Hawley introduces bill to hire 100,000 new police officers

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., on Wednesday introduced legislation to hire 100,000 new police officers across the U.S. and boost optimism among police and communities.

"It's absolutely vital that we keep American families safe. That is the bottom line, and right now, too many Americans aren't. Why aren't they? Because … violent crime is up by over 30% in cities across the country," Hawley said Wednesday on "America's Newsroom" "Unfortunately, that includes my home state of Missouri. We need more cops. We shouldn't be defunding the police. We should be supporting them." The legislation comes amid reports of low police morale and difficulty hiring and retaining officers as the country continues to face a cultural reckoning more than a year after George Floyd's murder, with federal and local politicians alike working to reallocate funds from police departments and focus on community-centric responses to crime.