Bipartisan Bill to help police close unsolved crimes

Last month, Louisiana Senator John Kennedy, a Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey, a Democratic, in introducing the Violent Incident Clearance and Technological Investigative Methods (VICTIM) Act, designed to establish a bipartisan grant program at the Department of Justice (DOJ) to help state, tribal and local law enforcement agencies solve more crimes and improve clearance rates for homicides and other violent crimes.

Congress introduced a similar bill two years ago. The House passed that bill, HR 5768, on September 22, 2022, but the bill died on the Senate floor with 33 Democrats supporting the bill with four Republicans.

Although politicians did not enact the bill, its provisions could still become law, reintroduced in this new bill by Kennedy. It is common for legislative text to be introduced concurrently in multiple bills (called companion bills), reintroduced in subsequent sessions of Congress in new bills, or added to larger bills (sometimes called omnibus bills).

This matter is too necessary and long overdue. Our politicians need to stop playing political games with people’s lives and make this happen. As another John Kennedy once said, “Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer.”

As a rule, I stay out of politics, but in this case, I’m happy Louisiana’s John Kennedy agrees with me.

“As crime rises in the United States, many cases go unsolved,” he told reporters last month. “This is true for Louisiana’s small towns and large cities alike, where local law enforcement has to do more with less. The VICTIM Act will provide law enforcement with key financial and technical support to help bring violent criminals to justice and give victims closure,” Kennedy said.

“Far too many murders in our country go unsolved, leaving families and communities shattered and without answers. This lack of justice is unacceptable, and we can and must do more. I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation that will provide law enforcement agencies with the appropriate training and resources to deliver justice to more grieving families, promote community safety, and assist victims in healing after an unimaginable tragedy,” Booker added.

Senators Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, and Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, cosponsored the current legislation. Representative Don Bacon, a Republican from Nebraska, joined Dwight Evans, a Pennsylvania Democrat, in introducing companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

“We must address violent crime with a holistic approach. This bipartisan bill will help ensure our law enforcement agencies have the resources needed to keep our communities safe while also supporting victims and families who are rebuilding their lives in the aftermath of violent crime,” Durbin said.

“Far too many homicide cases go unsolved, leaving families of victims without answers or justice. I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to provide the necessary resources to state and local law enforcement agencies to reduce the number of unsolved homicide cases and make our communities safer,” Tillis confirmed. 

I’m happy to say the Louisiana Association of Chiefs of Police, Fraternal Order of Police, Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA), Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA), Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies (ASCIA), the Niskanen Center and Arnold Ventures have joined me in supporting this bill.

“Homicide cases can be challenging to clear—and violent firearms-related cases can be even more so. Closing these types of crimes requires diligence, human resources, and a sustained investigative effort. Given the limited resources of law enforcement agencies, it’s important to provide the significant, dedicated resources that clearing these crimes requires, especially given their often heinous nature. The resources the VICTIM Act would provide would improve the ability of law enforcement agencies to punish the perpetrators of these crimes, provide justice for the victims and their families, and grant peace of mind to communities and the dedicated law enforcement officers who serve them. When we can clear more crimes like these, our communities are safer places to live and work,” said Patrick Yoes, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police.

“A high clearance rate is something every law enforcement agency strives to achieve. Recognizing the challenges our profession faces, such as understaffing and technological advancements, the Major Cities Chiefs Association was proud to work collaboratively with Senators Booker and Kennedy to produce a bipartisan bill that will assist local law enforcement agencies in augmenting, implementing and administering programs and technologies to increase clearance rates for homicides and firearm-related violent crimes,” said Chief Eddie Garcia, MCCA President.

“The Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA) is proud to support the VICTIM Act and thanks Senators Booker and Kennedy for their leadership on this important legislation, providing law enforcement agencies with the necessary tools and resources to investigate and solve violent crimes. The new resources this legislation would provide will assist agencies nationwide with hiring and training investigative personnel while acquiring necessary investigative technology and forensic equipment to keep our communities safe. We stand ready to support all efforts to advance this important bill,” said Megan Noland, MCSA Executive Director.

“Building capacity across state and local law enforcement agencies to investigate violent crime is an important priority. The Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies (ASCIA) appreciates Senators Kennedy and Booker for introducing the VICTIM Act, which would provide new resources to help agencies strengthen their abilities to efficiently, fairly, and accurately analyze forensic evidence, investigate, and solve violent crimes,” said Drew Evans, ASCIA President.

“There is no more urgent issue than bringing violent criminals to justice and solving homicides. We’re grateful for Senator Kennedy’s leadership in sponsoring this important legislation,” said Greg Newburn, director of Criminal Justice at the Niskanen Center.

Passing the VICTIM Act will help local law enforcement:

• Train detectives and police personnel to investigate, solve, and respond to homicides and non-fatal shootings.
• Hire additional detectives and investigative personnel.
• Invest in technology needed for solving crimes.
• Train police personnel to address the needs of victims and family members of homicides and other violent crimes.
• Provide victims and family members with mental health resources and assistance with shelter, wage, and relocation costs.

The bill would require those who receive VICTIM Act grants to report their use of the money to the DOJ. DOJ would collect and provide that information to Congress.

Reach out to your congress men and women and your senators.

Please don’t let them drop the ball this time.