Our nation celebrated National Police Week last week to honor and thank the officers for their hard work and sacrifice. AFGE is urging Congress to express appreciation by extending law enforcement officer (LEO) status to federal police officers so they can retire with dignity.
At a House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing March 16, AFGE Local 2384 President Bryan Hunt from the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center in Clarksburg, West Virginia, told lawmakers extending the LEO status to VA police officers is the single most important action Congress can take to help with recruitment and retention of police officers at the VA, because it would finally grant them the full retirement benefits they deserve.
“The VA hires many new recruits, sends them to the Law Enforcement Training Center (LETC) for training similar to other federal LEOs, and then sees these officers depart the force for other opportunities within the federal government that do have 6(c) benefits, or to other state and local police departments,” Hunt testified. “Granting full LEO status to VA police officers will diminish this turnover, and help the VA maintain a stronger and better trained police department with higher morale.”
Currently, the definition of law enforcement officer excludes several LEOs AFGE represents, including VA, DoD, FEMA, FPS and more. As a result of this, they do not receive special 6(c) retirement benefits.
AFGE strongly supports H.R. 1322, the Law Enforcement Officers (LEO) Equity Act, and S. 1658, the Law Enforcement Officers Parity Act, which would grant what are sometimes referred to as 6(c) benefits to VA police officers. The bill also recognizes police at other agencies who are not currently recognized as LEOs under the law, including those at the Department of Defense, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Federal Protective Service.
H.R. 1322 was introduced by Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr., D-N.J.; Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., Gerry Connolly, D-Va.; and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-PA, and S. 1658 was introduced by Senators Cory Booker, D-N.J. and J.D. Vance, R-Ohio.
Tell your lawmakers to cosponsor these bills here.
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