[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 134 (Wednesday, September 25, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1688]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 THE RURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ACT OF 1996

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                        HON. JOHN ELIAS BALDACCI

                                of maine

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 24, 1996

  Mr. BALDACCI. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce today the Rural 
Law Enforcement Act of 1996. This bill recognizes that in spite of 
recent efforts to provide adequate funding and resources for law 
enforcement departments around our Nation, a significant segment within 
this population continues to be underserved. I am speaking about those 
departments that serve rural areas.
  One-third of all Americans live in nonurban areas and 90 percent of 
all law enforcement agencies serve populations of fewer than 25,000 
residents; 75 percent of all law enforcement agencies serve a 
population of fewer than 10,000 residents; 85 percent of police 
departments in America have 10 or less officers on the force. Yet 
statistics show that fewer than 200 cities get the lion's share of 
Federal funding for combating crime. This would not be problematic but 
for the fact that while the national crime index for violent crime has 
been on a steady decline over the past 5 years, rural violent crime has 
increased over 35 percent from 1985 to 1995. It is in response to this 
trend along with the pleas for increased resources that I have heard 
from rural law enforcement agencies in my district that I introduce 
this legislation.
  This bill seeks to enhance the National Center for Rural Law 
Enforcement and charges this Center to provide, among other things, the 
following resources for rural law enforcement agencies nationwide:
  Training of law enforcement supervisors and personnel who serve in 
rural communities on how best to address those criminal issues that are 
unique to their rural areas, taking into consideration the limited 
resources available to these departments.
  Funding for grants and contracts for Federal, State, and local units 
of government; as well as for public and private agencies, educational 
institutions, organizations, and individuals; to work together 
effectively in combating crime in rural areas.
  The establishment of a clearinghouse and information center on 
criminal justice and law enforcement to provide a communications 
network to link rural agency heads to one another, around the country.
  Consulting assistance to criminal justice agencies with respect to 
problem solving, training, and community outreach in rural law 
enforcement jurisdiction.
  I have been in touch with law enforcement officials and community 
leaders in my home State of Maine regarding this legislation. From the 
community response coordinator for a domestic violence program in 
Bangor, to the U.S. marshal of Maine, to the sheriff of rural Aroostook 
County, to the former chief of police of Presque Isle, I have heard 
unanimous support for this legislation. The reasons for their support 
were unanimous as well--there are just not enough resources currently 
available for rural law enforcement to adequately address the needs of 
the populations they serve.
  Providing public safety is a crucial part of the infrastructure that 
makes up our communities; allowing effective and impartial enforcement 
of the law is one of the most important functions of the Government. We 
look to law enforcement officials to adequately address issues of crime 
and violence in our communities, to know how to quickly assess 
situations and respond appropriately, and to reach out to other 
individuals and services in the community in efforts to learn about 
their concerns and about the resources available within their programs. 
I believe that this bill will make these goals into realities for our 
rural law enforcement agencies.

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