Transcripts For CSPAN3 Law Enforcement Leaders Testify On Officer Safety 20220914

To order starting a couple minutes early because we have a vote scheduled early and to try to accommodate the members the story of a young lady a hero to me and many from the Chicago Police department. The embodiment of selflessness she loved people, she loved her family, she loved animals particularly stray dogs. She was known for picking them up and her squad car and getting them off to safety. With the communities that they served. Last year sadly she made the ultimate sacrifice in her line of duty. She was shot and killed while making a traffic stop with her partners. She was 29yearsold. The gun that was used to kill her and seriously injure was purchased and indiana. I would like to share a brief video to help tell her story and the threats that Law Enforcement officers save. Let me show the video. The night of july 1st there was a mass shooting on a day that had already seen a child shot on the south side. This one left a one monthold in critical condition. The officer played a key role in saving the childs life rushing the bd to the hospital. Saturday night, french was killed in an ambush attack. Smuggled through an alltoofamiliar pipeline. Indiana and illinois. Thousand Police Officers. Thousands wrapped around the perimeter. The archbishop described the connectedness to the community that she served and the people she worked with. Two Police Officers both in their 20s shot in the line of duty while responding to a domestic dispute. A Police Officer shot and killed in the line of duty. The Police Officer has been shot. Shot during a traffic stop and lifethreatening injuries. It can end any minute. You go to work and make a traffic stop it can be over in a heartbeat. Im not reporting on a fistfight that keeps happening in and around the community. I am reporting on double and triple shootings. They are more dangerous to the drugs. Its too easy for people to use straw purchasers and i want to protect the citizens. I want to protect my Police Officer. My own son is a Police Officer and we can achieve both of these objectives without infringing on anyones rights. We need to change. We need to change a system. Parents are being shot. This needs to stop. The officer is remembered and beloved for her profound generosity and passion for service. My wife and i went down to the chapel to join in the memorial service. Weve never seen an outpouring of grief like we saw that day. We joined hundreds maybe thousands who were there. Her mother is with us today. I want to thank her personally for being herein for honoring the legacy of her wonderful daughter. [applause] officer french and their family remind us all of the sacrifice Law Enforcement officers make everything they put on the uniform. I met the officer the south side in a golf cart with his dad and had a very positive spirit and determination to do Everything Possible for the rest of his life. With every disturbance call and Domestic Violence incident. Whether it is and he fell on the left were the donald trump incident on the right, no political grievance can ever justify attacking Police Officers and we should honor the service and sacrifice not just with words but with action. In may the committee reported five bipartisan bills to increase federal support for the officer hiring the retention and for the support of those of trauma. In the omnibus spending bill and more than 10 billion, 10 billion from the American Rescue plan has been dedicated to the Community Policing and over 300 communities. President biden has called for more for further funding. There are some on the other side who falsely accused democrats of wanting to defend the police. The record is clear. We are funding the police and we should. But our work cannot end there. We cannot ignore the role. Our nation is awash in guns estimating over 400 million firearms in the nation. Some of them from straw purchase handguns to assault weapons can pierce the vests that are supposed to protect the Law Enforcement at least one witness today has a personal experience of that. From 2012 to 2021, 456 Law Enforcement officers across america were killed in gun attacks during the same period, 12 Police Officers were fatally shot in canada. Four were fatally shot in the United Kingdom and three were fatally shot in australia. 456 in america. Twelve in canada, for in the United Kingdom and three in australia. Guns are the second leading cause of the office of the line of duty deaths in america after covid19. Just last year in illinois we lost the Police Sergeant wayne county Deputy Sheriff and tyler timmons, champagne Police Officer christopher overwhelm and officer french to gun attacks. My heart goes out to each of their families for their losses. We take an important step forward with last months passage of the bipartisan saver communities act that includes finally a provision and i joined others inviting for for years, cracking down on straw purchases. Today im announcing a new bill which would provide funding to the Multijurisdictional Task forces that investigate and disrupt the straw purchasing and illegal trafficking with the gracious permission of the family the bill will be named after officer french. We must do more than prevent officers being shot. Last month the Chicago Police officer shot in the head while making a traffic stop by the grace of god she survived. And reflecting said the situation demonstrates how quickly and officers day can turn into something catastrophic. Shes right. We have to do more to protect our Law Enforcement officers from the threats they face and now i will turn to my friend senator grassley for opening remarks. First, let me thank you to charmander been for responding to my request to hold the hearing on this issue of danger to Law Enforcement officers. I appreciate it very much. The attack on Police Officers are rising across the country. We see news stories on a regular basis about ambush attacks and murder of Law Enforcement in los angeles, philadelphia and elsewhere, even in my home state of iowa has not escaped this violence. Nationwide, 73 officers were killed in felonies last year the highest number since the 9 11 attacks. Thats a 59 increase over the previous year. 133 officers were shot in the ambushed style attacks at an increase of 123 over the previous year. The most recent data shows a Violent Crime is rising across the country. But violence against Police Officers is even higher. This is a unique and very critical problem and this hearing recognizes that and once again i thank senator durbin for bringing attention to this part of crime in the United States that doesnt get the attention it should. So i recognized one of my guests here is officer zach anderson, deputy in Grundy County last year when tim smith of the iowa state patrol was murdered in an ambush. I had previously spoken in honor of Sergeant Smiths memory on the senate floor. It breaks everybodys heart to hear stories like this come out. Its a tragedy for the officer that sacrificed his or her life and a tragedy for families and friends left behind. A tragedy for all of us that rely on brave men and women to keep us safe. It goes handinhand with the rising attack on police and we see more criminals resisting. And the hostility towards the people in uniform. This is a growing crisis and theres much Congress Needs to do to help address it. Senator durbin talked about a bill hes put. One of the challenges and legislation that im introducing it collects basic data on attacks against police that result in serious injury or death. We dont have much data on contributing factors. Also good data on attacks against police that dont result in death or serious injury. For this reason, i introduced a bill that i entitled improving Law Enforcement officer safety and wellness through data act. This bill will help expand our understanding of the tax to better identify motives and trends and any coordinated efforts to target those who put on the badge to keep the country safe. I work with Police Groups including major county Sheriffs Associations, the national natil association of Police Officers to identify gaps in the reporting. Senators lujan, tillis and cassidy are the original cosponsors of this bipartisan bill. There are several bills proposed by members of this committee that would make it a federal crime to attack Law Enforcement and that would enhance penalties to do so. Senators cornyn, tillis have sponsored those bills. A main cause of the violence against police is the demonization and disrespect shown to the profession of Law Enforcement throughout the country. When you allow hatred of a group to spread, people find it easy to justify Violent Attacks against Law Enforcement. Kathy smith, the wife of the late Sergeant Smith that ive already spoken about to send us a letter that id like to introduce into the record. She tells us about what a wonderful and selfserving man Sergeant Smith was good over the past six to eight years, he told her that officers have been treated with more hostility. She writes that during the riots, quote, my husband stood with his Tactical Team protecting the state capital in iowa and had a frozen water fror bottles and rocks thrown at them. Protesters insulted them three hours at a time. I held a roundtable a couple of months ago with iowa Law Enforcement in Davenport Iowa and one thing that i heard constantly is that officers recruitment and retention is a major problem. There are not enough Police Officers to go around and theres not enough young people joining the profession most new hires they are seeing come from other Law Enforcement offices so one person, one department gains a person and loses a person. The question that comes up is how we can ask young people to join the profession if we dont take care of them how can we ask them to protect us if we dont protect them and if we dont have enough officers we can only expect to see other Violent Crimes get worse. Cultures diminishing respect and the lack of protection to continue down this dark path permitting more families to face the same fate as ours or you can do something about it. You can listen to the problems we have, develop a plan to fix them and save the lives of our officers. I agree with kathy and i hope this hearing will help to examine all aspects of the crisis for police and how we can help protect them. Before i close i would like to introduce into the committee a letter from the national nationl association of Police Organizations and a statement from the fraternal order of police which states that antiPolice Rhetoric amplified by social media platforms leads to brazen acts of violence against them. I think all of the witnesses for testifying. We will certainly include the e end of the others that you referenced. We are joined today by the distinguished panel. We will introduce you to swear that man and each witness will have five minutes for an Opening Statement. Senators can follow up with their own five minutes of questioning. I will introduce the witnesses and then turned to senator grassley for introductions before the administration. From the Chicago Police department serving for 21 years including as the operational in the 25th district Commanding Officer of the neighborhood policing initiative, deputy chief community police. A graduate where hes currently pursuing a masters degree in Public Safety from xavier university. Thank you for your service in the city for being here today. Michael harrison is a commissioner of the baltimore Police Department. A position hes held since 2019. Current president of the executive Research Forum. Before serving in baltimore he served in new orleans and the Police Department for nearly three decades rising through the ranks and becoming the superintendent for over four years. He has a masters of criminal justice from Loyola University new orleans and is a graduate of Northwestern University school of police staff and command. Commissioner, thank you for your service and thanks for being here today. Dwight has served as the chief of the colorado Police Department since 2002 and current president of the International Association of International Association of chiefs of police. Member of the executive committee for eight years. 