Fattah: Rename police safety program for slain Philly officer

WASHINGTON – A federal program that tries to help police survive violent confrontations would be renamed for slain Philadelphia officer Robert Wilson III under a bill that passed the House Wednesday.

The Department of Justice's VALOR initiative would be renamed for Wilson, who was shot and killed March 5 when two men tried to rob a GameStop where the 30-year-old officer was buying a video game for his son. The idea came from Philadelphia Rep. Chaka Fattah (D., Pa.), who attached the plan as an amendment to an appropriations bill for commerce, justice and science programs.

"Officer Wilson dedicated his career to protecting Philadelphians; he was a true hero who sacrificed his own life in the line of duty while performing in the job he loved," Fattah said in a news release. "Now, his legacy will live on through this national program."

The VALOR initiative -- Preventing Violence Against Law Enforcement and Ensuring Officer Resilience and Survivability – offers federal grants to train and aid police in how to survive violent encounters. Under the bill it would be renamed the Officer Robert Wilson III Memorial Initiative on Preventing Violence Against Law Enforcement Officer Resilience and Survivability.

While he supported the renaming, Fattah and nearly every other Democrat voted against the underlying spending bill that included the plan, citing concerns about its spending restraints. It passed the House 242-183, largely along party lines, with Republican support.

Fattah had attached the renaming plan to the bill in the Appropriations Committee, where his amendment was adopted unanimously.

The Senate has not taken up a companion measure.

The Philadelphia police had previously renamed its medal of valor in Wilson's honor.

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