[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 9, 2024)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 81817-81819]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-23456]




                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 196 / Wednesday, October 9, 2024 / 
Presidential Documents

[[Page 81817]]


                Proclamation 10831 of October 4, 2024

                
National Community Policing Week, 2024

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Every day that our police officers put on that shield 
                and walk out the door, they put their lives at risk to 
                ensure the rest of us are safe. During National 
                Community Policing Week, we honor police officers' 
                service and sacrifice, recommit to supporting them, and 
                reaffirm that community policing practices that advance 
                public trust are the gold standard for law enforcement.

                In the first half of this year, according to 
                preliminary data submitted to the FBI, the homicide 
                rate continued to fall at record speed, declining by 
                22.7 percent, while the violent crime rate fell by 10.3 
                percent to its lowest level since 1969. These record 
                decreases follow the historic declines in crime in 
                2023, including the largest-ever decrease in the 
                homicide rate. The decreases are in no small part due 
                to the hard work and courageous efforts of law 
                enforcement across America.

                As President, public safety and crime reduction are top 
                priorities for my Administration and me. Since day one, 
                my Administration has worked with law enforcement, 
                mayors, and community leaders to do what we know works 
                to keep people and communities safe. Through my 
                American Rescue Plan, we made the largest Federal 
                investment toward public safety in our Nation's 
                history--delivering more than $15 billion in aid for 
                local and State governments to keep law enforcement on 
                the beat, retain and hire more police officers, pay 
                overtime and bonuses, and expand benefits for disabled 
                first responders. States, counties, and cities have 
                already invested that funding to make their communities 
                safer, and we added billions more in grants through the 
                Department of Justice to help cities invest in law 
                enforcement and community violence interruption 
                programs.

                I also know that being in law enforcement today is 
                harder than ever--police are expected to respond to so 
                many challenging situations, from drug overdoses and 
                mental health crises to domestic violence, child 
                abandonment, and more. That is why my Administration 
                has invested in increasing the number of crisis 
                responders who work alongside police officers to 
                respond to non-violent crimes. We have made more 
                investments in recruiting, retaining, and training 
                officers. I have called for funding that would put 
                100,000 more officers on the street who are trained in 
                community policing. Additionally, we need to invest 
                more in technology and training to solve crimes faster 
                and clear court backlogs, and we need more detectives 
                to solve murders and more deputy United States Marshals 
                to apprehend fugitives.

                Police officers deal with unbelievable stress. Every 
                time an officer responds to a call, executes a warrant, 
                or conducts a traffic stop, there is a tremendous risk: 
                the fear of ambush, the anxiety of not knowing what is 
                behind that door, and the trauma of bearing witness to 
                the most horrible tragedies imaginable. That is why I 
                have been laser-focused on providing officers with the 
                mental health and wellness resources they need and 
                deserve. I also signed extended benefits for families 
                of officers who have tragically died by suicide.

                Our police officers are dedicated, honorable, and good 
                people--they build trust with the communities they 
                serve because they know that trust is the foundation of 
                public safety. Our communities are safer and stronger

[[Page 81818]]

                when our officers have the resources, training, and 
                tools they need to do their jobs and walk the beat, 
                getting to know the neighborhoods and the people they 
                serve. A lack of trust from the public means less 
                public safety for all of us: crimes do not get 
                reported, witnesses do not come forward and cases do 
                not get solved, victims suffer while perpetrators roam 
                free, and justice goes undelivered.

                When communities trust the police, crimes get solved 
                faster. That is why when Republicans blocked the 
                passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 
                2021, a bill that the Vice President coauthored while 
                in the Senate, we took action. I signed a historic 
                Executive Order to set the gold standard for law 
                enforcement. In part, it requires Federal law 
                enforcement agencies to develop best practices that 
                attract, support, and retain officers who are 
                representative of the communities they are sworn to 
                serve. We have also made historic investments in proven 
                strategies to interrupt and prevent violence in the 
                first place, including using trusted messengers who are 
                trained to disrupt violence. At the same time, I signed 
                the most significant gun safety law in nearly three 
                decades and have taken more executive actions to stop 
                the flow of illegal guns than any other administration 
                in history.

                There is more work to be done. My Safer America Plan 
                calls on the Congress to invest $37 billion to support 
                law enforcement and crime prevention. The plan would 
                fund 100,000 additional police officers, invest $5 
                billion in community violence interventions, and enact 
                commonsense gun safety reforms, such as a universal 
                background check requirement and a ban on assault 
                weapons and high-capacity magazines.

                There is no greater responsibility than keeping our 
                families, neighborhoods, and Nation safe. During 
                National Community Policing Week, we reaffirm our 
                commitment to choosing progress over politics when it 
                comes to supporting our law enforcement and ensuring 
                the safety of our communities. We honor the heroism, 
                bravery, and sacrifice of our police officers. And may 
                we recommit to upholding one of our Nation's most 
                fundamental values: justice for all.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of 
                the United States of America, by virtue of the 
                authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws 
                of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 6 
                through October 12, 2024, as National Community 
                Policing Week. I call upon law enforcement agencies, 
                elected officials, and all Americans to observe this 
                week by recognizing ways to improve public safety, 
                build trust, and strengthen community-police 
                relationships.

[[Page 81819]]

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and forty-
                ninth.
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[FR Doc. 2024-23456
Filed 10-8-24; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F4-P