2010 was congressionally appointed to serve on the local state tribal Preparedness Task force has a masters degree from the university of california irvine and san diego. Thank you for your service and joining us today. I have two witnesses to introduce, Zachary Anderson works for the cedar falls Public Safety office. He was a deputy in the county Sheriffs Office in april of 2021 and he was there when the iowa state patrol sergeant was murdered in an ambush attack that also happens he attends the same church i do in cedar falls iowa. Officer anderson has worked in Law Enforcement since 2017. We see the certification of the extraordinary personal action from the American Red Cross for using lifesaving skills in medical emergencies and before that he worked helping juveniles at the el dorado training school. We thank him for his service and for testifying today. My next introduction is sheriff Mike Broussard runs one of the largest sheriff offices in america in the Oakland County michigan and served since 1999 and has a total of 35 years of Law Enforcement. And the Government Affairs at the major county sheriffs of America Association where he has also served as president. He was also appointed to president Donald Trumps commission on Law Enforcement and the administration of Justice Working Group in 2020. Hes received so many honors and awards that i can only name a few. He was named in 2022 by Michigan Sheriffs Association and 2016 by the national Sheriffs Association. He earned a silver star for bravery from the American Police hall of fame and much more. Sheriff, thank you for appearing to testify today. I believe the sender is going to introduce the next witness. The antiPolice Rhetoric in the summer of 2022 the Progressive Prosecutor Movement and lockdowns and the lack of prosecution and bold and criminals across the board. Its been especially deadly when it comes to uniform Law Enforcement officers. As of june of 2022 according to the fraternal order of police, theres already been 178 Law Enforcement officers shot in the line of duty which is a 19 increase from 2021. I would ask unanimous consent to introduce the update that indicates the figures at the end of my introduction. As we can see this hearing is long overdue. Today im pleased to introduce a fellow texan who is a surgeon but also a doctor get from texas tech university. But more to the point experienced a personal tragedy that will shape the trajectory of his life when his cousin was shot and killed the day before her wedding. They put him on a path to protecting and serving the communities and served in the army simultaneously graduated with the associate degree in administration of justice from Honolulu Community college. The surgeons and made his way back to texas and joined the dallas Police Department where he eventually rose to the rank of sergeant. While serving on the force, he continued his education and obtained multiple advanced degrees including a bachelors bachelorsdegree in criminal jusm midwestern, masters degree in counseling from prairie view a m and the doctorate of education in texas tech. In july of 2016, dallas texas experienced a horrific attack on our Law Enforcement officers when the gun man shot and killed five officers and injured nine others. The chief of the Chicago Police department, chief of the dallas Police Department where i met him at the time. A surgeon to penny uses unspeakable loss to fuel his efforts to stand up for his fellow officers and their families. He now serves as a president and executive director of the National Officers association and has worked tirelessly to bridge the gap between police and the communities they serve helping raise awareness for fallen officers and their families and hes advocated for policy changes that would protect Law Enforcement and protect, provide Financial Assistance to the family of those fallen officers. I want to thank you for being here today. And thank you for your service. Thank you, senator and i ask the witnesses to please rise and raise your right hand. If you swear or affirm the testimony youre about to give before the committee is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you god . Thank you. Let the record reflect that all of the witnesses have answered in the affirmative. We each have five minutes for an Opening Statement, starting with the chief. Good morning charmander been, and members. I serve as the chief of the policing reform with the Chicago Police department. Thank you very much for holding this hearing. I am honored to represent the Chicago Police department and speak on behalf of those who often feel unheard, the sons, daughters, mothers, fathers behind the badge risking their lives every day to protect the communities. Policing is a dangerous job and while it is our job to protect our communities, we cannot underestimate the emotional toll that it has lower officers. We are the ones responding to victims, processing crime scenes, taking those images home with us and putting that uniform back on the very next day. Those experiences stayed with us forever bearing an impact that words could never express. Not every officers physically injured in a violent encounter. But every officer indoors the emotional scars of repeated exposure to violence. And this is one of the toughest times to wear the badge. This year alone, Chicago Police officers have been shot at 36 times, with seven of those struck by gunfire. In the last two and a half years, all officers have taken more than 24,000 guns off the streets of chicago. Im joined today by my fellow officers including the deputy chief who last year was shot in the line of duty. Im also joined by elizabeth french, the mother of our fallen hero, officer ella grace french almost one year ago today officer french and her partner were shot in the line of duty. Officer french lost her life to the wounds that she sustained and each day they continue to heal from and adapt to the catastrophic lasting injuries. It allows partner and friend spring into action and helped to save officers life although he didnt sustained a gunshot wound, the emotional toll that he will have to endure from that incident cannot be overstated. These are the moments we know can happen but we hope they never happen. Ella was a source of light and joy for all who knew her. Her partner remarked that she was beautiful inside and out. He shared her love of animals and how she lived to help others. Her friends say her bubbly spirit was a constant in the situation. Carlos comes from a Police Family and his colleagues always admired his determination. In fact when his doctor told him he would never be able to use the left side of his body, carlos said i accept that challenge. He danced with his wife in march of this year. Carlos continues to recover with his family and remains a source of inspiration for our department. Early in my career my partner and i responded to a call of a woman crying for help and we encountered. I ordered him to drop that weapon. Hes about to drop it when suddenly he fired a round in my direction. I still remember the look on his face before he fired and i felt around before i heard the shot. But i didnt realize is the bullet pierced through the side of my chest and traveled and collapsed my lungs. I radioed my location and later i learned that id inadvertently radioed my mothers home address. The injuries sustained remained with me today professionally, physically and in the private corners of my mind. I still struggle with my wounds as many officers are struggling from their injuries that theyve sustained with a traumatic Human Experience theyve witnessed every single day on the job. They do this while trying to balance the realities of the profession with their everyday lives. You cant exaggerate the impact that our experiences with crime and violence has all caps. Protecting those that protect us has to be a priority. I cant help but think of all of those that have been left without them. I think about ms. French when she shared how ella became a Police Officer to make the communities safer and the responses by hearing, quote, it was important to get as many weapons off the street as possible. Her death and that of so many other innocent people are why we must keep working to get guns off the streets. It is a piece of the puzzle and the reason that i am willing to be here to help something good come out of the death of my dear daughter. Thank you very much for the opportunity to share with all of you here today. I want to share with you today a recent experience unfortunately is not so much or too many of my brothers and sisters in Law Enforcement for an april 9, 2020 want to work with my former agencies as a shares jeopardy in Grundy County, iowa. My inning start off like normal with a few calls and traffic stops. I then stopped for dinner and heard a call come out the officer was in pursuit. The situation worsened as i learn the officer vaulted been assaulted and quickly responded in that direction. The suspect fled to the his residence in the city of grundy center, was followed by fellow deputy britt i arrived on scene shortly after the subject should barricade himself and his residence. Many additional officers arrived on scene and countless attempts were made at all entrances to call him out of his house think we do not want to hurt you, come out with your hands up. Unfortunate all these attempts were met with no response from did not know what the suspect was alive, awake, or okay. Responding agencies on scene forming a plan of entry into the home partly that plan was sgt jim smith the leader thought i was state patrol Tactical Team. It was decided to first send a canine end to clear the basement of the residence. That was completed and officers begin knocking and announcing the pending entry of the canine to the main level of the home. The suspect ambushed us for the next doors open. He is waiting for us with the shotgun. He fired two shots killing sgt smith. The suspect retreated into a semi member shouts, jim, jim, trooper matt calling out to provide care to move from the garage for two officers are trapped in the basement, the subject began making threats to kill us all. Come in and start shooting i will kill you like i killed your buddy. I was nice, shot him in the chest but come sunup i wont be semi social you in the face. The words i heard what i witness to be with me for the rest of my life. But a day goes by that i can tell im doing okay i know others are not. Action seemed to be taken to protect us in this line of work image of an officers been in recent years, rhetoric used by the media does not address any favors with quick bait headlines of an officer did or didnt do we take an oath to do our best for the communities we protect. The men women i had opportunity work with stand behind ramped up his hatred with the way of the world had one goal that day he had succeeded in achieving. I did question of when to continue in this field, as a direct result of this incident. Is it worth it question requesting support us after Major Incident like this. Neither prioritize resources for officers but have people to talk to, debriefings, trainings, not all officers but of help they need. And eb steps in place they dont fall through the crooks. I encourage my wife encouraged me too call matt not evelyn has at support close to them. It takes a toll on families they need to be supported my wife knew that night i was supposed to be home and called into an emergency. Being from a small community, word travels fast and she heard it officer was shot and killed the had not heard from a perch you know where i was my gps had not move for hours. She sat a long time that night in the unknown. She sensed trouble survivors guilt because she knows relief knowing that i was okay and coming home. The harsh reality that was not the case for another iowa family. On april 9, 2020 and kathy smith lost her husband alexander ands judgment loss their father and a Law Enforcement family lost a brother bird sgt smith at an ultimate sacrifice. All ive learned about him, all that ive learned about him, the leader he was, he would not have had in the other way but to be sent in first to protect his mentor to ask you today to lead it like jim by defending us, protecting us, caring for us in building the work we do as lawenforcement officers. We talk about holding that one, the thin blue line serving and protecting those in need. We need our families, our friends, our communities under nation leaders to have our back as we fight to hold that line. Without that support, that line cannot be held. Thank you. Thank you officer anderson for that powerful testimony. Commissioner harrison. