Wyckoff, NJ — Earlier today, standing alongside law enforcement officers, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer received the endorsements of the New Jersey State Troopers Fraternal Association (STFA) and National Troopers Coalition (NTC). Gottheimer was joined in Wyckoff by Wayne Blanchard, STFA President, and Thomas Mungeer, Chairman of the NTC and President of the New York State Troopers PBA.
Blanchard and Mungeer praised Gottheimer’s record of commonsense, bipartisan leadership and steadfast support of law enforcement and first responders throughout his tenure in Congress. Blanchard and Mungeer also recognized and discussed their support for Gottheimer’s bipartisan Invest to Protect Act, legislation focused on funding law enforcement to help protect officers and our communities. STFA represents more than 1,800 State Troopers in New Jersey and NTC represents 42,000 state troopers nationwide.
“The brave men and women of law enforcement selflessly put their lives on the line every day to protect our families and take on the toughest, most urgent challenges facing our communities,” said Gottheimer. “Every day, our law enforcement and first responders have our backs. I’m fully committed to always having theirs, including funding — not defunding — the training, tools, and support they need to fight crime and terror, and protect themselves and our communities. I’m deeply honored to have the support of the National Troopers Coalition and New Jersey State Troopers. I’m proud to be fighting in Congress to look after those who make daily sacrifices to keep us safe and make North Jersey an even better place to live.”
“Since his first day in office, Congressman Josh Gottheimer has been a tireless, bipartisan advocate for law enforcement and our families, an important partner who the 1,800 men and women of the State Troopers Association can always count on to fight for us,” said Wayne Blanchard, STFA President. “Whether it’s his bipartisan Invest to Protect Act, COPS grants, funding for bulletproof vests, or supporting the Thin Blue Line Act, Congressman Gottheimer’s leadership has been invaluable to our members, our families and the work we do to protect Jersey communities. The State Troopers Fraternal Association is proud to endorse and support Josh Gottheimer for re-election because we need his commonsense, bipartisan, pro-cop leadership in Congress.”
In Congress, Gottheimer serves as a member of the bipartisan Congressional Law Enforcement Caucus. Among other action, he has fought to claw millions of federal dollars back to the District in the form of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grants, Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO) 1033 grants, Byrne Justice Assistance Grants (JAG), and other resources to support our communities and local police law enforcement and first responders.
Earlier this year, Gottheimer introduced the bipartisan Invest to Protect Act, to make critical, targeted investments in local police departments and ensure officers in smaller communities in New Jersey and across the country have the resources, equipment, training, and support they need to keep themselves and their communities safe. It recently passed unanimously out of the Senate Judiciary Committee, with its lead sponsors Senators Grassley and Cortez-Mastro, along with Senators Cassidy and Warnock. In the House, the Invest to Protect Act currently has 76 co-sponsors, including 23 Republicans and 53 Democrats.
Gottheimer also cosponsored bipartisan legislation that passed Congress and was signed into law to reauthorize the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program. He cosponsored the Public Safety Officer Pandemic Response Act of 2020 to support first responders impacted by COVID-19, voted for the thin Blue Line Act, and fought to pass the bipartisan Never Forget the Heroes Act, which provides long-overdue support for 9/11 survivors and first responders.
In the Fifth District, State Troopers serve as the main police force for 21 local towns, more than a quarter of the District.
