No Bounties on Badges Act Authorizes Rewards for Information on Threats to Law Enforcement

Here’s a bill that cuts straight to the core of public safety. The “No Bounties on Badges Act” is short, but it packs a punch by expanding the federal government’s ability to protect U.S. law enforcement officers.

The New Federal Tool for Officer Safety

This bill amends federal law (specifically, the section dealing with rewards for information) to allow the Attorney General to offer financial rewards for tips about people who are trying to put a price on an officer’s head. Essentially, if someone offers a bounty or cash to harm or kill a U.S. law enforcement officer, the Attorney General can now authorize a reward for information that helps stop it.

This isn't just about catching the person who pays the bounty. The bill authorizes rewards for information that leads to the arrest or conviction of anyone involved in offering such a bounty, conspiring to offer one, or attempting to offer one (SEC. 2). Crucially, this authority extends to arrests and convictions made “in any country.” This means the federal government can use this reward system to track down and prosecute people who organize these attacks from overseas.

Who Benefits from the Change?

For the vast majority of people, this bill doesn't change anything about their daily routine, but it does signal a clear federal priority. The primary beneficiaries are U.S. law enforcement officers and their families, as the bill provides a powerful new deterrent and investigative tool against targeted violence. It also benefits the Department of Justice by giving them a specific, financial incentive to offer the public for help in these high-stakes cases.

Think of it this way: if you’re a regular citizen who overhears or finds credible evidence of a dangerous plot against an officer, this bill creates a clear, formal pathway for you to report that information and potentially receive a reward. It’s about leveraging public assistance to ensure officers can do their jobs without the threat of targeted, financially incentivized violence. Because the law now covers arrests and convictions in any country, it gives federal authorities a longer reach to dismantle these networks, whether they are operating down the street or across an international border.