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Ranking member grassley, members of the committee for the opportunity to testify before you today. Serving as a member of Law Enforcement is not just a profession. It is a calling. In my 32 years of experience as a Police Officer and in my eight years of the Police Executive in two major cities, i have witnessed firsthand the challenges member of the policing profession face on a daily basis. As president of the Police Executive Research Forum im also of a network of Police Executives in major cities, medium ands small who share with me their accounts to combat gun violence in their jurisdictions. The proliferation of illegal guns and the availability of those illegal guns in nearly every major american city, county, town, and jurisdiction is a significant factor of virus in the upward trend gun violence across this country. In addition to the proliferation and availability of guns, we are severely challenged with todays offenders of mindset and willingness to use a firearm to enact violence on others. Sometimes shooting indiscriminately into a crowd in an attempt to strike one person. Sometimes in the proximity and even the presence of a Police Officer. Then at other times shooting directly at Police Officers. This is an environment which our officers wake up every day and put on the uniforms. Arrive at roll call and go out for to protect and serve the communities they are sworn to protect. If i could take a personal moment i want to highlight one such officer for the baltimore Police Department. Died one day have been shot in ambush style attack while she was in her patrol vehicle. While the tragedy of her death brings into stark relief the dangers are officers face it is a story of her life that exemplifies what we want in our officers. The kind of service we ask of them pay the kind of person she swears an oath and enters the profession to police. She joined our department in 2019 and did so because she wanted to serve her city and protect its community. Even during thats our time at our Police Academy she gave a powerful testimony of the need to improve Police Community relations and her passion to serve. On the night she was shot, she was picking up a voluntary overtime shift to patrol. She was where she was supposed to be, providing visibility in an area that had seen a significant level of gun violence. Confronting the National Challenge of gun violence and must have a multi layered approach that up more than just Law Enforcement. We must invest in historically this invested communities. Must provide Wraparound Services to victims of violence and intervene with them to prevent retaliatory violence. Went to invest in violence prevention programs intervention programs, drug rehabilitation programs, reentry programs and so much more to provide individuals with pathways away from Violent Crime. But even when cities are engaged in all these programs doing all they can, the sheer volume of illegal guns the trafficking of those guns in our community make it very difficult for officers to perform their duty faithfully. Its having an impact on the rate of office separations and retirement is having an impact on the recruitment of new officers. And because the staffing impact its having Significant Impact on overall Deployment Strategies that could enhance officer safety and create safer communities. Officers are doing great work and seizing illegal guns and Holding Accountable those who commit gun violence. But lets be clear, in many cases the number of guns outnumbers the populations of some cities. With the Police Departments facing stacking challenges the impact we could have a reducing gun violence is further diminished. Recent passage of federal legislation on guns is certainly welcome and additional investment Law Enforcement investigative resources can certainly serve as a force multiplier for local Police Departments. In addition i recruited recommendations with entitled reducing gun violence, what works, what can be done now . We welcome the support and greatly value the coordinated efforts of agencies like fbi, dea, atf, u. S. Marshals, hsi and other u. S. Department of justice agents. As Police Officers we take an oath and are trying to protect, serve under very difficult circumstances. We are called to be guardians of work in cooperation with the communities we protect it. I am constantly impressed by the achievements of Police Officers who perform this duty with distinction and honor knowing full well the danger they could face when they put on that uniform each day. I again thank you for the opportunity to testify today. Thanks commissioner. Thank you senator. On behalf of the Law Enforcement officers across this country, im honored to appear before this committee to speak on a topic that is near and dear to my heart, protecting our police protecting our communities back onto the fbi 2021 arc the highest number of Law Enforcement officers murdered in more than two decades. Of the six or 33 line of duty death last year 73 felonious killings. That should come to no surprise to anyone, especially considering the coordinated efforts that were used to undermine our police. As a chance to defend the police got louder, more Police Officers died and families were left to pick up the pieces. The rise in anti Police Sentiment has led to a rash of attacks on Police Officers nationwide. In 2021 alone there are 86 premeditative attacks. So far in 2022 there have been 35. This trend it does not seem to be appearing anytime soon. How did we get here . In 2014, the ferguson riots gave rights a new paradigm of violence against our police under the pretext black lives matter. Although many people from churches and schools in innercity Communities Just want to peacefully protest, radical groups and extremist had a different agenda but did not mother for the police were right or wrong, black lives Matter Organization son opportunity to exploit high profile incident involving the police to fund raise and further the radical agenda. For me it was undeniable black lives matter was doing. Because her polling directly from the lack nationalist playbook. Which overlooked Violent Crime in the black communities by magnify incidents involving the police. I was very familiar with this tactic. There were similar to the attacks black nationals use in the early 1990s in houston, texas where i grew up as a teenager. Daily difference was black lives matters use social media instead of a bowl phone microphone to amplify the radical message. Some of that writing tactics use the early 90s included organizing protests eight in the evening and encouraging people toward dark clothing so they can hide their criminal behavior. They understood the police were limited in their responses and capabilities so these the tactics to distract police to cause more damage. Looting, violence and destruction. They also knew how to use media to manipulate the message and turn everyone against the police. I warned about this threat early on but no one would listen because of the race dynamic. Even after july 7, 2016 attack in dallas, texas claimed the lives of five Police Officers four of which were personal friends. No one would listen. By summer of 2020 black lives matter it escalated to full blown riots. Coinciding with the georgia floyd murder. Realizing Police Officers were at a disadvantage, other friends and groups around the country began waging attacks against Police Officers as well Prince Albert especially in his cities like minneapolis, atlanta, washington d. C. , philadelphia, cleveland, los angeles, portland, seattle and kenosha. The rights were uncontrollable. Police agencies did not have the resources or manpower to deal with the mob, nor did they know who was friend or foe. Police were essentially force in an unattainable situation because rules of engagement were imbalanced. On june 5, 2020, walked the message ended with defend the police buried deep in the Police Became the rallying cry for radicals across the country to protest and riot and loot across this country. In response to defend the Police Movement, cities and across this nation began cutting budgets in solidarity with the movement the lack of support for police led to Police Officers resigning, retiring many withdrawing from the Police Academy. Spike the inter Cities Police agency struggled to maintain due to the high attrition rate Police Officers were required to work extra shifts to compensate for the lack of manpower. The reduction in resources and low morale increase Mental Health problems for Law Enforcement officers were the culmination of these factors lead to overwhelming stress on the Police Officers which resulted in higher suicide rates. Defend the Police Movement as responsible requisite also response for the overcorrection by these progressive das and their refusal to prosecute criminals question our Police Officers nationwide have expressed their frustration with having to arrest the same criminals over and over again because of no bail initiatives. Defend the Police Movement has done more damage than anyone can imagine. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning, recommend aggressively and members of the committee but thank you for the opportunity to participate in todays hearing. Let me start by saying the focus of this hearing is very personal to me. When i started my career, 40 years ago, i was shot and when my partners was killed. Buy a motorcycle gang there with a handgun. Two citizens were also severely injured by this experience has influenced my career in my life since that terrible night. I made my primary mission to provide the safest working environment from officers and provide the tools and training to each of them to make sure they go home safely to their famous at the end of their shift. Was not always possible by the greatest fear is leading their agency the loss of that office over tragically my story is not unique as you have heard today. We know that when you take the oath to serve our jobs are dangerous. However this does not mean we do not need and deserve adequate support bracket appreciate the committee holding this and finding ways we can further support our officers but parchment officers have witness the death of a colleague or injuries and psychological trauma resulting from their jobs. You willing to look to the statistics of art here 202183 of officers were killed by gunfire. To provide a glib sit at 2022, you have heard also theres nearly 20 increase. These officers are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, devote their life to public service. Concerning these statistics sad reality is every Police Officer must approach every encounter without the person could possibly have a gun. I cannot underscore the level of stress in the daily toll that takes on us and our families. The icp which im the president of, commends group of centers for their leadership in passing the bipartisan day for communities act. Why i believe this legislation is a step to reduce gun violence, more needs to be done. Progress cannot stop its imperative identify Workable Solutions to dramatically reduce the 40000 americans who die each year from gun violence. Committed to the safety of our communities and the officers that serve them. Progress is taken initial action and now its time for Police Officers, the criminal Justice System and the public to act. Our part the icp will be work with their members to ensure they are prepared to enforce new provisions targeting purchases sharing information investigate attempts by individual purchasers in promoting adoption of statelevel red flag laws. Will also continue to work closely with her brothers at the fbi in atf. However this cannot sole be a Law Enforcement responsibility. It is also must follow up the rest of the criminal Justice System. History has shown us we cannot wait to only punish repeat offenders that need to make it clear the first crime with a firearm has severe repercussions. Our criminal Justice System owes her communities nothing less. We are constantly hearing frustration of our members regarding challenges and prosecutorial direction and decisions of this to be directly attributed the rise in Violent Crime. By this would be when prosecutors enact blanket policies not to prosecute certain crimes and take nonenforcement approaches to the laws enacted. Prosecutorial decisions and discretion are a tenant our judicial system, there must be our lineup is in the police and prosecutors to ensure agreement on enforcement and prosecution of offenses. Oscar disconnected from the police and public loses faith in the system and the rule of law. Also support congress to increase resources to allow a better and Law Enforcement d. O. J. Greater prosecution of brady act violations. In addition this supports a project such as project safe neighborhood in project xl. Studies have shown violent offenders of the highest recidivism rate for committee other firearms related Violent Crimes. More than even sexual offenders. Therefore the sports grading of federal registry like the offender registry for offenders have been previously convicted of a felony firearms a violation of a involves violent or threatening acts. With firearms this writer see a great benefit towards investigating Violent Crimes as well as establishing a list of dangerous offenders who establish notification systems alert officers that potential danger during contact. The instances of gun theft or blocked cars and homes from lawful gun owners have seen a significant increase think of tripping two guns getting into the hands of juveniles and criminals. Need to be a concerted effort to educate citizens to lock up their firearms. Gun increases in gun violence, we are facing increase of opioid overdose is crating a Mental Health crisis. Police today take on more roles and responses than ever. On any given day, the officer it may save a life, console a family the suicide loss and deescalate a situation to get a person entered crisis into Mental Health services. As Police Officers doing more to protect their communities, having less and less appreciated but officers deal with media portrayals that only highlight the bad and Community Anger at the very idea of the police. I sent an easy time to be a Police Officer, stresses high and morale is often low. Yet in the face of these challenges come officers show up every day, dedicated to do their job, Building Trust and preventing crime, supporting victims and keeping our communities safe. They