Senate Passes Tester’s National Police Week Resolution, Honors Montana’s Law Enforcement Officers

Senator’s resolution honors the 576 law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty in 2021

U.S. Senator Jon Tester today celebrated the passage of his bipartisan resolution marking National Police Week and reiterating support for the men and women in law enforcement. Tester continues to lead the fight to increase investments in resources for Montana’s police and first responders who put their lives on the line to keep communities safe.

“Our law enforcement officers in Montana and across the country are heroes, and we need to provide robust funding for the resources they need to do their jobs and keep our communities safe,” said Tester. “We owe these folks our gratitude, but words aren’t enough—we need to have their backs every day, the same way they have ours. The best way to honor their courage and sacrifice is to make sure they have the tools to do their jobs effectively and that they have access to the benefits they earn every day for putting their lives on the line.”

Tester’s resolution honors the 576 law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty in 2021, including nearly 400 who died from COVID-19, as well as the 92 lost to date in 2022. In the face of an ongoing pandemic and rise in violent crime, Montana law enforcement personnel continue to answer the call, serving their communities, often at great risk to themselves.

Tester’s resolution designates the week of May 15 through May 21, 2022, as “National Police Week,” and expresses unwavering support for law enforcement officers in the Treasure State and across the United States in the pursuit of preserving safe and secure communities.

A tireless advocate for Montana’s law enforcement and first responders, Tester was the only member of the delegation to support the FY22 omnibus, which included more than $1 billion for law enforcement agencies and he worked to ensure that the American Rescue Plan provides $1.25 billion in direct relief to Montana state, local, and county governments to plug revenue gaps and keep critical services like cops and firefighters on the beat.

Tester is also pushing his bipartisan First Responders Fair Return for Employees on Their Initial Retirement Earned (RETIRE) Act, to help federal firefighters, law enforcement officers, Customs and Border Protection officials, and other federal employees with potentially dangerous jobs receive their full retirement benefits if they get hurt while on duty. Tester’s bill advanced out of the House Oversight Committee last week with bipartisan support. Additionally, Tester’s Invest to Protect Act, which would create a new dedicated Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant program with a streamlined application process for local and Tribal law enforcement agencies under 200 officers, was voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee this week.

Tester is also continuing to work to ensure law enforcement officers have the tools and resources they need to do their job safely. Tester reintroduced his bipartisan Assisting Narcotic and Trafficking Officers in Interdicting (ANTI) Drug Act to increase funding for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area taskforce, Operation Stonegarden, and Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), which support Montana police officers and support local efforts to combat drug trafficking across Montana.