Westerman co-sponsors ‘Invest to Protect Act’

4th District Congressman Bruce Westerman has cosponsored the “Invest to Protect Act of 2022”. The federal legislation is aimed at assisting police departments who have fewer than 200 officers, which is 95 percent of the nation’s police departments. The legislation will provide for Investments in officer safety, de-escalation, and domestic violence response training, allowing officers to receive critical training, without putting a strain on department budgets or reducing the number of officers on duty while others are at training by allowing funds to be used to offset overtime pay. It will also allow for the investment of body worn cameras while also providing much-needed resources for data storage and data security, providing funds to help small departments recruit new officers and pay for retention bonuses for existing officers. Other aspects of the bill will allow departments to invest in officers who want to pursue graduate degrees in public health, social work and mental health. There’s also a provision in the federal legislation that allows departments to provide mental health resources for their officers.
The legislation is currently undergoing the committee process.