Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement honoring National Police Week 2020, which began on Sunday, May 10th and concludes on Saturday, May 16th. Senator Cortez Masto is a cosponsor of the bipartisan Senate resolution officially recognizing National Police Week.
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“Nevada’s police officers serve our communities every day with selflessness and courage, and their dedication is especially vital as they work overtime to keep our communities safe and healthy during the coronavirus pandemic. I was fortunate to work closely with our local law enforcement as Nevada’s Attorney General, and I am incredibly proud to continue to be a voice for them in the Senate. We must do everything we can to ensure our heroes have the resources they need, which is why I’ve introduced the Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection Act and the COPS Counseling Act to prioritize mental health support for law enforcement officers across the country. I’ll continue advocating for the funding, equipment, training and support our police officers need to protect us, as well as the necessary support for their families.” BACKGROUND: Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen recently announced $7.3 million in Department of Justice (DOJ) funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement and first responders to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Senator Cortez Masto has also introduced numerous pieces of bipartisan legislation to improve mental health resources for law enforcement, including the Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection Act, which requires the FBI to collect voluntary, anonymous data on police suicides and attempted suicides from local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and the Confidentiality Opportunities for Peer Support (COPS) Counseling Act to encourage the adoption of law enforcement peer counseling programs and protect the privacy of federal officers who participate. She also invited Reno Police Chief Jason Soto to President Trump’s most recent State of the Union address to highlight the importance of increasing mental health resources for law enforcement officers. She also recently led a bipartisan letter calling for full funding for mental health resources supported by the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act in FY21. ### |