Insights into Federal Law Enforcement Through the FEDforum
On the first FEDtalk show of 2022, FEDforum partners discuss the initiative’s role in uniting voices across the federal law enforcement community. This partnership among law enforcement associations and organizations establishes a space for federal agents, officers, prosecutors, and supporters, to share their group’s initiatives, agenda, and events, with the FEDagent audience.
Host Natalia Castro welcomes FEDforum contributor Steve Wasserman, National President of the National Association of Assistant U.S. Attorneys (NAAUSA); Sara Slone, Communications Director of Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.); and Shelley Jones, Executive Director of Survivors of Blue Suicide Foundation (SBS).
Slone highlighted the work C.O.P.S. does for law enforcement before the worst has happened. The annual National Conference on Law Enforcement Wellness & Trauma addresses the cumulative stressors that officers may experience over the course of their careers. C.O.P.S. invites all active and retired law enforcement officers, peer support, counselors, police chaplains, and spouses/significant others, to participate in a weekend of healing, education, networking, and entertainment.
Through Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, held on January 9th this year, C.O.P.S. is creating a different mindset toward police across the nation. With record numbers in line-of-duty deaths, not just from COVID-19 but violent ambushes, Slone encapsulates a growing need for an active conversation around law enforcement wellbeing.
Slone and Jones discuss the partnership between C.O.P.S. and SBS. Modeled after C.O.P.S., SBS provides support for the families and co-workers of law enforcement officers who die by suicide.
Jones highlighted the first two years of SBS, remarking on the organization’s progress in developing programming for their unfortunately growing community. Jones explains how the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated mental health issues. SBS provides support at a time when the pandemic, coupled with the shame associated with suicide, is making seeking help more difficult.
“These families sacrificed the whole time their family was serving as a law enforcement agent or officer, so we really need to recognize that service and provide honorable funerals for those families,” Jones stated.
NAAUSA is a voice for Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) working in U.S. Attorney Offices. Wasserman noted the serves as a liaison for the AUSA community, who serve the American public despite pay and benefits inequity and dwindling resources.
“Most federal employees are paid under the General Schedule (GS). AUSAs are paid under the Administratively Determined (AD) Pay Plan, while attorneys at Main Justice are paid under the GS scale. Those two pay scales are structured very differently,” Wasserman noted, “The AD scale that AUSAs are paid under affords much greater discretion to U.S. Attorneys to grant or deny pay raises, coupled with increasingly tighter budget controls that have occurred across the federal government, but particularly the Department of Justice.”
AUSAs may practice both civil and criminal law while working for the Justice Department. Civil AUSAs represent the United States in various matters, and engage in all processes of the suit, including discovery, deposition, and motions. Criminal AUSAs serve as the nation’s primary litigators and handle various duties including case intake and charging individuals, to investigating, and presenting evidence to a grand jury. Criminal AUSAs also handle compassionate releases and appeals.
The FEDforum partners remark on their efforts to make progress for the federal law enforcement communities in many policy and work life areas. The guests continue to discuss highlights from this year's FEDforum columns, events and activities hosted in 2021, and issues on the horizon as the new year begins.
You can stream the show online anytime via the Federal News Network app and listen to the FEDtalk podcast on PodcastOne and Apple Podcasts.
FEDtalk is a live talk show produced by Shaw Bransford & Roth P.C., a federal employment law firm. Bringing you the insider’s perspective from leaders in the federal community since 1993.
FEDtalk is sponsored by the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP). The FLTCIP is sponsored by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, insured by John Hancock Life & Health Insurance Company, under a group long term care insurance policy, and administered by Long Term Care Partners, LLC (doing business as FedPoint).