FBI Agents Association Applauds President Obama for Signing Bill Allowing Federal Law Enforcement to Assist State and Local Criminal Investigations

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--FBIAA President Konrad Motyka issued the following statement on the enactment of H.R. 2076, the Investigative Assistance for Violent Crime Act of 2012. The bill, earlier passed by the Senate and passed in the House by unanimous consent, now has been signed by President Obama. This legislation was championed by Representative Trey Gowdy (R-SC):

“The FBI Agents Association representing over 12,000 active and retired FBI Special Agents, congratulates the House and Senate for approving H.R. 2076, the Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act of 2012. This legislation would minimize unnecessary confusion and delays by codifying the authority of federal law enforcement officers to assist state and local law enforcement officers in the investigation of certain ‘non-federal’ crimes.

FBI Agents have a long history of working closely with state and local law enforcement officials to investigate crimes. However, the FBI must often find indirect grants of authority in order to assist with state and local investigations. This is because of the current ambiguous statutory language granting authority to the FBI and other federal law enforcement officers to provide investigative assistance for certain "non-federal" crimes, such as mass killings.

H.R. 2076 clarifies the statutory language by explicitly granting the FBI the authority to provide investigative assistance, when requested by appropriate state or local law enforcement officials, in cases where those officials are investigating violent acts and shootings in places of public use.”

The FBIAA, a professional association with a membership of 12,000 active and retired agents nationwide, was founded over two decades ago in response to the growing recognition that agents needed to join together in order to protect and advance the interests of agents both within the Bureau, as well as in the public domain. The FBIAA works diligently to promote and facilitate the intelligent, skillful, and efficient discharge of the professional duties of all FBI agents, and to advance and safeguard the careers, economic interests, conditions of employment, and welfare of active and retired FBI agents. Additional information can be found at www.FBIAA.org.