An illegal migrant accused of raping a woman on a popular hiking path in a Washington, D.C.-area suburb previously had been arrested and released multiple times by local law enforcement.
Read the full storyTag: law enforcement
Ruben Gallego Reportedly Ends Police Press Conference After Questions About Past Criticism for Law Enforcement
Representative Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03) reportedly ended a press conference with Arizona law enforcement abruptly after reporters asked about his evolving stance on police reform.
A press release published by Gallego’s congressional office reveals he held the press conference alongside Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers and Arizona Police Association (APA) President Justin Harris, who is also a member of the Glendale Police Department.
Read the full storyTrump Assassination Attempt Was ‘Preventable,’ Senate Committee Report Finds
The Senate Homeland Security Committee unveiled a report Wednesday detailing the “preventable” Secret Service security failures that resulted in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on July 13.
Leading up to the assassination attempt, there was no clear chain of command and major communication discrepancies which were “foreseeable, preventable, and directly related to” to the events that transpired, according to the report. As a result, Trump was nearly assassinated in July by 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks during a rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania, prompting an onslaught of criticism and bipartisan calls to action.
Read the full story‘My Signature Has Been Forged’: DeSantis Probes Florida Pro-Abortion Ballot Measure Petitions amid Fraud Allegations
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration is asking law enforcement to “prioritize” the investigation into what may be “fraudulent” signatures on petitions to get a pro-abortion measure on the Nov. 5 ballot, according to a letter shared with The Daily Signal.
The Palm Beach Supervisor of Elections’ office received complaints from voters about their signatures being forged on constitutional initiative petitions circulated by Floridians Protecting Freedom, the pro-abortion coalition behind an amendment that would legalize abortion on demand up to birth.
Read the full storyTom Pappert Details Troubling Series of Events Leading Up to Georgia High School Shooting
Tom Pappert, reporter at The Georgia Star News, detailed the unfortunate series of events that reportedly transpired just minutes before 14-year-old Colt Gray allegedly killed four and injured nine more at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia last week, which, if acted upon, may have prevented the shooting.
Gray, who surrendered to law enforcement Wednesday after allegedly carrying out the shooting, was on the FBI’s radar last year, as the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office interviewed him and his father in May 2023 after the FBI received “several anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting.”
Read the full storyDeWine Issues Memo to Schools Following Georgia Shooting
In the wake of a Georgia high school shooting that killed four and injured nine, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine issued a memo to school superintendents across the state reminding them of safety options.
The state started the Ohio School Safety program in 2019, spreading safety support personnel across 16 regions covering all 88 counties. The program helps K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and first responders prevent, prepare for, and respond to threats and acts of violence.
Read the full storyCommentary: Law Enforcement Collapse Masks Rising Crime Rates
Law enforcement in the United States has collapsed. Americans in many parts of the country see that products at CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart stores are behind plexiglass, that you must call a clerk to unlock the glass and then wait while you read and examine the different packages. People know these companies have no choice. Americans know that crime is rising, but the true collapse in law enforcement, particularly in large cities, is without precedent.
A Gallup survey last November showed that 92 percent of Republicans and even 58 percent of Democrats believed that crime was rising. In a series of surveys from March 2023 to April 2024, Rasmussen Reports finds a remarkably constant percentage of Americans who believe that violent crime is getting worse – 60 percent to 61 percent. Roughly four times as many people think violent crime is rising rather than getting better.
Read the full storyPhoenix Police Department Releases Police Reports, Other Documentation to Refute DOJ’s Report That Its Officers Violated Rights
The Phoenix Police Department (PPD) released redacted documents this week that show the DOJ left out relevant information to the incidents discussed in a June DOJ report critical of the agency.
Based on the descriptions, PPD was able to discern 120 of the 132 incidents. PPD said it provided roughly 179,000 documents and 22,000 body cam videos to the DOJ during its investigation. The types of incidents covered were the use of force, homelessness, discriminatory policing, protected speech, behavioral health youth, and contributing causes.
