In the wake of the recent government shutdown and subsequent strains on the federal community, we have had many FEDS members contact us with concerns about how current or upcoming furloughs may impact them.

A Florida man, Frank Miles, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison last week for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and possession of child pornography. Miles’ sentence comes after a successful investigation by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) division and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.

The First Circuit recently affirmed a district court judgment dismissing a FTCA claim based on the “clearly established” step of the qualified immunity analysis applied in Bivens. In doing so, it questioned the availability of the qualified immunity defense in a FTCA claim in Puerto Rico, but left this question open as the plaintiff did not raise this issue.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund has named Deputy Michael Miles, of the Oakland County (MI) Sheriff’s Office, as the recipient of its Officer of the Month Award for November 2018.

In addition to the many benefits we offer our Members, Civilian Federal Employees insured under our Group Term Life Insurance* and Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance Programs enjoy the ease of carrying coverage from us.

Former U.S. Senate Candidate Barry Michaels has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to consider whether felons may ever become “law-abiding and responsible,” to overcome a felon disarmament statute and possess a firearm.

This week, the FBI’s Memphis Field Office issued guidance to holiday shoppers, urging them “to be aware of cyber criminals and their aggressive and creative ways to steal money and personal information,” with cyber criminals especially active during the Christmas shopping season.

In case you missed it, be sure to listen to the Friday, December 14th episode of FEDtalk for a fascinating look into the federal whistleblowing process.  The founders of Whistleblower Aid, John Tye and Mark Zaid, joined host Debra Roth for an informative discussion.

If you have your liability insurance through FEDS Protection, you have automatically been entered into a raffle to win one of two 9.7 inch 128 GB Apple iPads.

Recently, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in Nieves v. Bartlett, a case that addresses whether an officer’s probable cause acts as an absolute bar to a citizen’s First Amendment retaliatory arrest claim.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has released the latest dataset from its National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), containing information relating to more than 6 million criminal offenses nationally.

For Denise Cummings, being a police officer was a life-long dream. Inspired by her Uncle Nick, an officer with the Cicero (IL) Police Department, she applied with the Aurora (CO) Police Department when she was 25.

In oral argument today on Gamble v. United States, a majority of justices were critical of an appeal seeking to overturn the “separate sovereigns” doctrine exception to the Double Jeopardy Clause of the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, a case previously reported in FEDagent.

This week, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced that it had charged two men in connection with a ransomware attack that impacted certain regional computer networks between 2015 and 2018.

While many federal employees may question whether long term insurance is worth the cost, they may ultimately realize that the emotional and financial reassurance of having this protection may offer value that outweighs the cost of premiums.

The annual Open Season, running now through December 10, is an important time for more than eight million federal employees covered in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHB).  This is the time to anticipate health care needs and review health care options for next year, and it can be filled with more questions than answers.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund has named Captain Tracie Meidl, of the Spokane (WA) Police Department, as the recipient of its Officer of the Month Award for October 2018.

As a federal employee, it is important to ask yourself if your current health plan is working for you. A change in marital status or a newly discovered medical condition can impact your coverage needs.

Recently, the Ninth Circuit held that Network Investigative Technique (“NIT”) warrants relied on to authorize a search beyond the jurisdiction of the issuing magistrate judge is void under the Fourth Amendment. Still, the court of appeals found that the good faith exception applied to admit the evidence obtained as a result of the unconstitutional search.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has had a major and disturbing breakthrough on a series of crimes dating back nearly 50 years, thanks to its Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP). This week, the agency announced that it had successfully connected 34 murders to Samuel Little, a 78-year-old man currently imprisoned in Texas.