enter this position because they care. And they stay because of it. We owe it to these officers to reduce the burden help them cope with the stressors of this dangerous and demanding job. Im proud of the isp being in the forefront of change in the narrative around Law Enforcement Mental Health and wellness. For the National Consortium of preventing Law Enforcement suicide convenes multi discipline a group of leading experts to continually assess and address evolving Law Enforcement Mental Health needs the evidencebased recommendations and resources. The Law Enforcement resilience training and the valor probe and average hundreds of officers help them learn the skills they need to navigate adversity, grow and thrive in the face of this job. The new Police Academy curriculum are officer safety in wellness will be available nationwide to make sure officers of the tools they need to have long and healthy careers. We commend the d. O. J. For continuing to expand funds for Law Enforcement Mental Health and wellness act. The fund many agencies here support and wellness services. However there are many agencies that do not have the training and resources they need to provide their support recover should consider increasing the Resources Available for this act. Finally in addition to take care of the current officers, when you dress the hiring gap to reduce the stresses on Law Enforcement agencies and individual officers. We urge you to expend the cops hiring fred explore ways to incentivize career in Law Enforcement with more recruiting, retention through a Nation National campaign, loan forgiveness and educational incentives. In conclusion or officers face threats daily. Officers deserve our support. By the thing act of legislation that keeps guns of the hands of criminals, a commitment by all members of the criminal Justice System to effectively investigate and prosecute all violent and gun related crimes providing officers with assistance, resources and tools they need to keep them safe. I urge you to use your position to pass meaningful legislation will further safeguard our communities and our officers. Thank you again for this opportunity per. Thank you chief, sheriff bechard regrets mr. Chairman, Ranking Member grassley, thank you for your invitation to testify today and for your bipartisan focus on officer safety. After nearly 40 years in Law Enforcement, including 23 as sheriff, a board member at major county sheriffs of america could not agree with you more on how critical this issue is. Last week and officer in rochester, new york was shot and killed in an ambush while on patrol. This past weekend at missouri city, texas, was shot in the face all responding to a cart jacking and deputy yates and harmony, ohio was killed going on a welfare check. Several deputies in my own department have sustained significant injuries thing assaulted in just the last week. In my agency alone in 2021, we had 32 deputy significantly assaulted in the line of duty. So far this year with only six and a half months in, we have already had 31 a deputies assaulted. We have seen a significant increase in resisting arrest. Last year we saw 216 and my agency and so far we have already seen almost 140 this year. I know our situation is not unique. While it overwhelming majority of daily contacts with the community are positive, the number of assaults on officers are up. The reasons behind this trend are complex. Respect for his fellow citizens, respect for authority seems to have greatly diminished in our society. We also have to acknowledge the demonization of police has added to this problem greatly. As much as we know about the assaults, statistics do not tell the full picture. Because use of force against officers is significantly underreported. For example the present resisting arrest and in that struggle the officers knocked down or bitten there is rarely a record of the assault unless a sustained significant injury. In that situation, even though the officers simply overcoming resistance, to do their job and get it done, the stats may reflect one instance of officer use of force and zero instance use of force against the officer. In addition, most of these actions are successfully deescalate it every day whether deputies getting no credit in the public eye. So mr. Chairman, it is clear to me we need to do a better job of collecting and reporting data on use of force against officers so we can better understand the trends and inform our training. That is why i support senator grassleys a Bipartisan Legislation, the improving of Law Enforcement officer safety and wellness through data act. It would lead to more comprehensive data collection. Anyone who signs up for this job knows they will face physical violence at some point. But even though violence is part of the job, that does not mean we have to accept it. With the constantly work to counter it, too deescalate it if possible, to discourage it, and to deter it, but to make sure people responsible for face real consequences. I also believe it is critically important that we speak with one loud and united voice and make clear to the public, the place to fight police is not on the streets. The face to fight criminal charges is not on the street but in a courtroom. You may all remember it last november when four students were murdered and seven others injured in a shooting at Oxford High School in my county. Hundreds of my deputies for my Agency Responded to the threat and the gunman was neutralized within a few minutes of our deputies arrival. After the shooting affluent experts from across the country for Critical Incident stress debriefing are all personnel that responded to the incident to help them cope with a tremendous amount of trauma. I watched my deputies i watch my deputies go into that debrief hollowed out and drawn. They were drained. Just a few days after that active shooter, a call came out across the radio, while i was attending the wake of a student killed in the Oxford High School shooting. I responded to a Large Office Building alongside my deputies. It was clear that many of them on that scene had also responded to the school just days earlier. Yet there they were, rushing into another potentially lifethreatening situation to do their job the community expects. Tell the story to illustrate how we must provide support to the officers and deputies who are subjected to violence. Whether it is trauma from a massive incident like Oxford High School shooting, or assaults they endure outside the headlines. We have to support them with the resources, training, and Mental Health services that allow them to recover from this trauma. One way congress can help is by providing more funding for the Valor Program which is administered by the bureau of justice assistance. Thank you again for the opportunity to testify today and for your attention to this critical issue. I encourage the committee to sustain the focus on helping our deputies and officers on the front lines and i look forward to questions for. Thank you and thanks all the witnesses. I guess i pause at this point and think how many doors have we opened with your testimony . There so many elements here. Some of us want to address what is on the mind of the shooter. That is certainly relevant, important, worthy of our time. Some of us want to address what is in the hand of the shooter, what weapon do they bring to terrify or to assault a Police Officer . They are both relevant. And there is no question there are elements of it that are politically controversial and we disagree on this panel. I have met chief with members of the Chicago Police department off the record. In the Training Academy and said come on in, were going to spend whatever time you want to spend here. And you can say whatever you want to to this politician, what is going on in the ranks, 20 of them showed up out of nowhere. Some had been on the forced two years, some had been over 20. Black, white, brown, women, men, they all came because they wanted to tell me something. They would meet to be educated by the people risking their lives every single day. It was a valuable exchange. And then i met with black Officers Organization several different times. I have never run into a policeman who has made an excuse for what happened to george floyd or mcdonald they just dont. I think we have to start with that premise. Good policeman know when things go wrong too. And they are honest about it. The same thing is true it comes to the weaponry that is involved. It is hard for me too understand, many of you have already mentioned this, commissioner harrison you have as well, there are so many firearms out there now. Chicago is awash in firearms. Many came from illinois but others came from states surrounding illinois with much different standards in terms of sales. And we know from Highland Park and other places, ar15s are becoming a common weapon used against the police and innocent civilians. We think there are ten 20 million of these assault rifles have been sold in this country. We are truly awash in weaponry. Like us going to start with commissioner harrison. Commissioner youve seen this firsthand people argue if you give americans more guns they can carry we would be safer. I question that pride whether a policeman or a member of our military you need to be trained in the use of a weapon to be effective with that weapon. Even if we wanted to have more people carrying weapons to protect the police, what are your thoughts in terms of this proliferation firearms . Quicksilver microphone turned on . Thank you for that question. I have not seen, working two major american cities, nor have i heard from my colleagues in small, medium, large sized apartments more people carrying guns and make say pay what i can tell you is with tough gun laws in the state of maryland where one has to have a permit to carry a gun outside of the home, every year we have exceeded more than 300 murders, through 35 last year were on pace for that again this year. None of those murders in my city in any other city are committed by a person who has a lawful right to carry a gun. It is the unlawful carrying of guns with the illegal guns are used in those crimes. And if there are justifiable cases, they are rare and that number is very small. We use data to answer those questions. The data does not support moral legal law abiding citizens carrying makes a safer. Because we are not seeing those individuals who can unlawfully carry a gun are using those guns in selfdefense. Our being using any other crimes. Its repeat violent offenders, it is the large number of guns on the street that are being bought on the street. Many are being bought and they are being used by violent offenders. They are being stolen from lawabiding citizens because of a number of issues report gun handling and management. And then used by criminals to commit crimes to commit robberies and shootings. We are not seeing more guns by it lawabiding citizens make it safer for. Just a short time, chief you personally live this. What is your thought and the proliferation of guns whether its made a safer nation or not . Its my first thought is there are many gun laws and many of them are seen as a low priority for prosecution. When officer take someone into custody for a gun violation, we are not saying much consequence for that behavior. I think thats an area we really need to refocus on for this should be significant consequence for that use of a firearm to commit any type of crime for. Chief officer french foster like to straw purchase can we know that now. Were trying to make a better lie want to thank senator cornyn for his leadership on that with the bill we supported. Can you comment on the types of guns that are being used to not only harm the police but obviously used in crime in the city of chicago . Well, what i can see is what were saying is an increase firepower. The caliber of a weapon offenders are using out on the street is much greater. We are recovering more and more drum magazines. We are not faced with a ten round we are faced with a drum magazine youre standing in the center of an intersection in chicago lets say polaski and jackson, when you are standing in a sea of 30, 40 even more shell casings you know the increase in the firepower and the capacity is growing. We are seeing more assault style weapons being used. And it is incredibly scary for our officers to know they have to go out there and be outmanned and outgunned. You chief, senator grassley . Officer anderson, thank you for your moving statement to us. You are present, as you told us at this murder. You testified at the trial. Speak to the motivation of the murder, what you heard about it at the trial . The individual from the trial showed little to no remorse. His facial expressions were incredibly dis respectful smirking or almost smiling when hearing some of things that were said or done. Had cleared no disdain for Law Enforcement in the community and on that day of the incident he baited an officer into a pursuit purposefully could get to draw that officer out of town to attack that officer. He had a crazy idea he was going to the officer a lesson that day. Some