources from the federal government to effectively protect their communities. This includes facilitating agreements to ensure illegal alien criminals are removed from our communities and deported,” said Subcommittee Chairman Higgins. “Local enforcement officers must be able to hold criminals accountable without overbearing federal regulations getting in the way. Officers at the local, state, and federal levels should feel confident in their ability to mitigate threats to public safety and have appropriate resources to handle them effectively.” 
 

“This roundtable provided an excellent opportunity to hear feedback directly from officers on how we can better protect Americans from public safety threats. We appreciate Col. Robert T. Hodges, Sgt. Edward Lenz, and Sgt. Aaron Zaliponi for participating in yesterday’s roundtable and providing their insight into how the federal law enforcement resources can be shared and optimized based on state and local law enforcement agencies’ needs,” concluded Subcommittee Chairman Higgins.    

Click here to watch the roundtable.