Reps. Rodney Davis (R-IL) and Darin LaHood (R-IL) announced they would introduce a House of Representatives measure designed to raise police officer salaries and hire more officers.
The David Dorn Back the Blue Act is named in honor of David Dorn, a retired St. Louis Police captain killed on June 2, 2020, while protecting a friend’s store during rioting in St. Louis.
Features of the bill include authorizing $15 billion through the Department of Justice to help state and local law enforcement departments boost department personnel; providing funding for additional officer hires and officer retention for departments that need more manpower on their police forces; giving pay raises to officers by allowing recipients to use federal funds to raise the salaries of officers up to 110 percent of local median earnings; and excluding cities defunding police by not allowing any department to receive money for pay raises that recently cut officer salaries.
“I’m proud to support the men and women of law enforcement in Congress,” Davis said. “They have a tough job, and we should be doing everything we can to support them. We can start by increasing funding for law enforcement and making sure they have the resources they need to do their jobs and keep our communities safe.”
LaHood said law enforcement officials conduct heroic work daily to protect and serve communities in central and west-central Illinois.
“It’s disappointing that some politicians and mayors have sought to undermine the ability of our law enforcement to protect and serve in recent months,” he said. “I am proud to join Congressman Rodney Davis to introduce the David Dorn Back the Blue Act because I see firsthand the sacrifices the men and women who button up the blue uniform make to keep Illinoisans safe.”