[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 212 (Friday, November 1, 2019)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 58595-58597]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-24040]


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                         Presidential Documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 84 , No. 212 / Friday, November 1, 2019 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 58595]]

                Executive Order 13896 of October 28, 2019

                
Commission on Law Enforcement and the 
                Administration of Justice

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, and in order to enhance public safety and 
                support the well-ordered administration of justice, it 
                is hereby ordered as follows:

                Section 1. Purpose. Crime, especially violent crime, 
                denies people their unalienable rights to life, 
                liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Together as a 
                society, we must work to prevent crime from occurring, 
                ensure that those who perpetrate crime face justice, 
                and assist victims in overcoming the effects of crime 
                on their lives. My Administration is focused on 
                reducing crime, and the social and economic problems--
                including family and neighborhood disintegration--that 
                contribute to criminal behavior. In addition, the 
                continued malign activity of transnational criminal 
                organizations, and the widespread abuse of drugs 
                trafficked by such groups, are challenges that confront 
                our communities and law enforcement in their efforts to 
                keep the American people safe.

                Rigorous study of crime, including its causal factors, 
                and current law enforcement practices is essential to 
                assessing our current criminal justice system's merits 
                and opportunities for improvement. Over 85 percent of 
                United States law enforcement personnel are State, 
                local, and tribal officials. The Department of Justice 
                has long respected this traditional balance of law 
                enforcement resources while supporting State, local, 
                and tribal law enforcement efforts with Federal 
                resources. State and local law enforcement benefit from 
                Federal programs and partnerships in the areas of 
                information-sharing, collaborative enforcement 
                operations, training and technical assistance 
                initiatives, and Federal grants. Public safety and 
                proper policing are issues of both national and local 
                significance that continue to require the close 
                cooperation and coordination between the Department of 
                Justice and State, local, and tribal law enforcement. 
                In particular, the Department of Justice has a 
                historically important role in helping to develop, 
                identify, and establish best practices for law 
                enforcement and supporting a range of programs related 
                to the administration of justice. My Administration 
                builds upon that important work every day.

                Sec. 2. Establishment. (a) The Attorney General shall 
                establish a Commission on Law Enforcement and the 
                Administration of Justice (Commission), and designate 
                an individual to chair the Commission.

                    (b) The Attorney General shall determine the 
                composition of and procedures for the functioning of 
                the Commission.
                    (c) Officers or employees of the Federal Government 
                designated to the Commission shall be full-time, or 
                permanent part-time, officers or employees of the 
                Federal Government. Any such designation shall not 
                affect the civil service status or privileges of the 
                Federal officer or employee.
                    (d) The Attorney General may, at his discretion, 
                invite elected officers of State, local, and tribal 
                governments (or their designated employees with 
                authority to act on their behalf) to serve on the 
                Commission in their official capacities.

                Sec. 3. Function. (a) The Commission shall study issues 
                related to law enforcement and the administration of 
                justice and make recommendations

[[Page 58596]]

                to the Attorney General, who shall submit a report and 
                recommendations to the President on actions that can be 
                taken to prevent, reduce, and control crime, increase 
                respect for the law, and assist victims. The Commission 
                shall undertake, as directed by the Attorney General, a 
                review of relevant research and expertise and make 
                recommendations regarding important current issues 
                facing law enforcement and the criminal justice system 
                such as:

(i) challenges to law enforcement associated with mental illness, 
homelessness, substance abuse, and other social factors that influence 
crime and strain criminal justice resources;

(ii) the recruitment, hiring, training, and retention of law enforcement 
officers, including in rural and tribal communities;

(iii) the potential for public and private initiatives, including in 
``qualified opportunity zones'' as defined in section 13823(a) of the Tax 
Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, to reduce crime and improve police-community 
relations;

(iv) refusals by State and local prosecutors to enforce laws or prosecute 
categories of crimes;

(v) the physical safety, health, and wellness of law enforcement officers;

(vi) the need to promote public respect for the law and law enforcement 
officers;

(vii) better integration of education, employment, social services, and 
public health services into efforts to reduce crime and ease the burden on 
law enforcement, courts, and corrections systems;

(viii) the use of targeted deterrence approaches to reduce violent crime;

(ix) new and developing methodologies, technologies, and best practices for 
combatting criminal activity, delinquency, and public disorder;

(x) the effects of technological innovations on law enforcement and the 
criminal justice system, including the challenges and opportunities 
presented by such innovations;

(xi) the effectiveness of contemporary law enforcement training methods 
around critical topics, the direction of next generation training methods, 
and an understanding of critical training needs;

(xii) the effectiveness of Federal grant programs in establishing best 
practices for law enforcement and supporting the administration of justice 
in State, local, and tribal jurisdictions; and

(xiii) other topics related to law enforcement and the control of crime as 
the Attorney General deems appropriate.

                    (b) In carrying out its functions under subsection 
                (a) of this section, the Commission may host listening 
                sessions and otherwise solicit input from a diverse 
                array of stakeholders in the area of criminal justice, 
                including State, local, and tribal law enforcement 
                agencies and organizations; government service 
                providers; businesses; nonprofit entities; public 
                health experts; victims rights' organizations; other 
                advocacy and interest groups; reentry experts; 
                academia; and other public and private entities and 
                individuals with relevant experience or expertise.
                    (c) In developing its recommendations under 
                subsection (a) of this section, the Commission shall 
                seek to recommend only practical and concrete actions 
                that can be taken by Federal, State, local, and tribal 
                law enforcement and other government entities to 
                improve the administration of justice.
                    (d) Upon the request of the Chair, the heads of 
                executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall, to 
                the extent permitted by law, provide the Commission 
                with reasonable access to the information it needs for 
                purposes of carrying out its functions.
                    (e) Upon the request of the Attorney General, the 
                heads of agencies may detail personnel to the 
                Commission to assist in carrying out its functions,

[[Page 58597]]

                and shall endeavor to provide such personnel and other 
                assistance to the Commission to the extent practicable, 
                consistent with applicable law and within existing 
                appropriations, through appropriate interagency 
                agreements, including agreements under the Economy Act. 
                Consistent with applicable law and within existing 
                appropriations, the Attorney General shall use the 
                resources and personnel of the Department of Justice in 
                support of the Commission and its activities.

                Sec. 4. Reports. The Commission shall submit a report 
                and recommendations to the Attorney General no later 
                than 1 year from the date of this order. The Attorney 
                General, following consultation with the Director of 
                the Office of Management and Budget, shall submit a 
                report and recommendations to the President no later 
                than 60 days thereafter.

                Sec. 5. Termination. The Commission shall terminate no 
                later than 90 days after submitting its report and 
                recommendations to the Attorney General, unless 
                extended by the President.

                Sec. 6. 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.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    October 28, 2019.

[FR Doc. 2019-24040
Filed 10-31-19; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F0-P