Statement About Assaults on Police Officers and Directive to the Attorney General

I AM deeply concerned with the growing problem of assaults on police officers. We have seen shooting of officers as they sat in their patrol cars. We have seen bombs planted and booby traps set for investigating officers. We have seen unarmed police officers shot at their desks in police stations.

I have discussed this problem with Attorney General Mitchell, Director Hoover, and Chief Wilson of the District of Columbia Police Department. I have also discussed it with many individual police officers including the wounded officers whom I recently visited in Kansas City. I have also obtained the views of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, which recently passed resolutions unanimously calling for Federal help.

The Attorney General had a lengthy meeting on Friday with the chief law enforcement officers of 13 State and local bodies representative of law enforcement throughout the Nation. The purpose of the meeting was to examine what can be done at the Federal level to deter attacks on policemen.

On the basis of my own study and consultations, and on the basis of the recommendations I have received from Friday's meeting, I have concluded that the availability of Federal assistance will have a deterring effect and will tend to reduce the number of assaults on police officers. Therefore, I am today directing the Attorney General to take immediate action to make all appropriate investigative resources of the Department of Justice available to work jointly with State or local police when requested in any case involving an assault upon a police officer.

PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE

The increasing number of assaults on law enforcement officers is a matter of deep public concern. Members of a local police force, who daily risk their lives to protect the citizens of their community, are entitled to all the protection that can reasonably be provided.

I therefore direct you to make available all appropriate investigative resources of the Department of Justice to work jointly with State or local police when requested in any case involving an assault upon a police officer.