State and Local Leaders –
Today, June 16, President Donald J. Trump took historic action and signed an Executive Order on Safe Policing for Safe Communities (remarks; video). Prior to the signing, the President met with families who have lost loved ones to violence – many involving deadly interactions with police – and reiterated and the Administration’s commitment to deliver safety and security for Americans of every race and background. The Executive Order is the product of close collaboration with law enforcement professionals, community leaders, and impacted families and demonstrates the President’s commitment to decisively advance common sense reforms that improve accountability, increase transparency, and invest more resources in police training, recruiting, and community engagement. “Americans can achieve anything when we work together as one national family,” President Trump stated in remarks prior to the Executive Order signing. “To go forward, we must seek cooperation, not confrontation; we must build upon our heritage, not tear it down; and we must cherish the principles of America’s founding as we strive to deliver safe, beautiful, elegant justice and liberty for all.”
President Trump strongly believes in the rule of law, and through the Executive Order, has directed his Administration to seek reforms that improve the relationship between law enforcement and all communities. Importantly, the Executive Order represents a commitment by the President and the Administration to support – not defund – the brave men and women of law enforcement by providing them with necessary resources to implement best practices and protect the communities they serve. Key provisions include:
- Certification: The Justice Department will now allocate
certain funding only to law enforcement agencies that meet high standards for
use-of-force and de-escalation, as credentialed by reputable independent
bodies. As part of this new credentialing, chokeholds will be banned except if
an officer’s life is at risk.
- Information
Sharing: The
Attorney General will create a database for federal, state, and local law
enforcement to track terminations, criminal convictions, and civil judgments
against law enforcement officers for excessive use-of-force.
- Mental
Health: To
protect both officers and our most vulnerable populations, the Administration
will prioritize training for police and social workers who respond to incidents
involving the mentally ill, addicted, and homeless.
- Legislative Action: The Administration will develop and propose new legislation to Congress to build on these policies and boost community engagement.
Below, find a helpful Fact Sheet and Statements of Support from various stakeholders. We welcome your feedback – please flag any statements for our office. And as always, please do not hesitate to reach out if we can be helpful. The Office of Intergovernmental Affairs is the primary liaison between the White House and State and local elected officials. We appreciate your partnership.
The White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
William F. Crozer
Special Assistant to the President/Deputy Director
White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
President Donald J. Trump Is Taking Unprecedented Steps to Strengthen Relations Between Law Enforcement and Their Communities
“We must invest more energy and resources in police training and recruiting and community engagement.” – President Donald J. Trump
IMPLEMENTING BEST PRACTICES: President Donald J. Trump is taking historic action to increase the adoption of best practices in law enforcement and support a safe and secure America.
- President
Trump is issuing a new Executive Order that will encourage law enforcement
agencies to implement best practices and protect the communities they serve.
- Our law enforcement officers provide critical protection to all Americans, and we need to work collectively to strengthen relationships across our country.
- Under the Order, the Attorney General will allocate certain grant funding to only those law enforcement agencies that meet high standards, including around use-of-force and de-escalation, as credentialed by reputable independent bodies.
- The Order provides incentives for law enforcement agencies to use a nationwide database to track terminations, criminal convictions, and civil judgments against law enforcement officers for excessive use-of-force, which will create accountability between agencies.
- The Administration will prioritize training and other programs for police and social workers responding to incidents involving the mentally ill, addicted, and homeless.
- President Trump is directing his Administration to develop and propose new legislation to Congress to further the policies of the Order and build community engagement.
UNITING AMERICAN COMMUNITIES: President Trump is taking action to unite our Nation and ensure safer communities for all Americans.
- Every
day, law enforcement officers make great sacrifices to keep our citizens safe.
- Last year alone, 89 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty.
- In 2018, our police arrested nearly 12,000 people for murder and manslaughter, 25,000 people for rape, and nearly 1.5 million for assault.
- The overwhelming majority of the law enforcement community bravely perform their duties with integrity and honor.
- Close ties between law enforcement and their communities are important in all communities.
- President Trump’s Order seeks to redouble our efforts as a Nation to engage directly with our neighbors and secure lasting relationships across all communities.
KEEPING AMERICANS SAFE: President Trump is improving fairness and equality in our criminal justice system, while keeping our communities safe.
- President Trump has led the way on groundbreaking criminal justice reform, taking a smart-on-crime approach to make our communities safer.
- The President brought together a broad coalition including law enforcement, faith groups, community organizations, and more to support the First Step Act.
- The President established the Presidential Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice, examining how to improve community relations between the public and law enforcement.
- President Trump revitalized Project Safe Neighborhoods to help reduce violent crime in communities all around the country.
- Thanks to the President’s efforts, both the violent crime rate and murder rate in America have fallen for two consecutive years.
