PAX Centurion - Winter 2016 - 2017

www.bppa.org PAX CENTURION • Winter 2016-2017 • Page 47 See The Washington Report on page 48 enhancing the ability of families and communities to identify mental illness; and (2) the Comprehensive Justice and Mental HealthAct, which would update the Mentally Ill Offender and Treatment Crime ReductionAct (MIOTCRA) and facilitate collaboration among the criminal justice, juvenile justice, mental health treatment, and substance abuse systems to ensure those with mental illness receive the treatment and help they need. Key provisions of the mental health/criminal justice sections of the Cures Act include: • Reauthorization and extension of the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime ReductionAct (MIOTCRA), an essential funding mechanism that supports the use of mental health courts and crisis intervention teams in local law enforcement agencies. • Amends MIOTCRA to allow theAttorney General to use existing authorized funds to award grants to non-profit organizations for the creation of a National Criminal Justice and Mental Health Training Center. This entity would coordinate best practices on responding to mental illness in the criminal justice system, and would provide technical assistance to governmental agencies who wish to implement these best practices. • Authorizes resources for expanded training activities, providing more officers with a basic understanding of the issues involved when responding situations with individuals with mental health crises. NAPO worked throughout the year to move these bills in any way possible and it is a win for us that they were included in what is considered must-pass legislation. The Senate is expected to take up and pass the 21st Century Cures Act this week. We thank Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) andAl Franken (D-MN) and Representatives Doug Collins (R-GA) and Martha McSalley (R-AZ) for their leadership and support of this important issue. House Passes NDAA Conference Report I n a victory for NAPO and our efforts to overturn President Obama’s executive order restricting state and local law enforcement’s access to lifesaving, surplus military equipment, the House passed on December 2nd the National DefenseAuthorization Act (NDAA), without a provision that would have codified the executive order. NAPO exerted every effort over the past serveral months during conference negotiations to ensure the provision did not make it into the final conference report and its exclusion speaks volumns about the support within Congress for law enforcement having access to this equipment. While we did not get the executive order reversed in the NDAA, the final bill that passed the House ameliorates some of its harmful consequences and lays the groundwork for the TrumpAdministration to repeal the executive order in its entirety. NAPO looks forward to working with the TrumpAdministration to ensure quick repeal of the executive order in 2017. NAPO in the News O n November 27th, NAPO Executive Director Bill Johnson was interviewed for a Washington Times article entitled, “Police hopeful Donald Trump will usher in new era of respect for law enforcement”. The article discusses how police across the country are hoping that under President Trump there will be stronger support for law enforcement and recognition of the difficult jobs officers do day in and day out. Johnson pointed out that who the President-elect nominates to fill certain key appointments will impact the relationship between the federal government and state and local law enforcement. “Bill Johnson, executive director of the National Association of Police Organizations, said his group will be looking for strong allies within the Justice Department. ‘Whoever is in charge of the Civil Rights Division, they must have close and trusted relationships with police officers and agencies,’ he said. ‘The Obama administration failed miserably in that regard.’” Johnson went on to state that the policies supported and advocated by the TrumpAdministration will also be key to changing the attitude towards our nation’s police officers. “The National Association of Police Organizations is among those urging Mr. Trump to support legislation on a national level that would make the murder or attempted murder of a police officer a federal crime. ‘At one level it would send a powerful message that this president is saying this Justice Department is different — they stand up for the men and women of law enforcement,’Mr. Johnson said. ‘Given the current climate and the tacit support by the administration of these violent protests, that would be a powerful change.’Adding federal prosecutors to the equation would also bring resources beyond those of state or local attorneys, he said.” The full article is available at: http://www.washingtontimes.com/ news/2016/nov/27/police-hopeful-donald-trump-will-usher-in-new- era-/ *** On November 30th, Johnson was quoted in a Washington Post article entitled, “Name of Ohio State officer who shot attacker released almost immediately. Is that right?” The article discussed the varying views of when the name of an officer involved in a shooting should be publicly released. “Bill Johnson, executive director of the National Association of Police Organizations, noted that after Officer Wilson’s name and address were released in the Ferguson case, the officer and his family were harassed and had to move. ‘If the use of force is controversial,’ Johnson said, ‘that can lead to death threats against an officer and a family. There has to be some recognition of that on the part of police agency administrators.’ The full article is available at: https://www.washingtonpost . com/news/true-crime/wp/2016/11/30/name-of-ohio-state-officer- who-shot-attacker-released-almost-immediately-is-that-right/?utm_ term=.469ae3f791a5 NAPO Victory! Congress Passes Justice for All Reauthorization Act I n another year-end victory for NAPO, the House passed the Justice for All ReauthorizationAct (JFAA) on November 29th, sending it to the President’s desk to be signed into law. The Senate passed the JFAAon June 16, 2016. NAPO supported the JFAAwhen it was originally passed in 2004 and we worked to ensure that it was reauthorized. The JFAA improves and ensures public confidence in the criminal justice system. This legislation continues and improves