[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 73 (Monday, May 21, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S3323]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


        RECOGNIZING THE LAS VEGAS METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT

  Mr. REID. Madam President, I rise today to recognize the Las Vegas 
Metropolitan Police Department's Hispanic American Resource Team's 
(H.A.R.T.) 10th Academy for their efforts to combat crimes against 
Hispanic-Americans, while building good will and trust between the 
city's police department and the Hispanic community.
  For more than a decade, H.A.R.T. has fulfilled and exceeded its 
mission, ``to build and maintain positive relationships between the 
Hispanic community and the police through compassion and innovative 
thinking.'' At its core, the H.A.R.T. program trains and places 
talented officers who are fluent in English and Spanish to work 
directly with Spanish-dominant community members. It is through 
language ability, cultural competence, and dedication that H.A.R.T 
maintains public safety for the broader community regardless of 
language capability or immigration status.
  A centerpiece of the educational services H.A.R.T. provides is the 
Hispanic Citizens Academy which offers an intensive 12-week training 
program in Spanish to non-English speaking community members to impart 
knowledge on how to navigate through routine law enforcement protocols, 
including knowing their legal rights and how to contact the police in 
case of an emergency. The Hispanic Citizens Academy helps strengthen 
the partnership between the Hispanic immigrant community and the Las 
Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. In fact, the National League of 
Cities recognized Las Vegas and the H.A.R.T. program as one of the top 
17 U.S. police departments for good practices in a June 2011 report. 
H.A.R.T.'s work serves as a model for other police departments across 
the Nation to ensure public safety in immigrant communities by keeping 
them informed and engaged.
  On May 23, 2012, H.A.R.T. will be celebrating the graduation of 
individuals serving in the 10th Hispanic Citizens Academy, a stage 
shared by more than 500 alumni of the program. I am a proud supporter 
of the H.A.R.T. program, and I applaud the leadership and dedication 
law enforcement officers have demonstrated to the growing Hispanic 
population of my home State of Nevada. I ask my colleagues to please 
join me in congratulating the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department 
and its H.A.RT initiative as they celebrate the 10th Hispanic Citizens 
Academy. I wish H.A.R.T. continued success in their future endeavors.

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