[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 26 (Thursday, February 29, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E258]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HANSON POLICE CHIEF HAILS 1994 CRIME BILL

                                 ______


                           HON. BARNEY FRANK

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 29, 1996

  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I ask permission to insert 
into the Record a very powerful letter which I received from Chief 
Eugene Berry of the police department of the town of Hanson. Chief 
Berry writes to express his strong support for the 1994 crime bill and 
the funds that have gone to local communities as the result of this. 
His letter reinforces the point that it would be great folly for this 
Congress to disrupt this flow of funds by making drastic changes in 
this program. Chief Berry notes that his department and the entire 
State of Massachusetts have benefited from these funds, and as a police 
chief who is dealing every day with the problem of protecting the 
public safety in a small community, Chief Berry speaks with great 
credibility on this subject.
  As a police chief, and as an instructor for the Massachusetts 
Criminal Justice Training Council, Chief Berry is very well situated to 
evaluate this program and his strong testimony in support of it should 
carry a great deal of weight. I ask that Chief Berry's letter be 
printed here.
                                                Police Department,


                                               Town of Hanson,

                                     Hanson, MA, January 31, 1996.
     Hon. Barney Frank,
     State House, Boston, MA.
       Dear Representative Frank: I am writing to you to share the 
     success of the 1994 federal Crime Bill, specifically the COPS 
     FAST and COPS MORE projects.
       The Town of Hanson Police Department counts itself 
     extremely fortunate to be the recipients of both of these 
     grants.
       The COPS FAST grant has truly allowed this department to 
     address the community concerns.
       The COPS MORE grant will enable this department to install 
     in-crusier computers which will add the equivalent of 2.8 
     police officers to the complement of this department.
       The 1994 federal Crime Bill has reinvigorated the 
     dedication of law enforcement in America through these 
     programs.
       As an instructor for the Massachusetts Criminal Justice 
     Training Council teaching many of the officers hired as a 
     result of the COPS FAST program, I can attest to the 
     rededication of the police service in preparing our recruits 
     for practicing the community policing philosophy.
       If the political leaders of our nation are going to play 
     politics with the Community Policing programs in the 1994 
     federal Crime Bill, it will have a devastating effect on all 
     the positive strides we have made in the last 2 years.
       I know you will take an active role in the leadership 
     fighting to retain the advances in policing we have made 
     since 1994.
           Sincerely,
                                                       E.G. Berry,
     Chief of Police.

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