Hawkeye Reporter

CORALVILLE, IOWA – In continuation of National Police Week, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), former chairman and a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, this gave an address at the Iowa Police Chiefs Association’s 36th Annual Conference in Coralville. Grassley commended the police chiefs, sheriffs and leaders for their hard work and sacrifice to keep Iowans safe. He also highlighted his efforts to curb anti-police rhetoric, his bipartisan Invest to Protect Act to increase support for rural police departments and his commitment to partnering with law enforcement to combat the fentanyl crisis, organized retail crime, gang violence and attacks on police.  

“When police are demonized and disrespected, public safety pays a price. And it chips away at the emotional and mental wellness of our men and women in blue. As First Responders, you are on the front lines, called to run towards danger, not away from it. You courageously wear the badge to serve and protect. When you walk out the door, your loved ones pray you come home safely. You deserve respect, support and gratitude for answering the call to serve,” Grassley said in his remarks. 

Grassley’s full remarks are below. 

Remarks by U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley

Iowa Police Chiefs Association 36th Annual Conference

Coralville, Iowa

May 24, 2023

Good morning,

It’s an honor to be with you in Coralville for your 36th annual conference. As leaders in your profession and your communities, Iowans across our state depend on each of you – the men and women in blue – to keep our families, homes and businesses safe and sound. 

As your U.S. Senator, I want to make it crystal clear: I Back The Blue. And I want you to know I have your back in Washington. As public leaders, we are responsible for building stronger, safer communities. And it starts with reinforcing our sense of community, not sowing seeds of division among our neighbors.

Misguided and reckless movements, such as Defund the Police, have a damaging impact on public safety. We’ve seen how the Leftist agenda makes our community peace officers a target. You can be sure I leverage my seniority in Washington to curb anti-police rhetoric that puts you in harm’s way.

Last year, 64 police officers were shot and killed in the line of duty; 11 of those were ambushed. Overall, 226 federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement officers died in the line of duty in 2022. They were honored last week during National Police Week at the 35th annual candlelight vigil in Washington, D.C.

We’ve seen an erosion of trust in our most revered institutions and American values. Even patriotism, hard work and religion are sliding in importance among younger generations. Americans are divided. And the polarization in society has impacted the men and women in blue who sit before me. 

Rising crime on our streets makes Americans feel less safe. The fact is, they are less safe, particularly in our larger cities, where robberies, car jackings, murders and sophisticated retail shoplifting crime rings are on the rise.

Chaos and crime at our southern border are impacting communities here in Iowa. Mexican cartels seized advantage of the open border policies of the Biden administration. As a result, your police departments are called upon, day and night, to mitigate the illegal activities that human trafficking and drug trafficking bring to your communities. 

When I meet one-on-one with local police departments, I hear about challenges many face to recruit and retain officers, in rural and urban areas of our state. I want you to know I bring these concerns to the policymaking table in Washington, D.C. I’ve reintroduced bipartisan legislation that would boost investments in local police departments. It’s called the Invest to Protect Act. It would set aside $250 million to help local police invest in training, mental health support, recruitment and retention.  

Here’s how it would work. It would set up a grant program through the Community Oriented Policing Services program to provide $50 million per year to help local law enforcement agencies invest in their officers and in their communities. 

When police are demonized and disrespected, public safety pays a price. And it chips away at the emotional and mental wellness of our men and women in blue. As First Responders, you are on the front lines, called to run towards danger, not away from it. You courageously wear the badge to serve and protect. When you walk out the door, your loved ones pray you come home safely. You deserve respect, support and gratitude for answering the call to serve. 

In my opening statement last year at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, I talked about the loss of Sergeant Jim Smith in an ambush attack. Officer Zach Anderson of Cedar Falls testified about your mission “to hold the line, the thin blue line” and that without the support of the community, “the line cannot be held.”

In the previous Congress, I worked to get legislation across the finish line that boosted peer counseling programs and protected disability claims for officers injured in the line of duty. I want you to know my door is always open. I’ll continue partnering with you to combat the fentanyl crisis, organized retail crime, gang violence, and attacks on police to help you uphold your mission to protect and to serve.

Original source can be found here.