Representative Tran Backs Bipartisan Effort to Prevent Crime

Washington, DC - U.S. Representative Derek Tran is backing a bipartisan effort to invest in community-based crime prevention strategies that keep our neighborhoods safe. Representative Tran joined Representatives Josh Harder (D-CA-09), John Rutherford (R-FL-04), and George Whitesides (D-CA-27) as a cosponsor of the COPS Reauthorization Act, which would provide funding for local law enforcement agencies to hire & retain more officers and provide necessary training and equipment through the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program.

Read the full text of the bill HERE.

"No one is more fit to protect our neighborhoods than the law enforcement professionals who are on the ground, building trust with our communities every day," said Representative Tran. "The COPS Reauthorization Act is a key investment in our local heroes that will ensure they have the proper staffing, resources, and training to keep crime off our streets. I'm proud to join Representatives Harder, Rutherford, and Whitesides to support this common-sense, bipartisan legislation that puts our families' safety first."

The COPS Reauthorization Act will:

• Restore funding for the COPS program to meet current public safety demands;

• Support officer hiring, training, and deployment in local jurisdictions to strengthen community-oriented public safety efforts;

• Provide grants to state and local law enforcement agencies for technology and equipment; and

• Codify a standalone COPS Office within the Department of Justice to ensure oversight and accountability for grant programs.

The legislation is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, National Association of Police Organizations, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Organization, Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies, and the National Narcotic Officers' Associations' Coalition.

As a member of the Bipartisan Congressional Law Enforcement Caucus, Representative Tran is dedicated to supporting local law enforcement efforts to ensure our community's safety. Tran helped to introduce the bipartisan CARE for First Responders Act to expand counseling and mental health services for first responders, and has cosponsored several bills to support and enhance officer safety and wellness on the job, including:

• H.R. 5319, the Bipartisan Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program Expansion Act, to further assist local governments with purchasing protective gear for officers;

• H.R. 309, the bipartisan National Law Enforcement Officers Remembrance, Support, and Community Outreach Act, which would improve officer safety and wellness programs;

• H.R. 3304, the Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act, to support parents in law enforcement; and

• H.R. 2094, the HELPER Act, to reduce homeownership costs for law enforcement professionals.

Representative Tran secured over $3 million for crime prevention efforts in Southern California following the passage of bipartisan government spending legislation through the House. He has also signed onto multiple letters expressing support for local public safety efforts, including letters opposing the unjust deployment of federal forces to patrol U.S. cities and advocating for increased resources for state and local law enforcement agencies to perform their duties safely and effectively.

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Congressman Derek Tran represents California's 45th Congressional District. Serving his first term in Congress, Congressman Tran is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and House Small Business Committee, where he is Ranking Member of the Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations Subcommittee. Congressman Tran is the son of Vietnamese refugees, a Veteran, and fought for consumers as an attorney before entering Congress.