U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) recently proposed two pieces of legislation aimed at improving federal protections for America’s law enforcement officers and creating stronger federal penalties for criminals who target them.
“Those who commit senseless acts of violence against law enforcement officers must be held accountable for their actions, which is why I am proud to reintroduce these bills that create federal penalties for criminals who target law enforcement,” Sen. Tillis said. “They put their lives on the line to protect us, and we should do the work in Congress to protect them.”
Sen. Tillis on Jan. 21 sponsored both the Protect and Serve Act of 2025, S. 167, and the Justice for Fallen Law Enforcement Act, S. 166.
If enacted, S. 167 would make it a federal crime to knowingly cause, or attempt to cause, bodily injury to a law enforcement officer. Offenders would be subject to imprisonment for up to 10 years or could receive a life sentence if a death results from the offense, or if the offense includes kidnapping, attempted kidnapping, or is an attempted murder, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Tillis’ staff.
Likewise, S. 166 would create a criminal penalty for the murder of a federal, state, and local enforcement officer of life imprisonment or the death penalty.
In addition, S. 166 would create a 20-year criminal penalty for assault resulting in serious injury to a federal, state, and local law enforcement officer, and would require a study after 36 months that would be reported to Judiciary Committees in both chambers about prosecutions as the result of the act, the summary says.
Both measures have been endorsed by the National Association of Police Organizations and the National Fraternal Order of Police.