[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 16 (Wednesday, January 29, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E114]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CHIEFS OF POLICE URGE ADMINISTRATION TO SUPPORT INCREASED FUNDING

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BARNEY FRANK

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 29, 2003

  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker One of the pieces of evidence 
that convinces me that we have reduced taxes by too much in the face of 
the very significant demands that have been placed on our national 
security both domestically and internationally since September 11, 2001 
is the refusal of this administration to support adequate funding for 
programs of assistance to local public safety officials. As we were 
adjourning, I and others in the Massachusetts Delegation received the 
attached resolution from the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police 
Association. I am very pleased to have a good working relationship with 
the chiefs of police in the district I represent, and I know that these 
people are deeply committed to the protection of our citizenry, against 
both the traditional forms of crime and against the newer threats we 
face. And they are not people who easily jump into controversies that 
are partisan or ideological in nature. So when they report that they 
and their fellow chiefs of police across the country adopted a 
resolution which ``strongly recommends that the Bush administration 
reconsider the funding levels that have been reduced for local 
agencies'' in the police field, I believe this is an argument to which 
we should pay attention. Mr. Speaker, I ask that this very thoughtful 
and important resolution be printed here.

                       Homeland Security Funding


Submitted by Division of State Associations of Chiefs of Police (SACOP)

       WHEREAS, the approximately 740,000 law enforcement officers 
     in local and state agencies have the best knowledge of and 
     access to their communities, and those communities are 
     turning to their local agencies for guidance and protection 
     more than ever; and
       WHEREAS, local law enforcement is the first to be called 
     upon to respond to any emergency or critical incident; and
       WHEREAS, because of their daily interaction with the 
     community, local law enforcement has access to local 
     information and grassroots intelligence that is an invaluable 
     resource in the fight against terrorism; and
       WHEREAS, demands on specialized training (interrogation 
     techniques, recognition of terrorist threats, federal 
     immigration law, immigration documentation, response to 
     critical incidents. response to biological, chemical or 
     nuclear terrorism), specialized equipment (protective 
     clothing, isolation equipment, electronic surveillance and 
     security equipment), and drastically, increased manpower 
     requirements, continue to take their toll on already 
     stretched law enforcement budgets; and
       WHEREAS, the over 19,000 members of the International 
     Association of Chiefs of Police are concerned that while the 
     federal government is proposing greatly increased funding for 
     Homeland Security programs, federal intelligence programs, 
     and additional increases for federal agencies, the local and 
     state agencies will be left with dwindling resources in their 
     daily response to local community requirements, including 
     those caused by increased threats and fears from terrorism; 
     now, therefore, be it
       RESOLVED, that the lnternational Association of Chiefs of 
     Police, duly assembled at its 109th Annual Conference in 
     Minneapolis, Minnesota, strongly recommends that the Bush 
     Administration reconsider the funding levels that have been 
     reduced for local agencies, such as universal hiring 
     programs, Byrne Grants, COPS Programs and others. We urge the 
     administration to continue these programs, or reconfigure the 
     funding for local agencies with the recognition that these 
     agencies are truly on the front line of the war against 
     terrorism.

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