FLEOA Encourages Passage of EAGLES Act Following Wave of Mass Public Violence
Nathan Catura, President of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA), the nation’s largest non-partisan, not-for-profit professional association representing more than 27,000 federal law enforcement officers and agents across 65 federal agencies, today issued the following statement in support of the EAGLES Act.
“The last week has shown Americans some of the darkest elements of our society. While we have seen heroes in law enforcement and the community rise, we have also seen how acts of domestic terrorism can strike fear in the hearts of many. For law enforcement to protect their communities, they must be equipped with the best data and technology to prevent these crimes before they occur,” Catura said.
“Senator Chuck Grassley introduced the EAGLES Act in February to mark the anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub Shooting. In light of recent events, FLEOA would like to reaffirm our support for this measure and its importance,” Catura explained. “The EAGLES Act would reauthorize and expand the National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC), which researches targeted violence to assist law enforcement in preventing attacks with a focus on behavioral traits. The NTAC is already doing great to work to inform law enforcement on ways to reduce targeted violence by identifying behavioral traits indicative of violent behavior; however, it requires greater investment to truly fulfill its mission. The EAGLES Act would provide schools and law enforcement with adequate training and personnel to identify at-risk individuals and intervene before violent conduct occurs.”
Catura concluded, “Early intervention is critical to avoid acts of violence like what has taken place in Gilroy, El Paso, and Dayton. The EAGLES Act gives parties on the ground the tools they need to protect the people around them. Now is a time for mourning, but it must also be a time for action. We encourage Congress to support the passage of the EAGLES Act to help prevent mass public shootings.”
The views reflected in this column are those of FLEOA and do not necessarily represent the views of FEDagent.