Read the full storyMetro Nashville Council Rejects Resolution Condemning Assassination Attempt of Former President Donald Trump
Two members of the Metro Nashville Council blocked a resolution condemning the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump and all political violence from being discussed at Tuesday’s meeting.
Read the full storyTennessee State Representative Celebrates New Law Enhancing Penalties for Assaulting Police Officers
A Tennessee State Representative is celebrating this week as a bill that he sponsored enacting harsher penalties for violence against police officers took effect Monday.
The law, called The Back the Blue Act, which was sponsored by State Representative Kip Capley (R-Summertown) makes assault on a police officer a Class E felony. Previously, it was a Class A misdemeanor.
Read the full storyAnti-Israel Public School Educators in Philadelphia Affirms Desire for School Choice in Pennsylvania
The Canary Mission’s deep dive into the hateful messaging being pushed by educators across the nation and in Pennsylvania comes at a time when lawmakers of the Keystone State are attempting to revive a school voucher program which would award scholarships to low-income students attending underperforming public schools.
Read the full storyTennessee State Rep. Jason Zachary Details Importance of Bill that Tightened Duty to Report Law
Tennessee State Representative Jason Zachary (R-Knoxville) suggested his bill that strengthened the state’s duty to report law may have prevented the Covenant School shooting on March 27, 2023 in Nashville if implemented before the shooting took place.
Over the weekend, The Tennessee Star reported it was provided the name of the psychologist who was reportedly part of the care team for Covenant School killer Audrey Elizabeth Hale.
Read the full storyU.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn Leads Tennessee Colleagues in Demanding Answers from DHS After Illegal Alien Assaults Woman at the Nashville Sundae Club
Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) led a letter signed by eight other members of the Tennessee Congressional delegation to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas demanding answers regarding the immigration status of a 23-year old illegal alien who allegedly followed a woman into a bathroom at the Nashville Sundae Club and groped her
Read the full storyTennessee National Guard, State and Local Agencies Undergo Disaster Response Exercises in Severe Flooding Simulation
Tennessee National Guard troops, local first responders, and personnel of other state entities participated in the Tennessee Maneuvers 2024 training exercises last week in 15 counties across the Volunteer State.
Tennessee Maneuvers is a series of disaster simulation training exercises that test the joint response capabilities of participating personnel. The exercises occurred in Bradley, Coffee, Davidson, Gibson, Hamilton, Hawkins, Knox, Loudon, Madison, Maury, McMinn, Rhea, Rutherford, Sullivan, and Wilson counties.
Read the full storyFBI Report Finds Fewer Officers Killed in Line of Duty, but More Attacked
There were 60 officers killed in the line of duty in 2023, the report said, one less than in 2022. But the total officers killed in the line of duty in the past three years were higher than any other three year period in the past two decades.
An FBI report released Tuesday revealed that fewer law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty last year, but the number of attacks on officers has risen.
Read the full storySchool Panic Alarms May Come to Pennsylvania
Silent panic alarms may become the next line of defense for schools in Pennsylvania.
A bipartisan plan introduced in the Senate on Monday would mandate installing devices in buildings to speed up law enforcement response during an emergency. Five other states have implemented similar legislation, dubbed “Alyssa’s Law.”
Read the full storyState Senator Brent Taylor Says Memphis Will Be ‘Hollowed Out’ If Crime is Not Addressed
State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) warned that Memphis will be ‘hollowed out’ if its crime problem is not addressed.
Taylor, who sponsored several crime-related bills in the recently-adjourned legislative session of the General Assembly, said the response he has received from the community in Memphis for his work to crackdown on crime has been positive.
Read the full storyTennessee Governor Signs Bill Preventing Judges from Using ‘Ability to Pay’ Bail System
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a bill this week that bans judges in the state from using “ability to pay” bail systems.
“Ability to pay” bail systems are bail calculators that determine a defendant’s bail based on the amount of money immediately available to them. The system was recently implemented in Memphis.
Read the full storyKnoxville Police Department Releases Body Cam Footage of Officer Shooting Suspect Armed with Two Knives
The Knoxville Police Department (KPD) released the body cam footage of an officer who shot a man armed with two knives outside the Exxon gas station at 5306 N. Broadway last month.
