We ask that President Obama and Congress consider amending H.R. 218, also known as the "Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act", to include certified police officers working for private institutions. There are many private police officers that are certified in their respective states through the required training and take the same risks as municipal officers take every day. The only difference is that these officers work for "private" institutions, such as private universities. These officers have statutory arrest powers.
These officers must maintain second employment at a municipal agency in order to qualify under H.R. 218. Recently, it was amended to allow Amtrak police and Federal Reserve police the same recognition as municipal officers, but other "private" police were left out.