Yesterday, the Subcommittee on Federal Law Enforcement conducted a roundtable titled “A View from the Frontlines: A Police Week Roundtable on Emerging Issues Facing American Law Enforcement.” The discussion focused on the challenges state and local law enforcement agencies encounter when collaborating with federal agencies. Participants shared feedback on how these agencies can work together more effectively.
Subcommittee Chairman Clay Higgins (R-La.) highlighted the sacrifice of nearly 25,000 officers who lost their lives in duty. He invited officers to discuss their critical needs and suggest ways for better support. "State and local law enforcement agencies are force multipliers for federal law enforcement. They need more cooperation, enhanced support, and improved access to resources from the federal government to effectively protect their communities," stated Higgins. He emphasized the importance of agreements that ensure illegal alien criminals are deported and noted that local officers should be able to hold criminals accountable without excessive federal regulations.
Higgins further remarked, "This roundtable provided an excellent opportunity to hear feedback directly from officers on how we can better protect Americans from public safety threats." He expressed gratitude to Col. Robert T. Hodges, Sgt. Edward Lenz, and Sgt. Aaron Zaliponi for their participation and insights into optimizing federal resources based on state and local needs.
