[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 130 (Thursday, September 25, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S9982]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               NATIONAL CENTER FOR RURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT

 Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I ask to have printed in the Record 
a copy of a resolution passed on May 29, 1997, by the Vermont 
Association of Chiefs of Police supporting H.R. 1524 which creates a 
National Center for Rural Law Enforcement.
  I would like to thank them for sharing these resolutions with me. I 
also look forward to working with Senators Hatch, Biden, and others in 
introducing legislation in the Senate in support of a National Center 
for Rural Law Enforcement.
  The resolution follows:

       Whereas, the Vermont Association of Chiefs of Police 
     support the National Center for: Rural Law Enforcement as 
     several chiefs have attended regional conferences to discuss 
     and identify the training and technical assistance needs of 
     rural law enforcement agencies nationwide; and
       Whereas, more than two hundred law enforcement officials, 
     from rural areas, have attended these regional meetings and 
     validated the need for federal assistance in areas of 
     technical assistance, management training, and the formation 
     of an information clearinghouse for rural law enforcement 
     agencies; and
       Whereas, the majority of existing local, state, and federal 
     programs are too costly for small rural enforcement agencies 
     and are generally designed to serve the larger law 
     enforcement agencies of the country; and
       Whereas, approximately one-third of all Americans live in 
     rural areas, ninety percent of all law enforcement agencies 
     serve populations of less than 25,000 residents, seventy-five 
     percent of all law enforcement agencies serve a population of 
     fewer than 10,000 residents, while rural violent crime has 
     increased over thirty-five per cent in the last ten years; 
     and
       Whereas, rural law enforcement agencies have staffing 
     limitations and financial limitations which make it difficult 
     to properly train on and/or address the specific crime-
     related issues facing all rural law enforcement 
     administrators in our country; and
       Whereas, we believe that the creation of a national center 
     for rural law enforcement would enhance and complement 
     present state standards and training and does not duplicate 
     any existing program; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Vermont Association of Chiefs of Police 
     strongly support the creation of the National Center for 
     Rural Law Enforcement that would be funded through federal 
     legislation;
       Be it further resolved, That the operational control and 
     oversight of the National Center for Rural Law Enforcement 
     would rest upon an advisory board made up primarily of 
     Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police from rural law enforcement 
     agencies from each region of the county.

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