A Thin Blue Line
By Rep. Kristi Noem
A lot is asked from our law enforcement officers, especially at a time when crime is on the rise. Sadly, South Dakota’s violent crime rate nearly doubled between 2005 and 2015. If you look at domestic aggravated assault cases alone, police handled 129 in 2012. By 2016, they dealt with 276 cases. Drugs are also on our streets in increasing quantities, ripping families and friendships apart in many cases. Still, South Dakota’s brave law enforcement officers step up to meet the needs of our communities each and every day. And I, for one, am incredibly grateful.
January 9 marked National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, and while many South Dakotans recognize the tremendous role officers play throughout the year, it is nice to set aside a special day of gratitude.
Like many in South Dakota, I have been thrilled to see President Trump make law enforcement a priority again and am proud to help drive his agenda in the House.
Weeks after President Trump took the Oath of Office, for instance, the House passed the American Law Enforcement Heroes Act, which would allow Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grants to be used for hiring and training law enforcement officers. This is a critical program, and over the last five years, South Dakota has received $13 million in COPS grants.
To give law enforcement added support in the fight against drugs, I helped pass the Transnational Drug Trafficking Act, which broadened the scope of people subject to criminal prosecution for drug trafficking. I also voted for the Comprehensive Addition and Recovery Act to enhance coordination between criminal justice, substance abuse agencies, and first responders. Both bills became law and are in addition to the work I’ve done to strengthen our border security.
Additionally, I’m working to help law enforcement in indirect ways. For instance, the CUFF Act, which I introduced, prohibits individuals with outstanding felony warrants or parole violations from receiving certain Social Security benefits. Hardworking taxpayers should not have to pay people who are fleeing from the law. Not only is it unfair to ask taxpayers to do so, it’s self-defeating to subsidize someone’s attempt to shirk law enforcement. As Staci Ackerman, Executive Director of the South Dakota Sheriffs’ Association said, the bill would “limit [a wanted felon or parole violator’s] ability to avoid justice using taxpayer dollars to evade capture.” This bill was passed in the House and is awaiting a vote in the Senate.
The Thin Blue Line Act was another bill I’m proud to support. In 2016, more than 110 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents, according to the FBI. Of these more than 60 died as a result of felonious acts. Another 57,000 officers were victims of line-of-duty assaults. This cannot be tolerated. The Thin Blue Line Act would make targeting or killing a police officer or first responder a determining factor in potential death penalty cases. Moreover, we passed, and President Trump signed, the Public Safety Officer’s Benefits Improvement Act, which aimed to reduce the backlog of families waiting on approval for survivor benefits.
While I don’t know what it’s like to be in their shoes, I’m hopeful the choices I’ve made better equip law enforcement as they carry out their day-to-day duties. Thank you to all who serve and create that critical blue line that keeps our families and communities safe.