The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a joint advisory bulletin noting a spike in threats to federal law enforcement officials.

The Senate confirmed Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus as the nation's next commissioner of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), appointing a new leader for the nation's largest law enforcement agency. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) voted with the Democrats in the 50-47 vote that split mostly along party lines.

The House of Representatives passed two bills that address ambiguities in federal criminal law and mental health and benefits support for federal law enforcement on October 27, 2021. The Jaime Zapata and Victor Avila Law Enforcement Officer and Federal Employee Protection Act and the Confidentiality Opportunities for Peer Support (COPS) Counseling Act will go to President Biden for his signature.

A recent staff report from the House’s Committee on Oversight and Reform (HCOR) states few of Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) border agents faced repercussions for misconduct for social media posts.

Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus, President Biden’s nominee to lead Customs and Border Protection (CBP), stated he would support COVID vaccines and testing for migrants arrested by CBP during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a policy shift effective immediately on October 12, 2021, halting mass worksite detainment operations – a strategy of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) used to simultaneously arrest large amounts of individuals working in the U.S. without proper documentation.

On September 30, 2021, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas issued a memorandum outlining law enforcement priorities and apprehension guides for removing non-citizens who illegally enter the United States or overstay in the country.

The Justice Department is imposing limitations on federal law enforcement officers and their use of “no-knock” entries and chokeholds in an effort to improve accountability.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the day-to-day challenges of all federal employees, but federal law enforcement officers have become especially vulnerable due to constantly changing policies and updated procedures.

Each year, the WIFLE Leadership Training brings together women from across federal law enforcement for informative sessions, recruitment initiatives, and an awe-inspiring awards ceremony. This year, FEDtalk recorded live from the event in Tampa, Florida to give listeners an inside look at the event themes, presenters and sessions, guest speakers, and award winners.

For better or worse, law enforcement officers often find themselves in the public spotlight. Unfortunately, even officers with excellent conduct that consistently adhere to regulations and federal policies aren’t immune to allegations of wrongdoing.

Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Chris Coons (D-DE) introduced the Jaime Zapata and Victor Avila Federal Law Enforcement Protection Act, which would allow individuals who kill or attempt to kill federal law enforcement abroad to be prosecuted in U.S. courts.

Representatives Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) recently reintroduced the Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act. The bill has bipartisan support and would guarantee that law enforcement officers across the federal government have full access to federal retirement benefits.

On January 20, 2021, President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States, and a new administration will assume the operation of the federal government. With the new administration, there will likely be significant changes directly impacting the lives and jobs of federal employees.

On Wednesday, several thousand supporters of President Trump’s reelection campaign marched from the White House to the Capitol building, where the group breached security. The group climbed onto the Capitol by scaling vertical walls and overwhelming U.S. Capitol Police.

Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) on Tuesday introduced the Retirement Annuity Supplement Clarity Act to address the way the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) calculates the retirement annuity supplement for federal employees who have a divorce settlement dividing their Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) annuity.

Across the board, federal law enforcement officers have spent the vast majority of 2020 dealing with unprecedented challenges. Rising tensions between the public and law enforcement and the increasing dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic have created a landscape that has been tremendously difficult to navigate. While many of the struggles and successes of our law enforcement officers have been well-covered in the news, the challenges faced by two agencies have been comparatively underreported: the Bureau of Prisons and U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services.

For federal law enforcement officers, carrying and using a firearm is often the most significant part of the job. With the authority to carry a firearm comes the heavy responsibility of using it properly, as well as significantly increased exposure to civil, administrative, and criminal actions related to discharge of the weapon. For members of agencies or divisions such as the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), it is critical to carry professional liability insurance (PLI) that will protect against the exposures that come with carrying a firearm.

A Department of Justice guidance released on October 29, 2020 states that local police will now be allowed to wear body cameras when they assist federal law enforcement on task force operations. This decision comes after the success of a pilot program launched last year in Houston; Detroit; Wichita, Kansas; Salt Lake City; and Park City, Utah.