S.Amdt. 3174

Ms. Klobuchar submitted SA 3174, known as the Retired Law Enforcement Officers Continuing Service Act. This amendment aims to add a new part to Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to create a grant program for hiring retired law enforcement personnel.

The purpose of the amendment is to allow the Attorney General to provide grants to eligible entities—which include State, local, Tribal, or territorial law enforcement agencies—to hire retired personnel for the following:

• Training civilian employees on civilian law enforcement tasks.
• Performing civilian law enforcement tasks.

The amendment defines civilian law enforcement tasks as activities such as assisting in homicide, carjacking, and financial crimes investigations, reviewing camera footage, forensics and crime scene analysis, providing expertise in IT and the internet, and assisting with reporting requirements. These tasks specifically do not include the use of force or the ability to make arrests.

To ensure accountability, the amendment adds the following requirements:

• Vetting: Eligible entities must make a good faith effort to check the disciplinary or internal investigation records of retired officers via the National Decertification Index or by requesting personnel records.
• Audits: The Inspector General of the Department of Justice will conduct audits to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse. Grantees with an unresolved audit finding will be excluded from receiving funds for two fiscal years.
• Reporting: The Attorney General must provide an annual certification regarding audits and exclusions and must report any duplicative grants awarded to the same applicant for similar purposes.