Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act
The Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act would require the Attorney General to produce several federal reports within 270 days of enactment, focused on violent attacks against law enforcement officers and related wellness issues. The core aim is to gather and analyze data on who targets officers, how ambushes and coordinated attacks occur, how federal, state, and local responses work, and how training and protective equipment programs perform. The bill also asks for an assessment of possible new data categories in national crime reporting systems (UCR/NIBRS) to capture aggressive actions or trauma-inducing incidents against officers, and for a dedicated review of mental health resources and screening needs for officers. Overall, it seeks to improve data collection, training, resource distribution, and officer mental health as part of a broader effort to reduce violent attacks on law enforcement. The reports would be developed in consultation with federal agencies (FBI, NIJ, and CJIS) and a range of stakeholders, including law enforcement at all levels and relevant NGOs or research groups. While the bill does not create new programs or funding itself, it lays groundwork for data-driven policy decisions and potential future actions to deter ambushes, improve protective gear distribution, and bolster officer wellness.
Key Points
- 1Three mandatory reporting requirements due within 270 days: (a) attacks on law enforcement officers (including targeted offenses and ambushes), (b) aggregation and analysis of coordinated multi-party incidents, and (c) mental health and wellness—covering resources, usage, screening, and recommendations for improvements.
- 2Assessment of data systems and training: the reports must evaluate Federal and State/local training programs for violent/ambush attacks, their effectiveness, and how to improve them; and consider how to integrate or expand data (including the LEOKA data collection and Justifiable Homicide reporting) to better reflect officer-involved violence.
- 3Data system expansion and category development: proposals to create a new category in the Uniform Crime Reporting System and National Incident-Based Reporting System for aggressive actions or trauma-inducing incidents against officers not currently captured as crimes, plus guidance on evidence standards and agency reporting.
- 4Analysis of protective gear distribution: an in-depth look at the Patrick Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership’s efficacy and limitations, including location-specific issues in light of ambush attacks.
- 5Stakeholder engagement: in developing the reports, the Attorney General and relevant agency leaders must consult Federal, State, Tribal, and local law enforcement, as well as NGOs, international groups, and academic or other entities.