FLEOA wraps up National Police Week with advocacy push

By AI, Created 11:01 PM UTC, May 27, 2026, /AGP/ – The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association marked National Police Week 2026 in Washington by honoring fallen officers and survivors while pressing lawmakers and administration officials on pay, retirement and workplace protections. The week also brought Senate movement on several pro-law-enforcement measures backed by FLEOA.

Why it matters: - National Police Week gave FLEOA a high-visibility platform to memorialize fallen officers and push federal policy changes affecting pay, retirement, benefits and due process. - The week also showed continued bipartisan interest in law enforcement issues, with several measures advancing in Congress.

What happened: - FLEOA concluded National Police Week 2026 in Washington, D.C., with its Board of Directors and members joining thousands of law enforcement officers from across the country. - The organization took part in major events, including the National Peace Officers Memorial Service, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Candlelight Vigil, the C.O.P.S. Blue Honor Gala and President Donald Trump’s Rose Garden dinner honoring law enforcement. - FLEOA members also attended memorial services hosted by the FBI, ATF, DEA and U.S. Marshals Service. - FLEOA used the week to meet with officials at the White House, Department of Justice, Office of Personnel Management and other executive branch agencies, along with congressional leaders and staff. - Mathew Silverman represented FLEOA at a House Homeland Security Committee roundtable on cooperation among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. - Madeline Gorra took part in a separate law enforcement policy roundtable hosted by House Majority Whip Tom Emmer.

The details: - FLEOA said the meetings focused on officer safety, recruitment and retention challenges, retirement modernization and federal pay reform. - Silverman said Police Week is about honoring fallen officers while ensuring today’s federal law enforcement officers have the support, protections and resources needed to serve safely. - FLEOA said a top priority is addressing the federal law enforcement pay cap, which limits compensation for overtime hours worked. - The group also backed the Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act, which would extend enhanced retirement coverage to currently excluded federal law enforcement personnel. - FLEOA continued support for the LEO Fair Retirement Act, which would allow uncompensated overtime earnings to count in retirement annuity calculations. - The organization urged Senate action on the LEOSA Reform Act and the Federal LEO Service Weapon Purchase Act, both of which passed the House with bipartisan support during Police Week 2025. - FLEOA highlighted bipartisan efforts toward a federal Officer Bill of Rights aimed at addressing lengthy internal affairs investigations and due process concerns. - The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved several pro-law-enforcement measures backed by FLEOA, including bills expanding Public Safety Officers’ Benefits coverage, increasing penalties for contraband cell phones in correctional facilities, improving mental health support for officers with PTSD and strengthening cooperation with Tribal law enforcement agencies.

Between the lines: - FLEOA is using memorial events as a policy window, pairing tribute work with direct lobbying on compensation and workplace rules. - The committee action suggests some of FLEOA’s priorities are getting traction on a bipartisan basis, even as larger disputes over federal pay and retirement remain unresolved.

What’s next: - FLEOA will keep pressing Congress and the executive branch for action on pay cap relief, retirement changes, service-weapon purchase rules and due process protections. - Further movement on the Senate-backed measures and the House-passed bills could determine how much of FLEOA’s agenda advances this session. - FLEOA says it will continue advocating for its more than 34,000 registered members across more than 65 agencies.

The bottom line: - National Police Week served as both a remembrance event and a lobbying campaign for FLEOA’s federal law enforcement agenda.