[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992-1993, Book II)]
[September 30, 1992]
[Pages 1712-1713]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks to the Law Enforcement Community in Oshkosh, Wisconsin
September 30, 1992

    Thank you all on this beautiful day in Oshkosh. I am delighted to be 
here. I want to thank the Mayor and ask that he not send the bill--
[laughter]--but thank him for the presentation. And I am very, very 
grateful to the men and women in law enforcement who are standing here, 
Officer DeBraska and Paul Bucher particularly, were up here speaking. 
It's also an honor to be introduced by one of the Nation's great, 
Governor Tommy Thompson. You're lucky out here, and I hope you know it.
    But I am very honored and pleased to receive the endorsement of 
Wisconsin's law enforcement community: the State troopers, the Sheriffs 
Department Association, the Military Police Association, the Milwaukee 
Police Association.
    You know, keeping our neighborhoods safe and secure is one of the 
fundamental responsibilities of government. It takes a tough, no-
nonsense approach, one that puts our sympathy with the victims of crime, 
not with the criminals. After all, hard time is what criminals should 
get, not the innocent kids and older Americans who have to live in fear 
of violence. In this election, two candidates are talking tough on 
crime, but just one candidate is taking action. All I ask, and will be 
asking the American people in these debates if the other guy ever shows 
up--[laughter]--is look at the record.
    Look at the record. Arkansas ranks near the bottom in every 
important per capita law enforcement expenditure: for prisons, 46th in 
the Nation; for judicial and legal systems, 50th; and when it comes to 
spending for police officers, Arkansas ranks 49th. Since 1989, we've 
proposed a 59-percent increase in Federal spending to fight crime.
    Here's another snapshot on the Arkansas situation: Last year under 
Governor Clinton, Arkansas' criminals on average served just one-fifth 
of their sentence before they were back out on the street. They did 
crime, and then they serve one-fifth of the time. That is not right. And 
let me contrast that with the Federal inmates, the ones who fall under 
the Federal jurisdiction, my jurisdiction: Arkansas one-fifth of the 
time, and the Federal prisons an average 85 percent of their full 
sentence. A big difference in favor of the police officers, in favor of 
the victims of crime.
    Crime is one more issue, one more area where the Governor of 
Arkansas cannot kind of slickly talk his way past his record. If you 
want to know who's really tough on crime, look around you here today. 
Look at the people that are out on the front line, putting their lives 
at risk for you and me every single day. That's who we ought to support, 
not worrying about how kind we want to be to these criminals.
    And speaking of those who are on the front line, I was delighted--
take a look at the Fraternal Order of Police in Little Rock, Arkansas. 
They've lived with Governor Clinton for 12 years, and they know his 
record best. And they endorsed me for President of the United States.
    To you who put your lives on the line

[[Page 1713]]

every day, let me just say you have my thanks. But much more than that, 
you have our strong support. You are on the side of the law, and I am on 
your side. I wish you had a little more clout with the United States 
Congress. For 1,091 days, I believe the figure is, they are sitting on a 
strong anticrime bill that I sent up there 3\1/2\ years ago. And they've 
done absolutely nothing with it. That is not fair to the men and women 
who wear the uniform, who are out there supporting us. Whether it's in 
the courts or on the streets, we need to back them up with strong 
Federal anticrime legislation.
    You know, with your strong support, I know that we can take back the 
streets and we can turn back the threat of drugs and crime and make our 
communities safer and more secure.
    So thank you all very, very much, women and men of law enforcement, 
for your vote of confidence. May God bless the men and women who serve 
us. Thank you very, very much. Thank you.

                    Note: The President spoke at 11:20 a.m. at Wittman 
                        Regional Airport. In his remarks, he referred to 
                        Robert Jungwirth, Mayor of Oshkosh.