National President Patrick Yoes participated in a series of conference calls with the National FOP’s Memorial Committee regarding plans to honor the law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty with a virtual memorial tribute.
COVID-19 Activity Updates
National President Patrick Yoes spoke with Charles “Chuck” Dowd, a retired NYPD Assistant Chief who is now with Zebra Technologies, regarding the donation of 1,000 Zebra tablets for law enforcement officers in COVID-19 hotspots to stay connected.
National President Patrick Yoes received a letter from President Donald J. Trump, who expressed his appreciation for our country’s state and local law enforcement officers who have risen to the challenge to protect their fellow citizens, respond to emergencies and uphold the rule of law.
The National Legislative Office provided FOP members with a letter from Pete Gaynor, Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to the nation’s Emergency Managers, which outlines lessons learned from the first 30 days of FEMA leading the “Whole-of-America” response to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. To view the letter, please click here.
Senior Legislative Liaison Tim Richardson and Legislative Liaison Mark McDonald participated in a conference call with staff in the offices of Representatives Val V. Demings (D-FL) and John H. Rutherford (R-FL), the co-chairs of the House Law Enforcement Caucus, to discuss a program to be administered by the Office of Community Oriented Police Services (COPS) to assist local and State law enforcement agencies with overtime costs.
Senior Legislative Liaison Tim Richardson and Legislative Liaison Mark McDonald represented the FOP on a stakeholder call with committee staff with the office of Senator Lindsay O. Graham (R-SC), Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, to discuss various issues that the law enforcement community is facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Legislative Liaison Mark McDonald spoke with Amy Huston, Lead Chief of Staff, State Outreach and Consultation for AT&T’s FirstNet program, regarding a special front-of-the-line program for FOP members seeking new or replacement phones or devices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional information regarding the program will be released in the near future.
The National Legislative Office provided FOP members with information, released by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), regarding DHS’s recent activity in response to COVID-19. To view this information, please click here.
The National Legislative Office provided FOP members with information, released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), which provides guidance on Management of COVID-19 in Correctional and Detention Facilities. To view this information, please click here.
The National Legislative Office provided FOP members with information for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) newly created Rumor Control page, which provides ground truth on rumors and facts. To view this information, please click here.
Executive Director Jim Pasco spoke with Jeffrey R. Favitta, Assistant Senior Law Enforcement Advisor to the Attorney General, regarding a range of problems that are confronting state and local law enforcement due to COVID-19. Executive Director Pasco thanked him again for Attorney General Barr’s support for the issuance of new PSOB guidelines.
National President Patrick Yoes and Executive Director Jim Pasco had a conference call with Chad F. Wolf, Acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), regarding an update on DHS efforts to combat COVID-19 and ways in which DHS can be helpful. President Yoes thanked Secretary Wolf for the efforts of Deputy Assistant Secretary Brian Dorow and Dr. Alex L. Eastman, who worked to develop the best practices guide entitled “COVID-19 Exposure and Risk Mitigation Best Practices for Law Enforcement.” President Yoes asked Secretary Wolf if DHS could intercede on the matter of potential furloughs of law enforcement officers, as many cities’ resources have become restricted due to the virus.
