Washington, D.C. — Legislation that aims to set up a grant program so police departments can get access to training and equipment will go before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee this week. That panel’s ranking Republican, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, says he’s a co-sponsor of the Invest to Protect Act which is being introduced during National Police Week.
The bill is designed to ensure police get needed training as well as access to body cameras and mental health resources. In the past few years, Grassley says police recruitment numbers have faltered.
Crime rates rose in recent years, Grassley says, with some cities reporting that carjackings have tripled. Also, there’s been a rising sentiment in some populations to oppose the police, which Grassley says is a menacing trend.
The judiciary committee on Thursday will also consider a measure Grassley co-sponsored called the Fighting Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Act. It would set up mental health programs for America’s first responders, who often face long-term impacts from offering life-saving services during moments of crisis.