On April 17, just before 5:30 p.m., Officer Seth Beeler arrived at the Exxon on a report that a man, who has since been identified as William Charles McBride Jr., was “acting erratically and potentially violently inside of the store,” according to KPD.
Read the full storyShooting at Illegal Block Party in Memphis Leaves 2 Dead, 6 Injured
A shooting that unfolded at Orange Mound Park in Memphis Saturday evening has left two dead and six others wounded, according to the Memphis Police Department (MPD).
Read the full storyShelby County District Attorney’s Office Adds Additional Charges to 17-Year-Old Involved in Shootout That Killed Officer Joseph McKinney
Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy announced his office is pursuing new charges against the 17-year old involved in last week’s shootout that killed Memphis Police Officer Joseph McKinney.
Read the full storyOne Memphis Police Officer Killed, Two Others Shot While Responding to Suspicious Vehicle Occupied by Known Criminal
Reactions have poured in after Memphis police officer Joseph McKinney was shot and killed early Friday morning while he and other officers were responding to a suspicious vehicle call.
On Friday approximately 2:00 a.m., officers responded to a suspicious vehicle call at Horn Lake Road and Charter Avenue, according to the Memphis Police Department (MPD).
Read the full storyLeftist Outlet Uses Anniversary of Covenant School Shooting to Claim Tennessee Republicans Have ‘Imprisoned Democracy’
The self-described “world’s leading liberal voice” news outlet The Guardian published an attack-style article denouncing the Republican supermajority in Tennessee politics on Friday, claiming such a political makeup has “imprisoned our democracy.”
Read the full storyJillian Ludwig’s Alleged Killer to Appear in Court for Competency Hearing
Shaquille Taylor, the man accused of shooting and killing Belmont University student Jillian Ludwig last year, is set to appear in court next month for a competency hearing, according to WKRN.
The hearing is scheduled for May 1, according to the outlet.
Read the full storyGovernor Lee Signs Bill Prohibiting Local Government from Restricting Duties of Law Enforcement
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a bill prohibiting local governments from limiting the ability of law enforcement agencies to conduct routine traffic stops on Thursday.
The bill, SB 2572/HB 1931, was sponsored by State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) and State Representative John Gillespie (R-Memphis).
Read the full storyTennessee U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett Warns of the DOJ’s New ‘Unauthorized Attack’ on the Second Amendment
Tennessee U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) said the Department of Justice’s new National Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) Resource Center in an “unauthorized attack” on the Second Amendment.
Read the full storyNolensville Police Lieutenant Stephen Hale First in Department History to Graduate from FBI National Academy
Nolensville Police Lieutenant Stephen Hale recently graduated from the 289th session of the FBI National Academy, marking the first time in Nolensville Police Department history that an officer has completed the program.
Read the full storyNew Ohio Law Enforcement Certifications Established
Law enforcement agencies in Ohio can now be certified in the state’s new standards for professional excellence by meeting nearly three dozen standards established to entrust public confidence, accountability and integrity.
Gov. Mike DeWine recently signed an executive order for the new Law Enforcement Accreditation Program established by the Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board.
Read the full storyNashville Metro Councilman Jeff Eslick Says There’s ‘Room for Improvement’ for Keeping Nashville ‘Safe’ and ‘Clean’ amid Missing College Student Case
Metro Nashville Council Member Jeff Eslick said the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) has “room for improvement” in regards to keeping the streets of Music City “safe” and “clean.”
Eslick made the comments during a recent episode of The Michael Patrick Leahy Show as he and host Michael Patrick Leahy were discussing the disappearance of college student Riley Strain, who has been missing since March 8 after being asked to leave Luke Bryan’s bar in downtown Nashville.
Read the full storyClarksville Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Selling Fentanyl While on Bond for State Murder Charges
A 30-year old man from Clarksville has been sentenced to serve 25 years in federal prison for selling fentanyl while on bond for state murder charges, according to the Middle District of Tennessee U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Read the full storyBill Prohibiting Local Government from Restricting Duties of Law Enforcement Passes General Assembly, Heads to Governor Lee’s Desk
A bill that would prohibit local governments from limiting the ability of a law enforcement agency to conduct routine traffic stops passed the Tennessee Senate on Thursday.
