John Rutherford U.S. House of Representatives from Florida | Official U.S. House Headshot
John Rutherford U.S. House of Representatives from Florida | Official U.S. House Headshot
On Tuesday, U.S. Congressmen John H. Rutherford and Josh Gottheimer reintroduced the Protect and Serve Act, known as H.R. 1551, in Washington, D.C. The legislation aims to establish federal penalties for individuals who intentionally target law enforcement officers while they are on duty.
"As a former sheriff and lifelong member of law enforcement, I have witnessed firsthand the dangers our officers face every day," stated Rutherford. He expressed concern over increasing anti-police rhetoric and support for defunding police departments, which he believes makes officers more vulnerable to attacks. "To combat this violence, I introduced the bipartisan Protect and Serve Act to ensure those who violently target our law enforcement officers are brought to justice," he added.
Gottheimer emphasized the importance of protecting law enforcement officers: "Our law enforcement officers, who are the best in the world, put their lives on the line for us every day. An attack on their safety is an attack on every member of our community." He expressed pride in introducing the bipartisan act that creates federal penalties for violent criminals targeting police officers.
The backdrop of rising violent crime nationwide has highlighted concerns about targeted attacks against law enforcement. According to a January 2025 report by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), 342 officers were shot and 50 killed in 2024. Additionally, there were 61 ambush-style attacks resulting in 79 officers being shot and 18 fatalities.
H.R. 1551 proposes creating federal penalties for those who target and harm law enforcement officers during criminal acts. It suggests up to ten years imprisonment for injuring an officer and life imprisonment for killing or kidnapping one. The bill previously passed the House with broad bipartisan support in 2018 by a vote of 382-35.
"The Protect and Serve Act sends a clear bipartisan message to the criminal element who are intent on terrorizing our officers," said Rutherford. "If you target law enforcement, we will target you."
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