On April 28, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order titled, “Strengthening and Unleashing America’s Law Enforcement to Pursue Criminals and Protect Innocent Citizens.” This Executive Order (EO) (1) directs federal resources to promote aggressive policing tactics and further militarize local law enforcement agencies, (2) provides greater protections for law enforcement officers accused of misconduct, and (3) wields threats of possible federal prosecutions for certain activities, including certain “diversity, equity, and inclusion” initiatives.
This EO directs the Attorney General, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Homeland Security and/or heads of other relevant agencies to:
Some law enforcement leaders may disagree with the ideologies promoted in the EO and will not implement any “new best practices” urged by this administration. However, regardless of ideology, the administration can influence state and local law enforcement agencies through the provision of trainings, technical assistance, and grant funding.
Some grant programs, however, are discretionary so that federal agencies like the Department of Justice can develop parameters pursuant to the President’s policy agenda for funding disbursements.
Some state and local enforcement agencies entered into agreements with DOJ to remedy patterns or practices of constitutional violations or other violations of federal law that are enforced by federal courts, such as consent decrees, or are subject to post-judgement orders following litigation. While DOJ can request to amend or terminate consent decrees, the presiding judge is the ultimate decision-maker. However, out-of-court agreements that are not subject to court oversight do not require court approval before amendment or termination.
The administration has repeatedly spread false claims that diversity, equity, and inclusion activities are discriminatory even though such activities are meant to facilitate and ensure compliance with civil rights and antidiscrimination laws. Courts have overwhelmingly found that diversity, equity, and inclusion programs—if conducted properly—are lawful.
The EO urges law enforcement to use aggressive tactics for “all” crimes, thus encouraging ineffective Broken Windows strategies that target minor offenses and lead to disproportionate arrests of Black and Brown people.1Ngozi C. Kamalu and Emmanuel C. Onyeozili, “A Critical Analysis of the ‘Broken Windows’ Policing in New York City and Its Impact: Implications for the Criminal Justice System and the African American Community,” African Journal of Criminology and Justice Studies: Vol. 11: Iss. 1, Article 6.(2018) https://digitalscholarship.tsu.edu/ajcjs/vol11/iss1/6 The EO utilizes the same types of harmful narratives that were used to justify the “War on Crime”2Elizabeth Hinton, From “War on Crime” to War on the Black Community, Boston Review (June 21. 2016)https://www.bostonreview.net/articles/elizabeth-hinton-kerner-commission-crime-commission/. and subsequent “War on Drugs,” which fueled the mass incarceration of Black people and other communities of color.
Since congressional authorization in 1990, local law enforcement agencies have had access to excess military equipment through the Department of Defense’s 1033 program, often with little to no oversight. Recent administrations have attempted to impose greater restrictions and implement minimum oversight standards in the provision of military equipment. The EO, however, may reverse this trend and cause previously restricted military equipment to be distributed to local law enforcement without oversight.3In 2017 the Government Accountability Office was able to attain 1033 program equipment that was prohibited from transfer to law enforcement, demonstrating the lack of oversight. See, GAO “DoD Excess Property: Enhanced Controls Needed for Access to Excess Controlled Property” (Jul. 18, 2017) https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-17-532. These types of military equipment are often used by local law enforcement for crowd control tactics during protests and the execution of warrants.
The EO makes clear that the Department of Justice will not be a partner in holding law enforcement officers and agencies accountable for unlawful acts that harm individuals and entire communities. It may also be unwilling to criminally prosecute officers that intentionally violate people’s rights under 18 U.S.C. S. 242.
Prior federal actions to constrain unlawful law enforcement activity have established best practices that other agencies, even those not under investigation, embraced and implemented proactively. Conversely, this EO sends a signal that this administration will protect officers and agencies that engage in aggressive law enforcement practices, thus emboldening law enforcement actors to push the bounds of their authority to do so.
This database provides publicly available data of federal grants and military equipment transfers to more than 250 local law enforcement and, where available, information about police misconduct complaints filed by individuals, consent decrees, and settlement amounts.
LDF’s Framework for Public Safety offers a starting point for a new paradigm of public safety that centers the dignity and humanity of individuals and communities while creating conditions to reduce crime on a sustained basis and avoid the harms associated with the current system of law enforcement.
This report details how Project 2025’s radical proposals to restructure the federal government and increase the president’s authority will severely harm Black communities across the country.
