Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley is introducing a bill to raise the salaries of police officers and increase hiring in the wake of mass civil unrest and growing calls to defund the police.
“Police departments across the country are under siege-underfunded, facing increased retirements, and struggling to make new hires. But as violence and rioting sweeps across American cities big and small, our courageous law enforcement officers are more vital now than ever,” Hawley said in an official statement. “Democratic politicians are bending to radical activists who want to defund the police. We should do just the opposite.”
I am introducing legislation to give every cop in America a pay raise, and put more officers on the streets. Law enforcement deserve our support, and our citizens need the protection https://t.co/mdXynmoGba
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) September 9, 2020
Hawley’s ‘David Dorn Back The Blue Act’ would give the Department of Justice $15 billion to distribute among state and local law enforcement departments. The money could be used to hire more officers, retain officers in agencies that need more “manpower”, and give pay raises of up to 110% of the local median earnings.
Any agency that cut funding to police would not be eligible for the funds, according to the bill.
Hawley pointed to “decreasing morale among officers as they face increasing violence and their work is vilified.”
The bill is named after retired St. Louis Police captain David Dorn, who was killed June 2 while defending a storefront during a riot in St. Louis. (RELATED: ‘I Relive That Horror In My Mind Every Single Day’: Ann Dorn Remembers CPT David Dorn, Murdered During Protests)
Hawley’s bill comes as politicians like Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and big name companies like DoorDash support defunding the police.
The Daily Caller reached out to Hawley for comment but did not hear back at the time of publication.
