According to Vice President JD Vance, U.S. leaders are responsible for insulting police officers, and vice president JD Vance said that Cincinnati's sheriff's deputy "was cut off by bloodthirsty criminals."
Vance said supporting law enforcement requires policy and ethical leadership, and he recalls special deputy deputy deputy deputy premier Larry Henderson at law enforcement breakfast at the vice president’s residence on Wednesday.
"Larry Henderson died because he was doing his own job and keeping people safe," Vance said Wednesday. "When I think about why this meaningless crime happened, it's obvious that you have to blame the person who committed the crime.
"But I also think that for a long time our leadership has blamed the American leaders, who have made our police officers an enemy, not the great civil servants we all know about," he said.
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Vice President JD Vance speaks at National Police Cycle Breakfast in Washington, DC on May 14, 2025 (Andrew Hanik)
During the May 2 graduation ceremony, a car attacked Henderson when traffic was near the University of Cincinnati.
Rodney Hinton faces charges of aggravated murder, authorities claiming police shot Hinton's 18-year-old son on May 1.
Hinton pleaded not guilty to the charges Tuesday, and the judge set the trial date as February 2026.
Hinton “deliberately murdered a retired deputy who was particularly responsible for graduation, just because he was a policeman,” said the Ohio Brotherhood Order of Jay McDonald, Ohio Brotherhood President.
Meanwhile, Vance assured law enforcement officers in the breakfast that President Donald Trump supports them.
"So, starting with the president, this administration is behind you," Vance said. "We love you. We know you're doing a great job for us outside. I think ethical leadership is as important as public policy. But, from this administration, you can certainly get both."
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Hamilton County Special Deputy Larry Henderson, on the right, passed by a car on him and died on May 2, 2025. Authorities continue to accuse Rodney Hinton of the left-wing murder.
Vance noted that a recently signed executive order by Trump in April aims to enhance resources for law enforcement officers and includes provisions that will provide legal resources for officials who encounter formal responsibilities “unjustly”, and said the Trump administration hopes to implement reforms that make it easier for police to work for police.
“We want to make it harder to prosecute when people take appropriate action when performing their duties,” Vance said. “We want to make sure that when you’re there to make sure we’re safe and you’re certainly worried about all the bad guys, you don’t worry about the bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., to stop you from doing what Americans need you to do.”
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R-Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno introduced legislation to increase the minimum sentence for those who commit the assault of police officers. (Reuters)
Henderson's death prompted lawmakers to reform.
R-Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno brought the Larry Henderson Act to the Senate on Monday, which would require those convicted of assaulting federal law enforcement officers to sentence at least 20 years in prison. This is currently in prison for one to eight years.
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"Enough," Moreno said in a statement Monday. "Anyone who attacks one of our blue men or women will have to face serious consequences."
During National Police Week, Vance also plans to speak at the 44th Annual National Peace Officials Memorial Bureau at the U.S. Capitol.
Andrew Mark Miller of Fox News contributed to the report.