COPS Counseling Act

The COPS Counseling Act (Public Law 117-60) ensures that federal law enforcement officers can speak privately with peer support counselors about the stress and trauma they experience on the job. By making these conversations confidential, the law encourages officers to seek mental health support without fear that their personal disclosures will be shared with their employers or the public, except in cases involving criminal activity or threats of harm. Additionally, the law requires the Department of Justice to establish professional standards and provide training resources to help local and state agencies develop high-quality peer support programs for their own first responders.