[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 106 (Friday, July 31, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S9615]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            FIGHTING VIOLENT CRIME IN SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA

 Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, on July 11, I had the pleasure of 
visiting the Santa Ana Police Department to observe its community 
policing program. Santa Ana is the largest city in Orange County and 
the ninth largest city in the State of California. Thanks in part to 
their aggressive community policing program, violent crime in Santa Ana 
has fallen dramatically.
  According to the FBI, violent crime in Santa Ana has dropped 39 
percent since 1992; homicides alone are down more than 60 percent, 
property crimes have dropped 51 percent, and grand theft is down 43 
percent.
  As one of the first recipients of a Department of Justice Law 
Enforcement Assistance Administration grant over twenty years ago, the 
Santa Ana Police Department has been a leader in community policing 
programs. The Santa Ana Police Department initiated a test program 
called Community Oriented Policing (COP), designed to create greater 
interaction between the police department and the community.
  The COP philosophy utilizes two strategies: prevention and response. 
The prevention element aims to remove many of the causes of crime in a 
community. The Santa Ana Police Department, for example, adopted the 
``Broken Windows'' philosophy of James Wilson and George Kelling. This 
theory states that minor crimes, disorder, and community disrepair 
breed crime. Santa Ana put this theory to the test with its 
``Operation: Round Up'' program. By making cosmetic improvements to 
crime-ridden neighborhoods--repairing homes and removing abandoned cars 
for example--and by prosecuting minor violations, the police sent a 
strong message that crime of any and all magnitude is not acceptable. 
As a result, the ``Operation: Round Up'' program was able to eliminate 
a notorious street gang and improve the infrastructure and appearance 
of the neighborhood.
  The response element of the COP philosophy focuses on improved 
reaction to crime and effective use of police resources. As part of the 
COPS MORE 96 grant from the Department of Justice, the city received a 
$1.8 million grant that allowed for the purchase of 150 laptop 
computers for its police department, which do the work of 55 police 
officers. These computers enable officers to file police reports from 
the field electronically, allowing them to patrol the community longer. 
The increase in the number of available officers has decreased the 
number of calls for assistance. The COP program has allowed the Santa 
Ana Police Department to concentrate all available resources on 
fighting and preventing crime.
  Mr. President, I am so pleased to recognize Police Chief Paul Walters 
and the entire Santa Ana Police Department for providing outstanding 
service to the people of California. Their actions serve as a model for 
other communities to follow. I hope Congress will continue to help 
communities such as Santa Ana improve the quality of life for its 
citizens.

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