of his statements supported that. Rex sheriff, you spoke about supporting the legislation that i talked about. Running when the largest Sheriffs Office have you seen a substantial increase and what can we do to improve and measure these situations . Thank you for the questions that are received dramatic on assaults and resisting arrest. It comes from the overall disrespect for authority, and each other in general. Last night we had four people resist arrest, last night. It is not unusual for people to argue, to resist arrest rate lawful orders, lawful commands for thats when they get super important to collect the data per your proposed legislation so it can better inform the public and our training. But also that we again speak with that voice the place to fight criminal charges or the police is in a courtroom. Everyone seems to think its okay these days to argue or fight on the street. There is no good outcome that comes from that. Sgt penny, you spoke about the online radicalization of individuals who target the police and organize targeting of a police. What is the relationship between defend the Police Movement and the targeted violence against Law Enforcement . Think a center for the question. You could have something as benign as defend the police, like it was just a logo. Once you take that on social media, the message of proliferates with the. I thanks thats we have lost so much discussion because we think of it being benign. But the reality is it radical, individuals use the same content to incite violence against police rivets think about and minneapolis alone it was trending with defend the police, right . Not the city of minneapolis one to burn down their own city, they did defend it by million dollars, the bottom line is that message of defund the police was trending on social media. Radical groups, individuals attached to it. Once that once that image be a transfer or proliferate from social media, people attached to it that time saw some of the riots happen over and over again. We need to have Better Regulation social media platforms. Need have better control violence against police. When its attached to black lives matter diva in the police, kill the police. That is the thing you have to worry about is what is proliferating with the message. In your written testimony acknowledge some good people only wanted to peacefully protest Police Brutality. Research shows Police Officers only about 1 we think its reasonable for critics to say Police Brutality is the cause. Absolutely not. We have to qualify what Police Brutality is. It happens all the time they are acquitted in the case goes away. I think we do need to qualify what we are talking about in terms of Police Brutality thing. But no, the bottom line is we cannot, under any circumstance, allow attacks on our Police Officers. Regardless of what these individuals say it, they are protesting Police Officers where we are not going to give validation. In fact i think when you Start Holding individuals accountable, which we have not done a great job of, of prosecuting radical groups and people who incite violence against Police Officers using what we have on the books already, domestic terrorism policy, 18 usc 2131 section five essentially lays it out d. O. J. Tells us that individuals use force and intimidation for the governmental policy, while acting in line with domestic terrorism but okay went way of penalties for those individuals that do that . Thank you, senator. Thank you, senator grassley, senator feinstein. Thank you very much mr. Chairman. I strongly believe assault weapons have no place on our streets at all. And i think we should all at least be able to agree that teenagers who cannot even buy a beer should not be able to buy assault weapons. I introduced a bill called the age 21 act which would prohibit the sale of assault weapons and highcapacity magazines to anyone under the age of 21. Under current law, people who were under the age of 21 are not allowed to purchase handguns. But they are allowed to purchase assault weapons. In this disparity simply does not make sense. And it certainly cost lives. Chief, what particular risks do Law Enforcement officers face when young people are allowed easy access to assault weapons and highcapacity magazines . We have more than one chief. All chiefs. [laughter] please. Thank you very much. You know, when i think of young folks, i think of folks who are still going through mental development. And we want to make sure that people have their opportunity to exercise their right. But when you think of a young person who cannot appreciate the consequences of an emotional act, i am personally and i speak on my behalf, concerned to see young folks having that ability to carry those types of firearms. And i worry about our officers. The last thing our officers want is to have an encounter which leads to a catastrophic end were some young person loses their life. Its very difficult on them. Use of force, our officers take incredibly serious. Then put in that kind of situation is incredibly difficult. Those catastrophic ends are hard for our officers to even process. Thank you. Chief plays be. Thank you for the question. I would agree with the chief. Were not time a people who are not fully developed. Not only physical, but mentally, emotional and are totally unaware of the longstanding consequences of that decision. Number one that is a weapon of war is also a weapon signed to create great carnage and damage. It is not just to weapon for one to defend oneself. They are making that decision to create carnage and damage not realizing the longlasting effects it has on the families of the person or persons they hit and killed. But how much damage it actually does. And how much they will deal with that in their own lives after pulling that trigger. Maam i say this of time the decision to make pulley treasures not when you pull the decision is made when the person puts her hand on a fire arm and walks out of the door. Theyve been predispose themselves to use that weapon should they need to have it used against them. It really is a way of thinking that we have to change. Not just with young people but with all people. They are not aware and do not have enough Life Experience to understand how difficult it will be for them. What they do to families of victims they kill us and even victim to survive. How badly damage they are because of the volatility the types of weapons. Anyone else have a comment . Workcenter fines and agrees my peers. When the weapons ban was in place in the past we had 66 reduction in the use during that ten year period so makes perfect sense to go back where were at. Just a comment, i authored the assault weapons ban before and i am at it again. I would appreciate any support from Law Enforcement that is possible per thank you, mr. Chairman for. Thank you, senator feinstein. Senator tillis is next on the republican side too. Thank you, mr. Chairman, thank you for holding this hearing. Also to thank senator cornyn for the work we did together with sinema and murphy to really address the Mental Health and other challenges we have make sure keeping weapons out of hands of people could harm themselves or others. Mr. Chairman came into talk about legislation you said something your opening, that maybe curious but i take it face about it. Every member of this Committee Rejects the notion of defend the police. But i thought id do a quick google defend the police get to this sub page the aggregation whats most fascinating about this is the first question the answer under frequently asked questions. White 3. 12 miles . Translates into the alphabet aca b. Was it equals all cops are be. Its on the website there is 2,050,000 the same website raised by her 13 million between april 1 and june 30 of this year. This radical concept of defining the police has gone from the radical left minority of the party to something that is the primary fundraising while for liberal progressive is now touting. This is a cancer and we have to understand we do have to do work for its white took the political step to work on the Committee Safety belt. We have to take steps on that side. For us to be dismissive this not being a problem, i ask you or anyone else in Law Enforcement, you consider your colleagues . They didnt say some of them, they didnt say most of them they said all of them. Absolutely, absolutely. We have to recognize this is a cancer braid this has to stop. They need to know this is not helpful. For the democrats who dumped who believe this is not a good strategy, they have to stand up and stand against this. Coco did not plan that speech im sorry it came out this way. This makes me about only say one thing and see another thing. All cops are . Are you kidding me . Can you imagine a young impressionable person on that website may be on the bubble right now if i could do . That could inspire them to some of the very things you all talked about, taught a Police Officer, get them out there try to kill the bird that is happening. Black lives matter by the way if you punch out of this website it goes directly to black lives matter, i just saw this and is googling this morning during this hearing, its time for a change. They go talk about how to defend the police. It is time for a change in its time to stop this crab. This is killing people. This is endangering the Police Officers making the very communities they suggest are most at risk, less safe. So, without a want to to talk about a few pieces of legislation. Number one, im a cosponsor senator grassleys bill. I hope more data. Number two, which the fraternal order of police we are this is one of their top prioritys and they have data. We should make datadriven decisions, the same weight senator cornyn and i made data driven decisions for the question look to the protective of the bill i filed mix in a federal crime to assault or murder a Police Officer. Upped the ante. They will know. And they will react in Law Enforcement officers will be safe. I also think we should take a look at back of the blue and thin blue line and defend our defenders act. All bills this committee could take up them before. All bills that will make progress. And i am here to do everything i can to be driven by data to take a look at Community Safety issues received too many guns in the hands of people who want to do harm. But we have to understand this is foundational. When i can go and get my friends and family to donate to the all cops run and encourage running around police stations playing music. This needs to be a primary focus of anything we do that comes out of this committee, thank you mr. Thank you, senator tillis since referred to my Opening Statement i want to make a comment first request mr. Chair for mailing to submit this for the record regrets without objection. I want to make a comment first. I think senator cornyn earlier in the thank you as well for the bipartisan gun safety. I should have acknowledged you and im sorry i did not. They played a key role in establishing that. Second, ive never been called to a meeting ive never been asked to approve their agenda or their website. It is true they raise money in the name of progressive liberals i have nothing to do with their agenda whatsoever. I should not be held in law responsible for than ask republican members to be held responsible for the proud boys, for the oath keepers, for any other group that might associate themselves with conservatives. People should be judged on how they actually vote and what they believe. That is all i ask personally thats what it offered members the committee for. Mr. Chairman i do not begrudge. They give to candidates and i know theyve given several members of the senate are friends. I do not begrudge them or advancing a progressive worldview. But when they also use the same while, this is how this works, you log on to support all cops run and then, act blue notes in their future candidates who are also willing to sign onto that, they will do a separate email saying support candidate a because they worked to defend the police raid that is how this process works thats what the cancer thats got to be taken out. We could get into a conversation about january 6 and i wont. I want to hold members accountable progress every single one of them should be in jail for. Thank you. I want to hold members accountable for how they vote in what they believe. Tribute to other organization to us is unfair. The next up is senator coons by. Thank you chairman durbin. Thank you Ranking Member grassley. Thank you for holding this valuable and critical hearing. And i want to thank each of our Witnesses Today who have not just testified, but who have been demonstrated through your lifetime of service into the actions you have taken what commissioner harris said policing is a calling. And having the courage and determination to stand up and serve, serving. , after witnessing or being directly harmed line of duty, after having the opportunity to understand just how challenging this calling is, i just wanted to open by expressing my gratitude to each of you individually into the men and women you represent with whom you serve. And to the