When Badges Become Targets—And The American Public Says Enough Is Enough

By Jonathan F. Thompson, Executive Director and CEO, National Sheriffs’ Association

Across the United States, sheriffs are witnessing a dangerous and deeply personal reality: violence against law enforcement officers is rising, and the consequences are measured not just in statistics, but in shattered families, traumatized communities, and lives forever changed.

In my recent testimony before the House Committee on Homeland Security—“When Badges Become Targets: How Anti-Law Enforcement Rhetoric Fuels Violence Against Officers”—I warned that today’s climate of hostility has real-world consequences. Assaults on police officers are at record highs. Ambush attacks are increasing. Deputies and their families are being targeted through doxing, swatting, and online harassment that turns private homes into crime scenes. This is not abstract policy debate—it is a public-safety emergency.

Words Have Consequences—and Communities Pay the Price

Language matters. When public officials, commentators, or online influencers dehumanize law enforcement, they legitimize violence. That rhetoric emboldens offenders, weakens accountability, and signals that attacking an officer carries little consequence.

In 2023 alone, more than 79,000 officers were assaulted, with hundreds shot. Each number represents a deputy who kissed their family goodbye and did not know if they would return home. Each attack reduces proactive policing, delays emergency response, and leaves communities—especially vulnerable neighborhoods—less protected.

The Public Understands the Stakes—and Supports Federal Action

Americans see what is happening and are demanding accountability. New national polling conducted by the National Sheriffs’ Association and TIPP shows that 54% of Americans support classifying assaults on law enforcement officers as federal crimes, ensuring uniform penalties nationwide. Support spans party lines, including 71% of Republicans, 46% of Democrats, and 46% of Independents.

This matters. Justice should not depend on geography. A deputy assaulted in rural America deserves the same protection as an officer attacked in a major city. Federal penalties for assaults on police officers would send a clear message: violence against law enforcement is unacceptable—anywhere, anytime.

Crime Is Personal—and Americans Are Feeling It

The same polling reveals that one in five Americans has been personally affected by crime in the past year, with the highest concern concentrated in urban communities. When law enforcement officers are attacked, everyone pays the price—longer response times, fewer patrols, and diminished public trust. Protecting officers is inseparable from protecting the public.

Polling Confirms Public Support for Effective Immigration Enforcement

Americans also recognize the importance of effective immigration enforcement as a public-safety tool. According to the survey, 58% of Americans say current immigration enforcement efforts are at least partly effective, including 85% of Republicans, 50% of Independents, and 39% of Democrats.

Sheriffs support firm, lawful immigration policies because we see the results firsthand. Enforcement deters repeat offenders, disrupts transnational criminal networks, and helps keep dangerous individuals out of our communities. This is not about ideology—it is about community safety, victim protection, and rule of law.

Americans Support Immigration Detentions That Protect Public Safety

The polling further shows that 53% of Americans believe immigration detentions are consistent with the President’s stated campaign promises, including 73% of Republicans and strong pluralities of Independents. Sheriffs support immigration enforcement that prioritizes public safety, removes repeat offenders, and restores order to a system that has too often failed both migrants and American communities.

Urban Crime—and Strong Law Enforcement Makes Every Community Safer

This polling underscores a hard truth many families already live with: crime concerns are highest in urban communities, where nearly one in three residents now rate crime as “high.” These are the same communities most harmed by the failed push to defund the police—a policy experiment that weakened public safety, demoralized officers, and left neighborhoods more vulnerable. Sheriffs know that safer cities strengthen suburbs and rural America alike. Public safety is not a zero-sum game: investing in law enforcement, accountability, and community policing makes every part of our country stronger, safer, and more resilient.

A Call to Congress—and to Leaders Nationwide

The American people are ahead of the politics. They want law enforcement officers protected, laws enforced consistently, and communities kept safe. Congress must act now to:

• Establish federal penalties for assaults on law enforcement
• Pass comprehensive anti-doxing and anti-swatting protections
• Invest in modern tools to counter digital threats and violent extremism targeting officers

When rhetoric fuels violence, leadership must be firm, responsible, and united. The men and women who serve as sheriffs and deputies across this nation ask for one thing: the respect, accountability, and support necessary to do their jobs safely.

Protect those who protect us—all of us.

🧠 TIPP Investing Weekly

Week Ending: December 12, 2025

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