Read the full storyMemphis Police Officer in Stable Condition After Being Shot in Line of Duty
A Memphis Police officer is in stable condition after he was shot in the line of duty early Friday morning, according to the Memphis Police Department (MPD).
“At 4:19 am, officers conducted a traffic stop at 240 southbound near South Parkway. During the stop, an officer notified dispatch he had been shot,” said MPD on X. “The unknown motorist fled the scene. The officer was transported to Regional One critical. This is an ongoing investigation.”
Read the full storyVirginia Democrat-Backed Bill Would Allow Noncitizens to Serve as Law Enforcement
The right to serve as law enforcement shouldn’t belong solely to U.S. citizens, but also to individuals who have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, according to Senate Bill 69.
The legislation passed the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate.
Read the full storyFederal Judge Blocks Texas Law That Would Allow Law Enforcement to Arrest Illegal Migrants
A federal judge blocked a Texas law Thursday that allows local police to arrest migrants who cross into the state illegally.
U.S. District Court Judge David Alan Ezra, a Reagan appointee, said in a 114-page ruling that the law, SB 4, “threatens the fundamental notion that the United States must regulate immigration with one voice.” He issued a preliminary injunction preventing the law from taking effect while the case proceeds, finding Texas was “unlikely to succeed on the merits” and noting the government would “suffer grave irreparable harm” if the law took effect.
Read the full storyWilliamson County Interim Sheriff Mark Elrod Says Narcotics, Fentanyl ‘Biggest Issue’ in County
Mark Elrod, who is currently serving as interim sheriff of Williamson County amid former Sheriff Dusty Rhoades’ retirement, said the biggest issues affecting the county in regards to crime are drugs and fentanyl.
“I would say that probably one of our biggest issues is drugs, narcotics, fentanyl. We’ve had an uptick in that as well as heroin over the last several years. With Williamson County, we’re a transient community where a lot of the drugs and other crimes come in from other areas into Williamson County. It’s not so much your next door neighbor or the people down the street, although there is some of that, but most of it is coming from other places…Davidson County, out of Nashville, out of the city of Columbia. We have four interstates that come through the county, so it could be, you know, really coming from anywhere, everywhere,” Elrod said on Tuesday’s edition of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy.
Read the full storyTrump Could Initiate Mass Deportation Strategy on Day One of Presidency if Elected, Immigration Expert Says
Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, said a number of steps would have to be taken for a “mass deportation” strategy to be implemented on day one of a second Trump presidency.
Read the full storyExpert Warns Metro Nashville Council’s New ‘Immigrant Caucus’ Will Likely Cater to Illegal Aliens, Not Legal Immigrants
Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, explained different ways the Metro Nashville City Council’s new Immigrant Caucus may aid illegal aliens in Music City.
Read the full storyLawmakers Consider Bill to Prevent Arizona Cities from Defunding Local Police Departments
The Arizona House Rules Committee is scheduled to discuss legislation on Monday that would prevent cities from decreasing funding to their local police departments.
Rep. David Marshall, R-Snowflake, is the sponsor of House Bill 2120, and it has already passed the House Military Affairs & Public Safety committee in an 8-7 party-line vote this past Monday.
Read the full storyTennessee State Senator Brent Taylor Sponsors Several Crime-Related Bills in Effort to ‘Make Memphis Matter’
Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) announced he is sponsoring several crime-related bills this legislative session in an effort to fight crime and “Make Memphis Matter.”
In a letter to his colleagues in the Tennessee State Senate, Taylor detailed 13 pieces of legislation he is sponsoring and asked his colleagues to consider sponsoring the bills as well.
Read the full storyState Senator Brent Taylor: ‘If We Don’t Get It Turned Around,’ Memphis will Become the ‘Example of a Failed City’
Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) said Memphis will become the “butt of every joke” and the “example of a failed city” if its bail system and crime crisis are not addressed.