families and fellow officers who are here. I know that it is more difficult than i can comprehend to come and to testify about what was a horrific life altering day. In cedar falls in the line of duty to see patrol sgt smith killed into have to then talk with his widow and his family. To have been wounded your self and then to have with this ellis mother elizabeth and continued serving and leaving an agency that looks to you for leadership in a difficult and dangerous time. I had the honor to serve as a county executive in delaware we had three and 80 sworn officers during most of my time there. And i will never forget one of the hardest days of my life was when someone known personally to me, an 18 year veteran of our force, a talented, warm, literally one of the best, was killed in the line of duty, responding to a disorderly subject and doing what lieutenant was a sgt but was promoted posthumously. When he always did was lean in, take matters into his own hands, help solve, track down, he was stabbed in the neck and killed by someone who is not serving life. But i will never forget that funeral and his wife kathy and what she said. She, the very end there were 5000 people there, Law Enforcement from all over our nation and thousands from delaware. She looked every one of us in the isa do not cry for me. Other women, other people will have decades of marriage to an ordinary person. I had a few brief years with an exceptional man, a hero. You could not hear a pin drop in that room. And our community, the newcastle Police Department and so many others have every year renewed his memory and continued to invest in the training, the support, and the needs met and women of Law Enforcement in delaware. I could continue pretty much the funeral for patrolman chad spicer and have had the blessing of knowing his mother and his daughter. Corporal Steven Ballard whose widow Luis Cummings continues to lead Law Enforcement efforts in delaware to respect our state police, her husband was an exceptional patrolman killed in the line of duty. Corporal katy cook from delmar whose funeral earlier this year excuse me last year you have brought to this hearing today the sort of quiet dignity and determination that is so important as we try to come together to address this issue as a nation. I will tell you, whether it is working together to try and keep in dangerous weapons out of the hands of those who would do harm to Law Enforcement, making sure that we have got bullet proof vest for agencies large and small that are appropriately fitting, stateoftheart, something i have worked hard for over 12 years of senator leahy to make sure we sustain bulletproof vest partnership. Or investing in Mental Health resources, training and support to make sure officers have the resources they need to continue to serve or to go on and lead productive lives. There is a solemn obligation on us not to turn this into a show would be serious and deliberate about the work we do with you. I am a delaware ian, i succeeded on this committee and in the senate our president. I know him personally i know he does not just say thank you for your service. It is not just say he supports Law Enforcement to the debate back and forth about defunding the police. He has put into action, in his budget and with his priorities, making america safer. The American Rescue plan delivered over 10 billion for state and local hiring. For Law Enforcement in the safer america plan Just Announced highlights in his fy 23 budget theres 37 billion for Law Enforcement that includes the funding to hire 100,000 more officers. The agency i was fortunate to have some responsibility for benefited directly from cops grants many years ago. I hope we will, on a bipartisan basis provide these resources to you. I know im running short on time slumming asked two questions if i could. I work closely with i acp provide critical advice and leadership and management decisions i had to make his county executive i am grateful. I am leading law with Ranking Member grassley bill that would direct the d. O. J. To propose programs to better address ptsd and Law Enforcement, senator blunt to lead the Law Enforcement caucus here in the senate. And we had an event about this to try to better understand ptsd resources. My impression is unlike the military which is also working to address Critical Issues in terms of soldier suicide, which has a unitary chain of command, we have 18000 agencies. With aggregated resources of the federal, state, local level. How can we best address the lack of resources, training, support . Are there models for Law Enforcement you would urge us invest in . Think you senator. The question is very broad i think theres a lot to be done that needs to solve the healthrelated crisis around policing. That goes to the way officers are treated on a regular basis in the street. We feel the factory pulled in the military pulled in the expert to try to identify the best practices is really moving forward with that. The Mental Health check in for officers on a regular basis is really important funding that is a difficult thing as you know from a local level. Its a very expensive proposition. We fill this a very important thanks to the whims of our officers. Thank you. Mr. Chairman can i pose for one last question . Text numbers have not voted yet. I apologize. I look to follow up with you sheriff if i buy it, i will yield but we have a lot of work to do together. I appreciate the major county Sheriffs Association your support for driving for opportunity and i look forward to following up with you, thank you ginter witnesses did a bit. Senator koontz, senator cornyn. The chairman, sgt penny talked about some of the anti Police Rhetoric, the lack of respect for our men and women in blue. The role of some of the socalled progressive district attorneys that do not prosecute crimes. The United States head of the department of justice for a significant portion of the department of justice who wrote. President biden nominated and the Senate Confirmed the who at previous times in the capacity advocated not only defunding the police. She also advocated for uniting qualified immunity and decriminalizing drugs. The department of, excuse me, the wall street, the Washington Post fact checker fact checked the testimony and concluded for the previously unacknowledged flipflops and upside down pinocchio. So do you believe that its important for the leadership of the Law Enforcement community to send a clear message of support for Law Enforcement as opposed to blaming them first . Absolutely, senator. Let me say in response to the leaders of Congress Whose promoted this idea of defunding the police, sometimes you have individuals that the king and the high castle sometimes can get things working in the real world because they are so disconnected from the people and this type of messaging is the type of messaging that allows individuals to actually out there to become vulnerable so i will say this, the bottom line is we cannot allow our Police Officers to not be protected. We cannot allow certain messages to be put into society that dont allow us to be protected because of the job we do and so many people out here have convoluted these arguments about what it means to protect police with gun rights and all this other stuff that has nothing to do. We are talking about human behavior, individuals to protect Police Officers because the job they do. We have to stop linking these together and start doing the right thing to protect the interest of the american government. Weve given up, too much. And i will add the city that is defined the police, we saw 150 million all through texas and an increased level of violence. An increased level of violence. Thank you, senator. 108,000 americans died of drug overdoses. Almost all of those come across the border in my state in texas from mexico or other countries south or even the precursors as you know from china that are used to make synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Would you agree with me the Distribution Network whether its in minnesota or any state we could identify here as primarily through criminal street gangs who then protect their market share and a territoryusing guns committing r crimes of violence would you make the connection between the border drugs and violence in our local communities . Thank you, senator. Yes. On so many levels we agree with that statement. A very firm and belief we need to secure our borders. We believe the system needs to be fixed to help people that want to come here for the right reasons and for a better life. But we need a process to make sure that that border is secured to prevent whats happening there. The flood of drugs across the border. I run one of the largest Narcotics Enforcement Team consortiums in the state and we are seeing tremendous amount of fentanyl. We saved three people last night from drug overdoses. My deputies deployed narcan as the first in the state to save lives and often times we see drug dealers that are willing and actively prepared to use violence to protect their turf. I received a text on the way into the hearing that the Narcotics Enforcement Team asked for potential support on the rain today because the suspect is a career felon that is known to carry firearms and is willing to use them. Senator whitehouse. Thank you, chairman durbin and to you and the Ranking Member grassley for holding this hearing. Just in my time steven schall, jimmy allen and Cornell Young were all chopped to death serving in the providence Police Department. One Police Department. And as the chief described very eloquently the traumatic effect throughout the department was very real so its very good that we are having this hearing to focus on these cases. For what its worth, the man was killed at the scene by fellow officers and the man that murdered jimmy allen is serving life in prison. And the death of Cornell Young was a death off blue on blue incident that was also extremely painful for the providence Police Department. Im very proud of the providence Police Department, i will say, and i just want to express. It im going to ask three questions and ask if you might do me the courtesy of answering them in writing. Its called a question for the record. If you dont care to, you dont need to but if you do, i would appreciate it. We have been working on a bill to improve crisis intervention resources for Police Departments. Its called the deescalation training act and i would be grateful if you and or your organizations would take a look at that. And give any advice that you might have. As senator holly and i sometime ago did the act that provides Mental Health resources for Police Officers to deploy even in the brief time since then weve learned a lot more and i would be interested in any thoughts on how that act might be updated and passed into law with very broad bipartisan support, so im sure the amendments could pass quite quickly if you would be interested in providing some ideas about that. And the last thing i would be interested in hearing about is high velocity ammunition. We talk a lot about assault rifles, but the speed of the projectile itself is another separate factor. And as i understand it is a factor in the ability of your body armor to withstand the bullet, and its a factor in the physical destruction brought by the projectile in the human body when it hits it. So i would be interested in your thoughts on what harm there is from high velocity ammunition, two people in your profession and any thoughts that you may have about trying to restrict that particular type of ammunition. And i will close because i think its impossible not to talk about the dangers to Police Officers and injuries and fatalities. As a member of Congress Without referencing the heroism and simple plain, hard, tough work that our Capital Police date on january 6th sending off the mob that President Trump sent up here to do damage and obviously they did a lot of damage to Police Officers. Theyve done a very fair job of presenting with that today looked like to the Police Officers who were here. And for those who were injured. And its worth i think just expressing a moments honor and appreciation to them for their service on that bloodied a. And with that, i guess im the senior person here, so i will now turn to senator lee, followed by senator klobuchar and senator carlton if the order should change. Thank you and thanks to each of you for your service and for being here this morning to talk to us. I will never forget some of the emotions i experienced in 2020 when watching one weekend in june of that year the violent protests erupted as they hadnt had inso many other cities at tt time. Not in Salt Lake City. Protesters took a police car, turned it all the way up side down and then lit the thing on fire for dozens of officers injured in those violent riots and protests that morning. It was concerning and felt as though it was foreboding something bad in addition to being an awful thing in and of itself and the fact is played out since then have shown the feeling to be accurate. Two years later. Homicide rates are up 40 compared to just a few