Making Our Communities Safer
Police Leaders promotes policies that protect the public welfare and preserve individual security and dignity. This includes advocating for proper resources for law enforcement, and supporting measures that address the scourge of gun violence.
We are calling on Congress to make our communities safer by enacting laws to keep guns out of dangerous hands. Police Leaders for Community Safety supports universal background checks and extreme risk protection (ERPO) laws to prevent individuals who are a danger to themselves or others from possessing firearms. We support regulating military style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines and stopping the proliferation of untraceable “ghost” guns – firearms put together by individuals with unregulated components.
Police Leaders advocates for the aggressive prosecution of gun crimes, and proper funding of law enforcement agencies, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Centers for Disease Control’s research on gun violence.
We also support policies that better address mental health needs, and advocate for alternatives to only having police respond to mental health calls.
Improving the Policing Profession
Many cultural and structural changes are necessary within policing to improve the profession and to better serve the communities police are sworn to protect.
Police Leaders for Community Safety advocates for higher standards and accountability for police agencies to ensure they are professionally managed, and the ability to discipline and discharge officers and executives who betray the public trust.
We support federal funding for law enforcement leaders’ participation in nationally recognized leadership development and training programs, and support the use of a national registry of police who have been discharged for egregious conduct. We also support measures encouraging law enforcement agencies’ accreditation by a credentialing body that meets DOJ’s national standards.
Police Leaders will advocate for new hiring and training standards for officers and support programs and resources – such as scholarships and service driven loan forgiveness – to attract new types of recruits and increase diversity.
Police Leaders supports programs and practices that enhance police and community relationships. We encourage the use of technologies and techniques that reduce the use of force.
Protecting Public Processes
The rule of law is a fundamental pillar of our democracy. Police Leaders will promote policies to ensure the continuity of equitable government processes, including ensuring that citizens are able to equally and safely participate in our democracy.
For nearly 250 years, our democracy has relied on laws and traditions that have ensured fair and free elections and the peaceful transition of power. It is crucial that our government protects our public processes to ensure that 1. All voters can freely submit their choices for elected leaders through their votes, without interference or intimidation; 2. Electoral processes are secure; and 3. Electoral outcomes are accompanied by a peaceful and orderly transition of power.
Excerpt from Milwaukee Journal Sentinel op-ed by Police Leaders’ Board member, Ret. Dane County, WI Sheriff, David Mahoney
Three years ago, the world watched in horror as an insurrectionist mob – spurred to action by a defeated incumbent President – attacked the U.S. Capitol and the members of law enforcement sworn to protect it, along with the lawmakers inside doing the people’s business.
It was a brazen assault on our democracy. Ultimately put down due to the courage and professionalism of members of law enforcement. But it was not the end of the threat to our democracy. Read more