In an op-ed written for The Hill over the weekend, Jonathan Thompson, CEO and Executive Director of the National Sheriff’s Association, defended President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for Attorney General, saying that U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) would work to restore the relationship between the Department of Justice and local law enforcement agencies.
Every day, he wrote, members of the law enforcement community come to work “prepared for anything.” He said local cops understand they are “the thin blue line between a safe public and criminal activity,” and that every minute of the day presents a new challenge for them in that regard.
Thompson continued:
Law enforcement understands the dangers of protecting their communities and go[es] to work each day knowing they might be shot for their communities’ safety. This past year saw the highest number of law enforcement fatalities in five years including 21 that were ambushed, shot and killed.
Over the past few years, law enforcement has been missing a key component to succeed in their jobs—federal government support.
While law enforcement is asked to do more and more with the ever-changing world of terrorism and public safety, the current administration has rolled back much of the progress achieved through decades of effective policing through qualitative and quantitative resourcing. In return, the nation’s crime rates have risen faster than at any time in our modern history.
During his time on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Thompson added, Sessions has proven he understands the challenges local law enforcement faces. His organization is urging the Senate to confirm Sessions’ nomination “because law enforcement and the citizens they protect need his expertise, dedication and honor at the Justice Department.”
He concluded:
Sheriffs and deputies wake up each day knowing their lives may be in danger to keep our communities safe and protect the rule of law. They look forward to having an active ally in Attorney General Sessions to support them and do whatever necessary to make America safe.
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