[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 82 (Thursday, May 17, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1087-E1088]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     COPS IMPROVEMENTS ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. KEITH ELLISON

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 15, 2007

  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the bi-partisan 
passage of H.R. 1700, the COPS Improvement Act of 2007.
  The COPS program has been one of the most successful law enforcement 
programs in our Nation's history. Created in 1994 as part of the 
``Clinton Crime Bill,'' it is often referred to as the 100,000 cops 
program. In fact, COPS has put almost 120,000 more officers on the 
street nationwide, 1,400 new officers in Minnesota, and 354 additional 
police officers and/or sheriff deputies in the 5th Congressional 
District which I serve.
  With the passage of the COPS Improvement Act, an additional 151 
officers will likely be hired in the 5th Congressional District over 
the next 6 years.
  The COPS program was created as an incentive to law enforcement 
agencies to hire more officers. COPS provides that incentive by 
assuming 75 percent of an officer's salary for 3 years. Funded at over 
$1 billion a year near the end of the Clinton Administration, the 
hiring portion of COPS has been zeroed out under President Bush.
  According to a study by the non-partisan General Accounting Office 
(GAO), between 1998 and 2000, COPS grants were responsible for reducing 
crimes by about 200,000 to 225,000 crimes--one third of which were 
violent. In 1998, COPS grants were responsible for an 8 percent 
decrease in crimes--and a 13 percent drop in violent crimes.
  Yet, President Bush and Republicans in Congress eliminated the hiring 
program last year, at the same time, violent crime spiked across the 
Nation.
  Earlier this year, the Police Executive Research Forum, a prominent 
law enforcement association, released a report which found that violent 
crime rose by double digit percentages over the last two years. Among 
the cities surveyed, since 2005, 71 percent had an increase in 
homicides, 80 percent saw robberies rise and 67 percent reported an 
increase in aggravated assaults with guns.
  Thankfully, under the leadership of Mayor R.T. Rybak, Minneapolis was 
not among those cities. In fact, Minneapolis has seen an 11 percent 
decline in violent crimes since the beginning of the year.
  We want to keep those statistics headed downward and the way to do 
that is through the funding of successful hiring programs like COPS.
  If the COPS Improvement Act of 2007 passes into law, an additional 
$11,159,925 will likely flow into law enforcement agencies for hiring 
additional officers in the 5th Congressional District of Minnesota in 
the next 6 years. Furthermore, an additional $4,110,303 in technology 
grants will likely flow to the 5th District and 3 more school resource 
officers will likely be put on the beat.
  Little wonder this legislation has been endorsed by the International 
Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Sheriffs Association, the 
Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police 
Organizations, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the National League 
of Cities.

[[Page E1088]]

  COPS has been one of the most cost-effective law enforcement programs 
in our nation's history resulting in dramatic declines in both crime 
and violent crime rates.
  It is good common sense that the new Democratic Congress has sought 
to restore funding to this successful program. It is good for the 5th 
Congressional District of Minnesota; good for the state of Minnesota; 
and good for America.
  I am proud to have voted to make our streets safer by supporting the 
COPS Improvement Act of 2007.

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