18th District Congressman Darin LaHood announced on Friday he was joining in support of a bill that would raise police officer salaries nationwide unless the local municipality had elected to defund its police department.
In Quincy on Friday on the 19th Anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks in New York City, LaHood announced during a memorial ceremony that he would sign the Heritage Action’s Police Pledge, and announced his support for the “David Dorn Back the Blue Act.”
The act was introduced to Congress on September 8th by Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley, and seeks to authorize $15 billion for the U.S. Attorney General to fund more officer hiring and salary increases for state and local law enforcement unless a city has voted to defund its local police department. LaHood said in a press release that his years as a federal prosecutor allowed him to see the day-to-day sacrifices firsthand of law enforcement, which brought him in support of the bill.
The Heritage Action pledge says that LaHood will oppose any bill, resolution, or movement to “Defund the Police.” The bill is currently awaiting committee assignment and a parent bill in the U.S. House.