Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) introduced the Chief Herbert D. Proffitt Act, which would ensure the families of retired law enforcement officers who were killed as a result of their service are not unjustly denied benefits. Earlier this month, the Chief Herbert D. Proffitt Act was introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressmen Andy Barr (R-Ky.) and Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.).
This bill is named after Chief Herbert D. Proffitt, a Korean war veteran and law enforcement officer of 55 years who retired in 2009 as Chief of the Tompkinsville, Kentucky Police Department. On August 28, 2012, Chief Proffitt was tragically shot and killed in his driveway by an individual he had arrested a decade earlier. Although his murder was a direct retaliation for his service in uniform, his family was denied benefits under the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits program simply because he had already retired.
“When a law enforcement officer is killed because of the work they did to keep our communities safe, it’s our responsibility to make sure their family is cared for,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’m proud to introduce this critical piece of commonsense legislation to right the wrong Chief Proffitt’s family experienced and make sure it doesn’t happen to anyone else.”
“The loss of Chief Herbert D. Proffitt is a tragic reminder of the risk that follows our finest every day of their lives. This legislation plugs an important hole, ensuring the Proffitt family – and others like them – are supported and assured that the service and sacrifice of their loved ones are never forgotten,” said Senator McConnell.
Specifically, the Chief Herbert D. Proffitt Act would:
- Amend the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program eligibility criteria for retired law enforcement officers who have died or become permanently disabled due to a targeted attack directly resulting from their service; and
- Retroactively apply the updated eligibility for claims starting on January 1, 2012.
The Chief Herbert D. Proffitt Act is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, the Nevada Association of Public Safety Officers, the Public Safety Alliance of Nevada, the Nevada Law Enforcement Coalition, the Washoe County Sheriff Deputies Association, the Las Vegas Metro Police Managers & Supervisors Association, the Las Vegas Police Protective Association, the Kentucky Fraternal Order of Police, the Kentucky Narcotic Officers Association, the Kentucky Sheriffs’ Association, the Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Foundation, and Supporting Heroes.
Read the full bill here.
As the former top law enforcement official in Nevada, Senator Cortez Masto has been a leading advocate in the Senate for our police officers and is part of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus. The Senator recently reintroduced the Invest to Protect Act to set aside $250 million to help local police invest in training, mental health support, and recruitment and retention. She has repeatedly secured historic funding for the Byrne JAG grant program, the leading source of criminal justice funding in the country. Her bipartisan bills to combat the crisis of law enforcement suicide and provide mental health resources to police officers have been signed into law by presidents of both parties. Her BADGES for Native Communities Act, to support the Bureau of Indian Affairs with law enforcement recruitment and retention, recently passed out of committee.
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