The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced plans to bring back the firing squad as a method of execution. Its purpose is to speed up the federal death penalty system.In a statement released Friday, the department said it would “expand protocols to include additional methods of execution such as firing squad,” restoring policies used during Donald Trump’s first administration. The move marks a sharp change from the approach taken under former US President Joe Biden, whose administration had imposed limits on federal executions.Officials said they are also reinstating the use of lethal injection protocols and streamlining internal procedures to reduce delays in carrying out executions.The department said the changes are intended to ensure that executions can continue even after prisoners have exhausted their appeals. The department described the move as necessary to deliver justice and improve public safety.Acting Attorney General Todd Blanch criticized the previous administration’s handling of the death penalty, saying it failed to protect the public.He said, “The former administration failed in its duty to protect the American people by refusing to take action against and ultimately punish the most dangerous criminals, including terrorists, child murderers, and police killers.”Blanch said: “Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Justice is once again enforcing the law and standing with victims.”The department also plans to reduce the time between conviction and execution by reviewing legal processes and reducing delays in the appeals process. It said further steps were being considered, including changes to the way death sentences are carried out and limiting the number of times clemency petitions can be filed.The policy change follows an executive order issued by Trump on his first day in office directing the DOJ to prioritize death penalty cases and strengthen enforcement. Since then, officials say dozens of cases have been reviewed, with new death sentences approved in many cases.Under the previous administration, federal executions were halted amid concerns about the method of lethal injection and opposition to the death penalty. The Justice Department has now formally reversed that ban.Firing squads are rare in the United States, although they are still permitted in some states under specific circumstances. In recent years, their use has been limited, with only a small number of people executed in this manner since the 1970s.