For Immediate Release
Friday, May 12, 2017
Contact: David Jacobs
212-965-2255 / [email protected]
NAACP Legal Defense Fund Urges Missouri General Assembly to Oppose Proposed Enhanced
Penalties for Crimes Against Law Enforcement
The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) sent a letter today to Members of
the Missouri General Assembly urging legislators to oppose late additions to S.B. 34 and H.B. 304,
which would increase the sentencing penalties for certain crimes committed against law
enforcement officers. While LDF supports efforts to advance responsible policing practices that
ensure the safety and wellness of both law enforcement and the communities they serve, these
provisions do nothing to achieve this goal. LDF Policy Director Todd A. Cox issued the following
statement in response:
“The last-minute addition of penalty enhancements for crimes targeting law enforcement is an
overt display of political posturing and appears to be a backlash against Missourians working
towards better law enforcement training and accountability in the wake of Michael Brown’s tragic
death. This proposal fails to advance officer or public safety. Instead, it lends credibility to the
harmful and unsubstantiated claims of a ‘war on police,’ and will exacerbate the divisions between
law enforcement and the communities they serve. We urge lawmakers to reject this regressive
measure, and enact legislation that will actually further constitutional policing in Missouri.”
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Founded in 1940, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the nation’s first civil and
human rights law organization and has been completely separate from the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and
shares its commitment to equal rights. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and
collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape
the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund or LDF.