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What They Are Saying | Support for President Trump’s Action to Promote Safe Policing and Safe Communities
Fraternal Order of Police National President Patrick Yoes: We have reviewed the language of President Trump’s Executive Order and support its goals and methodology. It strikes a great balance between the vital need for public and officer safety, and the equally vital need for lasting, meaningful, and enforceable police reform.
Fraternal Order of Police National Vice President Joe Gamaldi: I think we’re going to embrace these reforms … We heard America. We heard Americans. We were listening. We understood that reforms needed to happen. That commonsense solutions to these problems needed to be presented. And I think that’s what you saw here today.
National Sheriffs’ Association Incoming President Dave Mahoney: We look forward to assisting the administration and Congress to implement these orders for the betterment of law enforcement and our nation.
Major County Sheriffs of America: The Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA) appreciates the President’s action to advance law enforcement accountability and preserve public safety through his Executive Order. (tweet and full statement)
Former D.C. Police Chief Charles Ramsey: This is a good start, and you know, the acknowledgement that you need to have some kind of national database, de-escalation training, having, you know, teams of people respond to some of these calls instead of just police officers, that have the expertise to be able to, you know, de-escalate and deal with people in a mental health crisis…these are things that I think are very positive, moves in a right direction.
Brennan Center for Justice Senior Fellow Theodore Johnson: “I think the biggest thing is information sharing between federal agencies, the states, and the federal government is a good thing. The more those entities talk, which is difficult, the better it will be for those departments, as well as for the citizens that they serve.”
Governor Bill Lee (TN): Proud of Director @rauschtbi for representing our state so well on the Presidential Commission on Law Enforcement. Thank you @POTUS for jumpstarting public safety reforms. (tweet)
Attorney General Ashley Moody (FL): Honored to join @realDonaldTrump and U.S. Attorney General William Barr, as the President signs an executive order to strengthen the trust between law enforcement and the communities they have sworn an oath to protect. (tweet)
Attorney General Chris Carr (GA): Today, @POTUS signed an #ExecutiveOrder with substantive and innovative solutions aimed at building #TRUST between law enforcement the communities they serve. We commend these actions, and we look forward to doing our part here in Georgia. (tweet)
Attorney General Daniel Cameron (KY): I applaud @POTUS/@realdonaldtrump’s executive order today, which flatly rejects the radical notion of defunding the police in favor of reasonable, commonsense measures that will encourage safe policing and strengthen the relationship between law enforcement and our communities. (tweet)
Attorney General Alan Wilson (SC): The President’s exec. order on Safe Policing brings needed improvements that will mean safer communities. Grant $ only to agencies that meet high standards, incl. improved use-of-force and de-escalation policies and training, credentialed by independent bodies.
Attorney General Sean Reyes (UT): The @WhiteHouse executive order on Safe Policing and Standards for De-escalation Training signed by @POTUS today directs grants to support peace officers in constructive community engagement and provides more resources for co-responders. … These federal resources for peace officers and co-responders are a powerful step forward for law enforcement & the communities they selflessly serve each day. (tweet)
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA): Today’s action by President Trump marks the first step in helping our cops serve their communities better. • Better training • More transparency • New accountability.
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (LA): @realDonaldTrump just signed a bold executive order on police reform. We must do all three: – Ensure equal justice – Support police officers who uphold their oath – Introduce better training and accountability ‘Defund the police’ is not a serious solution.
Sen. Tim Scott (SC): Very emotional meeting at the White House this morning with families of those killed by police in recent years. So grateful they are willing to share their powerful stories, and pleased to hear the President and AG commit to helping find answers and solutions.
Sen. Kelly Loeffler (GA): Thank you, @POTUS @realDonaldTrump, for your leadership in addressing police reforms. The solution isn’t to ‘defund the police,’ it is to provide more support and accountability. With today’s executive order, we’re taking a strong step to enhanced training and communication.
Sen. Martha McSally (AZ): The executive order announced by @POTUS is a big step in the right direction & we are working in the Senate on further reforms.
Sen. Joni Ernst (IA): Thank you @POTUS for taking action to help ensure our communities, and ALL Americans, are safe.
Sen. Thom Tillis (NC): “President @realDonaldTrump’s executive order is an important first step in police reform and accountability.”
Sen. Todd Young (IN): Today, @POTUS took a first step toward meaningful police reform and pledged to work with Congress on additional measures. I look forward to working with my colleagues and the President on these important reforms.
Sen. Mike Braun (IN): With this executive order, President @realDonaldTrump is taking a strong lead on progress toward more safe policing for all Americans.
Mayor Betsy Price (Fort Worth, TX): The President’s executive order is a step in the right direction, as we work to build safe communities that promote not only public safety, but also accountability for our first responders. Furthermore, it is critical we provide our police officers the necessary resources…” (tweet)
Sheriff Thomas Hodgson (Bristol County, MA): I was proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with fellow Sheriffs and others in law enforcement to support President @realDonaldTrump’s executive order on policing today at the @WhiteHouse. (tweet)