[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 44 (Monday, November 2, 1998)]
[Page 2151]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing Legislation Amending the Omnibus Crime Control and 
Safe Streets Act of 1968

October 27, 1998

    Today I am pleased to approve S. 2235. This legislation amends the 
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, which makes grant 
funds available under the Justice Department's Community Oriented 
Policing Services (COPS) program, to encourage local school systems to 
enter into partnerships with local law enforcement agencies by employing 
``school resource officers'' in and around elementary and secondary 
schools. A school resource officer will now be a sworn law enforcement 
officer and be deployed to work in collaboration with schools and 
community-based organizations. By helping to educate students in crime 
prevention techniques and peaceful conflict resolution and by 
identifying changes in a school's environment that might discourage 
crime and violence, the officer will address crime, disorder, gangs, and 
drug-related activities.
    We have achieved almost 90 percent of our pledge to put 100,000 
additional cops on the street in community policing activities, and this 
has helped drive down crime rates across the Nation. This bill will help 
bring those same successful community policing methods to our schools.
    I want to thank the sponsors of this legislation for their 
leadership in securing enactment of this law: Senator Ben Nighthorse 
Campbell in the Senate, and Representative Jim Maloney of Connecticut 
who worked tirelessly to secure overwhelming bipartisan passage of this 
important safe schools measure in the House.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
October 27, 1998.

Note: S. 2235, approved October 27, was assigned Public Law No. 105-302. 
An original was not available for verification of the content of this 
statement.