years ago in 2019 along with assaults and property crimes and all sorts of other offenses. Attacks on Police Officers are at their highest level that weve seen since 1985. In 2021, there were 73 officers nationwide who were killed in the line of duty and nearly one third of those 25 officers were killed in unprovoked attacks. Now, to give that ugly statistic a terrifying context, only to unprovoked attacks against Police Officers were recorded in 2020. In utah, more Police Officers were shot at in 2021 then any 2y other recorded year resulting in injury to aid Police Officers and one of the cases to officers were injured when they went simply to check on a man who was lying in the grass near the Sheriffs Office in Salt Lake City. As they were doing that, the man opened fire on them. In march of this year, a man ran up behind Police Officer as he was on patrol at the Salt Lake City International Airport and punched him. Just last week, a 4yearold boy shot at Police Officers from inside the vehicle claiming that he had been encouraged to do precisely that by his father. This is troubling. Mr. Anderson, can you tell us what impact some of the antiPolice Rhetoric may have had over the last few years and what impact that rhetoric and these alarming statistics might have in your experience when it comes to officer safety and officer morale . And the incident i was involved in a had a direct impact like i said before the individual clearly didnt like Law Enforcement. I wont get into all of that as far as for things that led up to that that we didnt know that we later found out. When you go through these types of incidences it just hits everybody very hard. I dont know how you would prevent that unnecessarily but thats why we are here. Do you think antiPolice Rhetoric and violence trickles down into the community and what impact do you think this has on members of the community through the country . The major impact across the country especially the communities of color. I am active in the black Community Around the country, not just locally in texas but i travel the country and try to engage with the community because i want to build a relationship between the police and the community. What many of these people have told me is that theyve never agreed to a defined the police initiative. What happened is you had these politicians that got online and put out the messages about defunding the police and it proliferated through social media but the reality is those communities were people of color being victimized and the bottom line is we havent found any way to hold the individuals accountable that have proliferated this message that have allowed the police to be attacked. We just have to find a way, senator, to where we can hold individuals accountable for using rhetoric and a lot of leadership here in congress. We have to find a way to hold these people accountable for encouraging the type of act is happening right now in our society. So the violence that occurs as a result of the Police Rhetoric very often is and focused in the gated communities of the wealthy and the wellconnected. Absolutely not. If the communities are already having problems. A lot of these people cant just pack up and leave the community. Thats like the catch22 would be the arguments. Like why dont they just leave, a lot of people cant leave. Half my family is are in the innercity right now they dont have the resources to up and go but they are being victimized by those that are living beside them in these communities, so i will say there has to be accountability for the rhetoric to incite violence. Thank you. My time is expired. Thank you so much for being here and i was persecuted for eight years and ran the Biggest Office in the state and ive made it my mission the police chief that we are still recruiting are still down but weve seen improvements in morale and literally after what happened january 6th ive made it my mission to make this place better for them, so many of them injured and so many are never going to be the same. I also wanted to just clarify a few things about defunding the police to give you an example. That is my first question of you you called for an expansion in your opening remarks and i lead that Bipartisan Legislation to reauthorize the program. Have you seen the program help Law Enforcement to improve training and upgraded technology and retain experience officers . The last 30 years the program has been wonderful to all sizes of organizations to improve their ability to support their communities to bring additional officers to show the need or from a Technology Project to get it off the ground and started its worked well to help make us a better profession. Thank you for your support of so many of those kind of things. I want to mention on the program one of the challenges that a lot of the communities have is the match. So our brothers and sisters have fire service and most of the grants and personnel grants but especially in urban community. But they are constantly budget struggled and so the match in impediment that exists in Law Enforcement especially for personnel. I encounter this with the mayors and worked with the Justice Department but i would like to improve that so thanks for bringing that up. You testified the availability is a direct factor in the spike in gun violence. With senator peters of michigan to crack down on devices that can turn semi automatic guns into fully automatic weapons. These devices as you probably know can be purchased from foreign manufacturers for under 20 and can be installed in under a minute. Its a great proposal. Weve seen an increase that can be fined automatically not just from people who can buy the devices and put them into weapon but can actually make them off laser printers so its more of an increase then the traditional firearms in the city of baltimore. Its difficult to stop the number of shootings because with those fully automatic weapons perpetrators are shooting and striking multiple victims as you heard in the Opening Statement while they may only intend to shoot one person they are shooting multiple people so weve had a number where we had three or four or five people shot with only one being of the intended target. I think all of us are seeing the increasing challenges with that a specific issue so we need to find a way to be able to eliminate the purchase of those devices and the creation of those devices and have strict penalties and consequences for those that are caught with it. Very good. Appreciate that and i think part of it isnt just responding to things in the past but is lookig to what is right in front of us. Its motivated me for doing a lot of things ive worked on including closing the boyfriend loophole and senator murphy and attila santos and emma and others putting together. The case i am most remembered of an officer being killed was a guy in lake city that responded to a Domestic Violence case. A young woman who called in a boyfriend who completely having Mental Health issues, a veteran and the officer came to the door and had a bulletproof vest. You talk about protection but the guy shot him in the head and i went to the funeral. At that funeral in the church, that dad who was killed, the cop, had a been there a few weeks before for the nativity play with his two little boys and there was a little baby as well. There was the same church her husband have been in the front row watching with the little girl with of the blue dress with stars on it and the two little boys by her side. Weve got to remember this violence so many times its officers who are on the front end of it and that gets forgotten. That was part of my motivation because i think officers know some of the most dangerous scenes you get called to can be a Domestic Violence so i want to thank you for your service and i continue being from the state where a tragic murder of george floyd occurred, devoted to reform but at the same time believing that we can invest in Law Enforcement and get that respect that you deserve and move Forward Together so i want to thank you for what youre doing. Someone passed me a note it was senator blackburn. So it wasnt a choice it was the order. Senator blackburn, thank you. Thank you very much and to each of you for being here today. We are so grateful for you taking the time and being here to talk with us. I know senator tillis talked on some of the issues and senator klobuchar just brought up the issue respect. When you look at some of the issues between the communities and police thats of concern but theres a dramatic decline in trust between police and the district attorneys who choose not to prosecute some of the crimes and cases of illegal positions of firearms into andDomestic Violence, resisting arrest, theft, and there is also they have a tendency to promote the reform measures. If i could come to you on this i know chicago has had as many as 100 alleged murderers released on their home monitoring. That is shocking to me and also in chicago i was looking at some of your staff. Police made arrests in only 12 of the criminal incidences in 2021. They noted a deep mistrust between Chicago Police officers and the das office also stating and im quoting we no longer believe that your office will trade our members fairly either in the arrests they make or when they are victims of crime. So, you are a 21 year veteran in the Chicago Police department, correct . Yes maam. What are you doing and why are you not calling for a change in prosecutors who are pushing this decriminalization and policing the efforts and rhetoric . We do the best we can and work with our attorneys to but the best cases forward to achieve the desired result. And voluntary resignations, that has been an issue with your department, i think i know its an issue with large Police Departments around the country they have increased by nearly 300 and weve seen the entire police force resign in colorado, north carolina, georgia, missouri, fewer Police Officers and increased risk for the remaining officers. So what are you doing to turn the tide on this tumultuous state that you are seeing in the Police Departments . One of the things weve done in the Chicago Police department is put up something that we didnt have before. We understand weve seen an increase in the number of officers applying for positions and for example, we have 400 currently. I see you shaking your head and i know you want to respond to that. Releasing them back onto the streets theyve said its double work over and over again. I want to talk about the real beast in the room. We are talking about an 85 recidivism rate they come out and within five years they are going back for the crimes, so we have to figure out how to close the loophole. Let me interrupt you there. This goes to the issue of respect and the tearing down of respect and ability of Law Enforcement to do their job. On the issue of qualified immunity, what are the effects, positive and negative from the qualified immunity from the Law Enforcement officers . The effect is terrible. On the morale there are already feelings of unsupportive on so many levels. People will say they shouldnt have immunity from being held accountable, and i agree they dont have immunity. They have qualified immunity meaning if they followed the constitution and the law of the state policies and its an established practices then they get immunity so if we have an incident a deputy is pursuing a suspected full through often times they sue the officer even though they were committing a crime and fleeing from the police. They say this wasnt the officers fault. The officer was doing their job, the case is dismissed. Without that a lot of them are saying im willing to risk my life but not my families home and future even when i do the job according to the procedure of law. Thank you for the explanation. Thank you mr. Chair man and d thank you for having this hearing and thanks to all of you whove dedicated your life. I was a federal prosecutor for free and a half years and then served as the state attorney general so i admire the men and women who do your job. Last thing in the world we want to do is delegitimize our police or defund them. In fact ive advocated that we give them more resources for the needs that they have and focus the responsibilities so they can do what they do best which is protected from the risks and dangers of criminals and we need to protect our police from the threats to them that come from firearms. In fact, firearms that in many respects make criminals in possession of stronger firepower than the police do. One of the areas thats particularly concerned me is ghost guns. Im very proud of the bipartisan safe communities act that i and others here helped lead in the senate that we passed. Its modest but it opens the doors to do more and im hoping we can do more on assault weapons and safe storage and highcapacity magazines and ghost guns as you know. These are firearms that under current law are not required to be serialized or sold by license were sold with background checks so they are difficult to trace at crime scenes and all it takes is a few hundred dollars and a gun making kit on the Kitchen