Strengthening and Unleashing America's Law Enforcement To Pursue Criminals and Protect Innocent Citizens

Executive Order 14288 of April 28, 2025

Strengthening and Unleashing America's Law
Enforcement To Pursue Criminals and Protect Innocent
Citizens

By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Purpose and Policy. Safe communities rely on
the backbone and heroism of a tough and well-equipped
police force. My Administration is steadfastly
committed to empowering State and local law enforcement
to firmly police dangerous criminal behavior and
protect innocent citizens.

When local leaders demonize law enforcement and impose
legal and political handcuffs that make aggressively
enforcing the law impossible, crime thrives and
innocent citizens and small business owners suffer. My
Administration will therefore: establish best practices
at the State and local level for cities to unleash
high-impact local police forces; protect and defend law
enforcement officers wrongly accused and abused by
State or local officials; and surge resources to
officers in need. My Administration will work to ensure
that law enforcement officers across America focus on
ending crime, not pursuing harmful, illegal race- and
sex-based ``equity'' policies.

The result will be a law-abiding society in which
tenacious law enforcement officers protect the
innocent, violations of law are not tolerated, and
American communities are safely enjoyed by all their
citizens again.

Sec. 2. Legal Defense of Law Enforcement Officers. The
Attorney General shall take all appropriate action to
create a mechanism to provide legal resources and
indemnification to law enforcement officers who
unjustly incur expenses and liabilities for actions
taken during the performance of their official duties
to enforce the law. This mechanism shall include the
use of private-sector pro bono assistance for such law
enforcement officers.

Sec. 3. Empowering State and Local Law Enforcement. (a)
The Attorney General and other appropriate heads of
executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall
take all appropriate action to maximize the use of
Federal resources to:

(i) provide new best practices to State and local law enforcement to
aggressively police communities against all crimes;

(ii) expand access and improve the quality of training available to State
and local law enforcement;

(iii) increase pay and benefits for law enforcement officers;

(iv) strengthen and expand legal protections for law enforcement officers;

(v) seek enhanced sentences for crimes against law enforcement officers;

(vi) promote investment in the security and capacity of prisons; and

(vii) increase the investment in and collection, distribution, and
uniformity of crime data across jurisdictions.

(b) Within 60 days of the date of this order, the
Attorney General shall review all ongoing Federal
consent decrees, out-of-court agreements, and post-
judgment orders to which a State or local law
enforcement agency is a party and modify, rescind, or
move to conclude such measures that unduly impede the
performance of law enforcement functions.

Sec. 4. Using National Security Assets for Law and
Order. (a) Within 90 days of the date of this order,
the Attorney General and the Secretary

of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of
Homeland Security and the heads of agencies as
appropriate, shall increase the provision of excess
military and national security assets in local
jurisdictions to assist State and local law
enforcement.

(b) Within 90 days of the date of this order, the
Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Attorney
General, shall determine how military and national
security assets, training, non-lethal capabilities, and
personnel can most effectively be utilized to prevent
crime.

Sec. 5. Holding State and Local Officials Accountable.
The Attorney General shall pursue all necessary legal
remedies and enforcement measures to enforce the rights
of Americans impacted by crime and shall prioritize
prosecution of any applicable violations of Federal
criminal law with respect to State and local
jurisdictions whose officials:

(a) willfully and unlawfully direct the obstruction
of criminal law, including by directly and unlawfully
prohibiting law enforcement officers from carrying out
duties necessary for public safety and law enforcement;
or
(b) unlawfully engage in discrimination or civil-
rights violations under the guise of ``diversity,
equity, and inclusion'' initiatives that restrict law
enforcement activity or endanger citizens.

Sec. 6. Use of Homeland Security Task Forces. The
Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security
shall utilize the Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTFs)
formed in accordance with Executive Order 14159 of
January 20, 2025 (Protecting the American People
Against Invasion) to coordinate and advance the
objectives of this order.

Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order
shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or
the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with
applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not,
create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by any party against
the United States, its departments, agencies, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.

(d) The Department of Justice shall provide funding
for this order's publication in the Federal Register.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

April 28, 2025.