WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced the Promoting Police Leadership Act, which would improve the quality of and increase access to commander-level training curriculum across law enforcement agencies:

“Law enforcement is a challenging and dynamic profession that requires continuous training and education,” said Sen. Cornyn. “Our bill would ensure all levels of law enforcement across all departments and communities are prepared to protect and defend in today’s rapidly evolving threat environment, and I’m proud to lead this investment for our men and women in blue ahead of Police Week.”

“State and local police commanders are entrusted with important leadership, community relations, and policy responsibilities,” said Sen. Whitehouse. “Our Promoting Police Leadership Act improves these leaders’ access to high-quality trainings to help them succeed in their roles and better serve the officers they oversee and the community members they protect.”

Background:

The Promoting Police Leadership Act would:

• Task the U.S. Attorney General and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) with developing a broad training curricula framework for commander-level personnel in consultation with state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies, academic institutions, and other relevant partners;
• And establish a voluntary certification process for the U.S. Attorney General to identify high-quality training programs that align with the broader DOJ framework and provide instruction to police departments.

The Promoting Police Leadership Act is endorsed by the Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP), Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA), and National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition (NNOAC).