New guidance from the Department of Justice (DOJ) may force federal law enforcement officers to reevaluate what they’ve been taught is acceptable conduct and learn new protocols.

Whether it's praise from the public or scrutiny for an action taken while on the job, federal law enforcement officers often find themselves in the public spotlight just by the nature of their job.

For better or worse, law enforcement personnel often find themselves in the public spotlight. Unfortunately, even officers with excellent conduct aren’t immune to allegations of wrongdoing.

This episode highlights a cold reality for all federal law enforcement officers—you may be vulnerable to those seeking to gain access to sensitive government information.

Accusations can be made by anyone, including criminal offenders, members of the public, co-workers, special interest groups, or members of Congress, among others.

Recently, a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators introduced the Public Safety Officer Support Act, a bill that aims to expand the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) program.

In their duties nationwide, the United States Marshals Service (USMS) frequently utilizes its authority to deputize state and local law enforcement officers to assist in federal operations.

While the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the American way of life has been consistently and extensively reported on, its impact on the federal law enforcement community has been widely overlooked.

During the holiday season, FEDS Protection wants to thank all hard-working federal law enforcement agents and officers who risked their lives and dedicated countless hours to serving our country in 2021. We all experienced a challenging year, but the federal law enforcement community faced unprecedented challenges and new responsibilities.

In October, FEDS Protection attended the 26th Annual National Convention of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) in Rhode Island. As a proud sponsor of FLEOA, FEDS Protection was thrilled to see the federal law enforcement community gather for this annual event.

Under a new agreement between the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), full-time and part-time TSA officers (TSOs) are now able to appeal adverse actions to the MSPB.

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.

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.

In recent years, federal law enforcement officers have been the subject of increasing scrutiny from the media, public, and politicians.

Recently, news broke that former Ambassador Gordon Sondland, a key witness in the 2019 impeachment probe, is suing former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the U.S. government for recoupment of $1.8 million in attorney’s fees.

In today’s tumultuous political environment, federal law enforcement officers need to leverage every aspect of their skillset in order to succeed on the job. The issues, questions and challenges facing the federal community and federal law enforcement officers in particular seem to become more complex, varied, and dynamic by the day. Government agencies and successful companies are increasingly seeking more people with high emotional intelligence (EQ).

Federal law enforcement officers asked, and we listened—FEDS Protection is excited to announce that we have added a $3 million civil liability coverage option to our professional liability insurance (PLI) program, extending civil liability coverage available for federal employees beyond the existing $1 million and $2 million policies.

Across all agencies, federal law enforcement officers are stressed out. Even prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, agencies had been understaffing units and overworking their officers. Studies show that understaffing may lead to decreased job performance due to officer fatigue that causes diminished observational abilities. For many reasons—social distancing protocols, employee illness, etc.—the pandemic has exacerbated these issues, putting more pressure on federal law enforcement officers than ever before. Despite the efforts of you and your fellow officers trying to keep up with agency demands, problems will inevitably arise and, when they do, the agency is going to look for someone to blame.

For 14 years, Federal Employee Defense Services has provided professional liability insurance (PLI) for federal law enforcement officers and has been a proud advocate for the federal law enforcement community. Now, FEDS is expanding its ability to offer even more support to federal law enforcement officers through its acquisition by CRC Group, a leading national wholesale distributor of specialty insurance products. This timely partnership will enable FEDS to expand coverage options for public employees and contractors.