On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Huntsville) addressed the rapidly growing number of threats facing members of federal law enforcement and their families during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Capitol Hill.
"Our brave law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to uphold our laws and protect Americans," Strong said. "They deserve every tool and protection necessary to carry out their mission safely and effectively without fear of being targeted simply for doing their job. ... DHS has reported an 8,000% increase in threats, doxing and direct attacks against federal law enforcement."
The lawmaker noted the role technology has played in the increasing level of danger.
"I will say another area I'm concerned about is the way technology is now weaponizing against law enforcement, not just against officers themselves, but also against our families," Strong stated. "We're seeing unauthorized tracking tools and online platforms that publicize officers' location in real time. On top of that, we've seen officers' home addresses, their children's school locations, and even family photos posted online in coordination with doxxing campaigns."
Strong stressed that law enforcement members shouldn't have to worry about safety "simply for doing their job."
"Our brave law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to uphold our laws and protect Americans. They deserve every tool and protection necessary to carry out their mission safely and effectively without fear of being targeted," Strong added.
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