Overview

• The International Association of Chiefs of Police passed a late-August resolution condemning incendiary rhetoric and the incitement of violence.
• The group calls for enforcing existing criminal laws to charge individuals, including public figures, who incite or foster targeted attacks.
• Current and former police leaders report career-high volumes of threats that now extend beyond politicians to judges, educators, health workers, CEOs and housing officials.
• Agencies say online threat investigations have forced increases in staffing for protective missions and are straining resources needed for routine policing.
• Legal experts note potential charges under state terroristic-threats statutes and federal interstate-threats laws, as leaders urge public officials to temper rhetoric.