U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) on Feb. 24 met with law enforcement officers from Florida’s 16th District to discuss the nationwide rise in crime against police and other first responders.
“Our brave law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every single day to help those in harm’s way,” Rep. Buchanan said during the roundtable discussion. “They need to know that we have their backs.”
The National Fraternal Order of Police (NFOP) reported that during 2021, 346 police officers were shot in the line of duty, 73 of whom were killed, representing a 28 percent increase over 2020. Ambush-style attacks against officers increased more than 125 percent in the same time period, according to the NFOP.
“As crime skyrockets across the country, today’s roundtable was important to hear directly from our frontline heroes about what they are seeing in our community, as well as nationwide and learn what more we can do to support them and combat this disturbing trend,” said Rep. Buchanan last week.
During the discussion, the congressman also advocated for the Thin Blue Line Act, H.R. 72, which he sponsored in January 2021 to expand the list of statutory aggravating factors in death penalty determinations to also include killing or targeting a law enforcement officer, firefighter or other first responder. The bill has since gained 15 Republican cosponsors, including U.S. Reps. Tom Reed (R-NY), David Valadao (R-CA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Rodney Davis (R-IL).
A companion bill, the same-named S. 3458, was introduced in March 2021 by U.S. Sen. Patrick Toomey (R-PA) and 15 original cosponsors, including U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Hoeven (R-ND), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Roy Blunt (R-MO), John Thune (R-SD), and Mike Rounds (R-SD).
The bill is supported by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and the National Association of Police Organizations and remains under committee consideration in both chambers.
During the roundtable, Rep. Buchanan met with: Col. Brian Woodring, Chief Deputy of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office; Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Major Pat Cassella; Bradenton Police Department Chief Melanie Bevin; Palmetto Police Department Chief Scott Tyler; Sarasota Police Department Deputy Chief Rex Troche and Capt. Scott Mayforth; Longboat Key Police Department Chief George Turner and Lt. Richard Hankins; and Vaden Pollard, regional director for the Fort Myers Operations Center at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
“To bring in all of the chiefs and majors from the area and have a roundtable to discuss some of the challenges is amazing,” said Troche, who added that the roundtable will help local law enforcement “build on our relationships and our communication and then hopefully formulate a plan together moving forward.”
Additionally, Rep. Buchanan raised concerns with the roundtable participants about the ongoing fentanyl crisis, pointing out that U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported an increase in fentanyl seized at the nation’s southern border in 2021.
To support law enforcement, Rep. Buchanan in May 2021 sponsored the bipartisan Federal Initiative to Guarantee Health by Targeting (FIGHT) Fentanyl Act, H.R. 3269, with lead original cosponsor U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH).
If enacted, H.R. 3269 would permanently classify fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs and allow federal law enforcement to bring criminal actions against individuals who manufacture, distribute or handle fentanyl-related substances, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Buchanan’s staff.
In Florida, the bill has been endorsed by Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells; Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman; Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister; Attorney General Moody; and First Step of Sarasota.