National President Patrick Yoes applauded President Trump for today’s announcement that law enforcement and other public safety officers who file a death benefit claim through the Public Safety Officers’ Benefit (PSOB) program for a COVID-19-related death will be found by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to have contracted the disease in the line of duty in most cases. To view the statement, please click here. To view the announcement from BJA, please click here.
COVID-19 Activity Updates
The National Legislative Office provided FOP members with a memorandum, issued by U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr to the Bureau of Prisons, regarding the challenge of protecting the public and incarcerated offenders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our members should direct their attention to Section II of this document, which underscores General Barr’s concern for the safety of the men and women in law enforcement during this crisis. To view the memorandum, please click here.
Executive Director Jim Pasco spoke with Michael Costigan, Acting Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), regarding the processing of PSOB claims moving forward. It was a very encouraging call.
Executive Director Jim Pasco spoke with Jim Bugel, Vice President of 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. All transactions will be conducted online or by phone call with expedited delivery to FOP members. Details will be posted shortly.
Executive Director Jim Pasco had an extended conversation with Katie Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), regarding the issuance of new PSOB guidelines (as outlined in the FOP’s request to Attorney General Barr on March 31) mandating that law enforcement officers and firefighters who contract COVID-19 are presumed to have contracted the virus in the line of duty for PSOB purposes. During the conversation, the FOP emphasized its deep appreciation to the President and the U.S. Department of Justice, under the leadership of Attorney General William P. Barr, for the prompt action on our request.
National President Patrick Yoes sent a letter to FOP members regarding important information on proposals made by members of Congress to address the current crisis. To view the letter, please click here.
At the specific request of the FOP and following Executive Director Jim Pasco’s conference call on Saturday, April 4, Brian Dorow, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office for State and Local Law Enforcement (OSLLE), DHS; Dr. Alex L. Eastman, Senior Medical Officer—Operations, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and an active officer with the Dallas Police Department and a proud member of the FOP; and Lori Sims, Management Project Analyst with the OSLLE, developed a best practices guide entitled “COVID-19 Exposure and Risk Mitigation Best Practices for Law Enforcement.”
These guidelines address the patchwork of approaches to handling officer exposure issues at the state and local level. Deputy Assistant Secretary Dorow and Dr. Eastman promised the FOP that they would work to develop and release model policies and best practices for local and state law enforcement and have delivered on that commitment and we greatly appreciate their efforts and their support for our men and women in the field. To view this information, please click here.
National President Patrick Yoes called on Congress to pass the Social Security Fairness Act to boost the economy and help older, vulnerable retirees. To view the press release, please click here.
National President Patrick Yoes sent a letter to Senators McConnell, Schumer, Grassley and Wyden, requesting that the Senate consider including the Social Security Fairness Act into the so-called “Phase 4” bill in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. To view the letter, please click here.
National President Patrick Yoes sent a letter to Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Neal and Representatives McCarthy and Brady, requesting that the House consider including the Social Security Fairness Act into the so-called “Phase 4,” a bill being developed in the Senate in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. To view the letter, please click here.
National President Patrick Yoes sounded the alarm on the decisions in the District of Columbia and other jurisdictions to release convicted offenders without any process or assessment for the safety of the public. To view the press release, please click here.
Executive Director Jim Pasco held a conference call today with Brian Dorow, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office for State and Local Law Enforcement (OSLLE), DHS; Dr. Alex L. Eastman, Senior Medical Officer—Operations, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS); an active officer with the Dallas Police Department and a proud member of the FOP; and Lori Sims, Management Project Analyst with the OSLLE, to discuss the need to address the patchwork of approaches to handling officer exposure issues at the state and local level. Without a national standard, jurisdictions have been addressing this issue, or not addressing it, without any guidance or best practices. Deputy Assistant Secretary Dorow and Dr. Eastman promised the FOP that they would work to develop and release model policies and best practices for local and state law enforcement and have this material to the field early next week.
