Cortez Masto’s COPS Act shows merits of working across the aisle
Because of the leadership of Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-nev., the nation now has a law to strengthen the mental health safety net for law enforcement officers. The new law was modeled after pioneering efforts in Nevada.
President Joe Biden’s signing of the COPS Counseling Act last week was worth applauding both for the bill’s merits and as an example of responsible, bipartisan governance at work.
The legislation expands the peer support and counseling programs that law enforcement agencies must provide to officers, and establishes privacy protections for officers who seek those services. (The COPS acronym stands for Confidentiality Opportunities for Peer Support.)
The legislation is designed to encourage more individuals to seek counseling after traumatic experiences, both by expanding the offerings of services and by shielding individuals from exposure and potential abuse from unenlightened peers or members of the public.
In addition to the COPS Act, which Cortez Masto co-sponsored with Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-iowa, Biden also signed companion bills applying to first responders and federal officers and employees.
This is meaningful legislation that will make a difference in the lives of the frontline protectors of our communities.
Law enforcement authorities and first responders endure trauma on an all-too-regular basis, but don’t always have adequate services to turn to for help. They also combat a culture of self-sufficiency and mental toughness that can discourage them from getting assistance.
Former Metro Undersheriff Kevin Mcmahill spoke to this point movingly during a recent interview with the Sun, recalling how, after his 2020 retirement from the department, he realized that he had experienced years of collected psychological trauma.
“How many homicides did I (respond to) in my career where I saw a body mangled, and just atrocious things done to it?” he asked rhetorically. “And you know what I did right afterwards? I went to the next call. And nobody ever talked about this early on in my career.”
Then came the Oct. 1 shooting, with its battlefield-like scenes of horror and the mental stress that untold numbers of officers, first responders, dispatchers and others faced while dealing with the shooting while it was happening and handling the horrific aftermath.
Mcmahill, who is running for sheriff, said one of his goals was to expand mental health services for Metro personnel and improve access to them.
“We have to stand up against that sort of silence about what occurs within policing, that you’re not just a tough guy or a tough girl, and you can deal with this,” he said.
The COPS Act, modeled after legislation approved by the Nevada Legislature, is a step in this direction, and we applaud Cortez Masto for bringing it to Washington.
“I wrote this bill to make a difference for law enforcement in Nevada and across the country, and was proud to stand with President Biden as he signed it into law,” she said in a statement.
Beyond being introduced by a bipartisan team, the legislation was approved in Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support.
Its passage was refreshing to see — a reminder that our elected leaders can fashion good policy and still work across the aisle to get things done. That happens all too rarely, unfortunately, due to a Republican Party that refuses to govern on key issues that affect the lives of Americans at a basic level. As one of numerous examples, witness Nevada Rep. Mark Amodei’s recent no vote on the infrastructure bill: Here was a Silver State Republican rejecting $4 billion-plus in funding to repair and modernize our roads, protect our water supply, provide internet access to underserved areas, combat climate change and much more while creating jobs.
But the COPS Act stands out as an example of what can happen when leaders focus on the needs of Americans as opposed to their own party’s dogma.
It’s a proud moment for Nevada, given that the legislation was born here. Contrary to the famous advertising slogan for Las Vegas, this is an instance where something that happened in Nevada definitely should have spread elsewhere.