Noting how Detroit was once an example of a “failed city” and a “shell of its former self,” Taylor explained what steps the city has taken to reduce crime and how Memphis should follow its lead.
Read the full storyButler County Sheriff Wants Ohio State Lawmakers to Pass Legislation Focused on Curbing Terrorism Threats
Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones called on state lawmakers to pass legislation focused on curbing terrorism threats posed by illegal immigration and insufficient cybersecurity based on information he learned at last month’s National Sheriff’s Association’s annual winter conference in Washington D.C.
Read the full storyOhio Attorney General Dave Yost Spearheading Effort Urging Congress to Stabilize Funding for the Federal Crime Victims Fund
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost led a bipartisan coalition of 41 other state attorneys general in sending a letter to congressional leaders urging the authorization of bridge funding for the federal Crime Victims Fund, also known as the VOCA Fund.
Created by Congress in 1984, the VOCA Fund provides federal support to state and local programs that assist victims of crime.
Read the full storyTennessee State Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Make Blocking a Highway a Class D Felony Offense
Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) and State Representative Jody Barrett (R-Dickson) recently filed legislation to make blocking a highway a Class D felony.
Under current law, it is classified as a Class A misdemeanor when a defendant “intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly” obstructs a public highway, street, sidewalk, railway, waterway, elevator, aisle, or hallway.
Read the full storyVirginia Legislation to Limit the Use of License Plate Readers Advances
A bill to limit and expand law enforcement’s use of license plate readers passed out of a Virginia House subcommittee, sparking questions during a debate about the age-old dance between government overreach and public safety.
House Bill 775 from Del. Charniele Herring, D-Alexandria, would institute statewide regulations governing the use of the technology and enable law enforcement to use them on highways managed by the Virginia Department of Transportation.
Read the full storyArizona State GOP Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Strengthen Punishment for Child Sex Traffickers
Arizona State Representative Selina Bliss (R-Prescott) and Senator Shawnna LM Bolick (R-San Miguel) have joined forces to introduce legislation that addresses the “urgent need for stronger measures against individuals who engage in child sex trafficking.”
Read the full storyMore Than 100 Law Enforcement Agencies Across Ohio Awarded Grant Funds for Body Cam Programs
A total of 108 law enforcement agencies across Ohio have been awarded grant funds to cover costs associated with body cam programs, according to Governor Mike DeWine’s office.
Read the full storyNation’s Capital Devastated by Crime Spike in 2023
The District of Columbia experienced a 39% increase in violent crime in 2023, according to data published by its Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The District has long experienced issues with crime and property theft, despite having the most police officers per capitaof any jurisdiction in the country, due to the significant presence of federal law enforcement to protect the seat of the government of the United States. In 2023, overall crime increased by 26% over 2022, with 34,414 instances of violent and property crime reported to police, with property crime alone rising by 24%.
Read the full storyFamily of Tyre Nichols to Hold Candlelight Vigils to Commemorate First Anniversary of His Death
The family of Tyre Nichols, who five black Memphis police officers beat following a traffic stop and foot chase last year, will hold two candlelight vigils on Sunday to mark the first anniversary of his death.
Nichols’ family, who is being represented by civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, will hold a vigil in Memphis at the intersection of Castlegate Lane and Ross Road at 7 p.m. CT and in Nichols’ hometown of Sacramento, California, at the Tyre Nichols Skate Park at 5 p.m. PST.
Read the full story10 Metro Nashville Police Officers Reassigned Duties Following Investigation into the Covenant Killer Manifesto Leak
Ten officers with the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) have been reassigned duties following an investigation into the November 6 leak of the manifesto written by Covenant School killer Audrey Elizabeth Hale, according to reports.
Read the full storyOhio’s Concealed Carry Law Resulted in Less Gun Crime Last Year, Study Shows
A study published this week by Center for Justice Research, a partnership between the office of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Bowling Green State University, revealed gun crime decreased in six of Ohio’s eight largest cities following the implementation of the Constitutional Carry law.
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