---
kind: "section"
citation: "28 U.S.C. § 540"
title: "28"
title_heading: "Judiciary and Judicial Procedure"
number: "540"
heading: "Investigation of felonious killings of State or local law enforcement officers"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/28/540"
units:
  - "Part II — Department of Justice"
  - "Chapter 33 — Federal Bureau of Investigation"
---

# §540. Investigation of felonious killings of State or local law enforcement officers


The Attorney General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation may investigate felonious killings of officials and employees of a State or political subdivision thereof while engaged in or on account of the performance of official duties relating to the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of an offense against the criminal laws of a State or political subdivision, when such investigation is requested by the head of the [agency](/usc/28/451.md) employing the official or employee killed, and under such [guidelines](/usc/28/998.md?p=c) as the Attorney General or his designee may establish.


## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, § 7331(a), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4468.)