Table so in connecticut this is one of the major threats to the police, ghost guns. We are finding more and more of them and increasing numbers. You testified on the constitution which i chair about the threats that communities across the United States face because they add a new level of danger to the work that you do and i know in your capacity in 2018 at the international interl association of chiefs of police a resolution was adopted strongly supporting measures dealing with the need to stop ghost guns. A general question to all of you is there anybody here that feels they are not a threat and dont need to be addressed . Would you all agree that they are an increasing threat on our streets and communities . If anybody disagrees, please say so. The record should record you are in agreement and i would invite any of you that have comments please to make them beginning in whatever order that you would like to comment. Thank you, senator. Certainly in my jurisdiction that is an increasing threat we are seeing more and more recovered from the streets of baltimore by perpetrators and victims. Not only can we not trace those firearms but they are being purchased by minors or given by someone who did purchase them and assemble them. It makes it hard when we find the perpetrator to find a case unless there is dna or some other type of evidence but the gun itself becomes very problematic not only for the person who pulled the trigger but tracing it back to its origin. We are seeing that more and more in baltimore city. The fact and 45 minutes that you can with a laser printer make a system that will make any handgun or rifle into an automatic weapon that we would require you to get a federal firearms permit to possess otherwise is very concerning. Thank you all for being here today. I think that it will help shape the next efforts on protecting the police and enabling them. When you see troops walking through the airport they always get thanks for their service. I wish all of you and all of the men and women had the same treatment always. In some ways i think you face greater dangers. We send troops into harms way as we have so many times but at least they get to come home and then they can hang up their armor and put their rifles and the walkers and not have to worry about being killed the next day the way they have for the previous. But for Law Enforcement you never get that break. Every night you know you have to go out again the next day and the next day may be the day that you face off with someone that is going to try to take your life so i want to commend all of you and all the men and women for serving the nation and the communities. I talked with Law Enforcement officers in the state of arkansas and when im traveling to airports and other places and about recruiting and retention which you touched on some this morning. I want to particularly about an officer in chicagos Ohare Airport about a year ago the police like the military making the comparison often times as a Family Business a lot of folks are multigenerational police and their families and this officer who was just a year or two away from retiring said his son who had been in the police for five years and came to him one day and you could tell he was a bit embarrassed and sheepish, didnt know how to start the conversation and told me was he telling me he was broke and needed money, was he getting a divorce from his wife, what was causing him to hold back and finally his son told him i cant do it anymore. This officer again who would dedicated almost 30 years of his life to the police in chicagos streets and proudly watched his son was sworn in five years earlier said he told his son i dont blame you if i was your age i dont think i could do it either. I think that is a very sad commentary for the state of respect for Law Enforcement in our communities that lifelong police, whose son was police wouldnt recommend his son make it a career so i just want to ask you if an 18 to 25yearold comes to you and says should i be police, should i dedicate my life to police and the way that all of you have, what would you tell them and why, do you want to start . Thank you, senator. You are spot on. A decade ago theyve been continuously for many years used to say that the average officer was asked would you suggest this career to friends and family and was universally superhigh, 80, 85 but now its reversed. So i dont disagree. I would tell the same thing. I love my country. I love my community but i dont want any cops or military because it is such a challenge for them these days and i ended up with both because they follow me but not necessarily listen to me. That is the case because it is a challenge on so many level to have your life on the line but not to be assured that youre going to have the support of the prosecutor and the community and the system as you go through so many things what you experience and how they are treated afterwards and what their Mental Health is on all levels. Then compounded with the changing affairs of compensation. Many people use to get into police work not for the great pay but they knew at the end of the day they would have a pension and retirement and now we dont have pensions or medical retirement so they begin to analyze this no medical, no pension, terrible hours, terrible pay and the disrespect across the nation why should i do that and its hard for us to give an answer. I love it in fact ive recruited three people today so far i believe in it. This is a calling, not a job but its hard to translate that into people job searching and not calling searching. This is an opportunity for people who want to make a difference in their communities and for it to be low color. This is where the narratives have been problematic. If you want to make a difference in your community and the did the leaders are saying the police are bad its hard to overcome so we need people who want to do this work because it is a calling and an opportunity to make a difference. We have bad apples like every other profession but this is an opportunity to make a difference and we need those people to do that. I want to hear all four of the other witnesses answers. Each of you put your lives on the line to keep us safe. An important part of my job is having your back. Its tough right now to be a cop. I tried to make a point across the country to thank every officer. The discussion the senator was just having i hear that from the officers all the time that the rhetoric, the demonization, the Police Officers has a real consequence. We are in the grips nothing short of a war on police. 60 increase from 2020. Sadly this has continued. June 30th 178 officers were shot in the line of duty. Thirtythree of whom were killed. But its not just the shocking numbers. Its the way theyve come about. Shot while intervening in a robbery or investigating a domestic disturbance but more and more, we are seeing an increase in ambush style attacks where the shooting or killing of an officer is not incidental to some other crime, but rather the primary objective. The primary purpose of the crime. This increase in violence is fueled by dangerous and irresponsible rhetoric including sadly by a number of members of congress who whenever there is an officer involved shooting immediately moved to demonize. He immediately moved to blame of the Police Officer without knowing the facts or knowing what happened. Its always the officer. The incredibly reckless push to abolish the police that is driven by the left wing of the Democratic Party i believe has done enormous damage. And a President Biden nominated not one but two of the leading advocates of abolishing the police to the senior officials of the u. S. Department of justice. For both of them they repeatedly and explicitly argued for defunding or abolishing the police. And every single demo critic senator voted to confirm both of them. So, democratic politicians say they dont support defunding the police that when given the chance to decide, should one of the leading advocates be the number three person in the department of justice, 100 of Senate Democrats said its okay with me. Share for the committee with the effect of the rhetoric directed at Police Officers has been to the men and women in the field, to the men and women risking their lives to keep us safe. They are trying to work hard to keep us safe. Weve just got to go back to the july 7th, 2016 shooting attack and look at how the rise of the sentiment was being used against bullies. Those of you that have never seen a shooting before its worse to imagine the carnage that happened on that day to see them coming to the hospital and being wheeled in over and over and senator, you were there. America needs to understand that these are real lives. Officers are people too. They are here to do a difficult job and want to go home to their families, but we cannot allow this irresponsible rhetoric thats used to proliferate radical messages online and insight against police because individuals are taking up arms and carrying out those attacks. I encourage everyone, senator, to be responsible especially the leaders for the country because it is endangering our lives. That is powerful and i agree with you. Youre right i was at the funeral for the Police Officers in dallas. It was horrific in that instance. The gunman told the negotiators he was upset about black lives matter and the police shootings. He stated he wanted to kill white people especially white officers. That vicious rhetoric we had a judicial nominee testify. Its a flatout lie completely y false and yet it was the vehicle for spreading that apply. Its harmful when politicians throw gas on the fire and the Vice President of the United States bails out of jail the rioters sliding with the criminals instead of the cops. What does that do to those that are keeping us safe . Thank you, senator. In many ways it was demoralizing when you see people that have attacked or heard police get out on little or no bail. Ive likened it to the similarity. They were going to do a tough job that they were asked to do and they were demonized for doing it. I think we pledged as a society we are not going to let that happen again. We are in the same place right now and letting history repeat itself into good men and women out there doing a tough job get demonized and demoralized. I have no further request for questions and i would like to make a few comments for the record. The committee has passed five bipartisan bills. We try to keep this as bipartisan as possible to provide resources and funding to enhance recruitment and retention and address Mental Health challenges and reinvest to protect act fighting post Traumatic Stress disorder to treat and prevent post Traumatic Stress disorder providing the grants for local Law Enforcement records to attend Law Enforcement training and the deescalation training act and Public Safety officer support act. Despite some who would like to turn this into a partisan fight there is strong bipartisan support is there should be for the men and women in Law Enforcement. This isnt a partisan issue for the committees point of view. When senator grassley asked me for the hearing i didnt object. It was within my control, i trust him and he makes a valuable contribution. Youve seen several members of the committee raise the question about appointments by the biden administration. She comes up at every hearing from the other side of the table. I want you to know the position in the department of justice was supported by the fraternal order of police, national Sheriffs Association, major cities chiefs at the International Association of the chiefs of police. The other woman supported by the association of the chiefs of police the major cities and many more so theres always a little more to the story then you might hearing the testimony that i want to thank you all. I cant thank you enough for what youve done with your lives and what youve decided to do to protect others. Its something and none of us could say enough for but thanks for coming today. The testimony is usually reserved for police week but theres controversy and comments made today that are timely as of now and will continue to be. As far as im concerned this is a yearround assignment its not one week each year, it is yearround. I want to thank you for coming. She was kind enough to come so we can pay our tribute to your wonderful daughter and to the others thank you from the chicago side of things and all of you. I can tell how much this means to you personally. Youve been on the firing line all of your life. Sergeant as well thank you. When you told the story of your own personal experience with your partner its something i will remember. Youve had an amazing career and your list of accomplishments. Thank you all for coming. You may give questions for the record. The timetable that works for you and we appreciate that so thank you very much and at the meeting of the committee will stand adjourned. [inaudible conversations] su. I just want to start by welcoming everyone, thanking you for flexibility in readjusting your schedule c can be here in this public briefing on what we