S 1318 Session 111 (1995-1996)
S 1318 Concurrent Resolution, By Ford
A Concurrent Resolution to memorialize the United States Congress to provide
funding for the "COPS" Program at least at the level authorized in the
"Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994" so that the effort to
put 100,000 additional police on the Nation's streets is realized.
04/02/96 Senate Introduced SJ-12
04/02/96 Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary SJ-12
04/17/96 Senate Committee report: Majority favorable, minority
unfavorable Judiciary SJ-15
COMMITTEE REPORT
April 17, 1996
S. 1318
Introduced by SENATOR Ford
S. Printed 4/17/96--S.
Read the first time April 2, 1996.
THE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY
To whom was referred a Concurrent Resolution (S. 1318), to
memorialize the United States Congress to provide funding for the
"COPS" program, etc., respectfully
REPORT:
That they have duly and carefully considered the same, and
recommend that the same do pass:
Majority favorable. Minority unfavorable.
JAMES E. BRYAN, JR. ADDISON G. WILSON
For Majority. For Minority.
A CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
TO MEMORIALIZE THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO
PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE "COPS" PROGRAM
AT LEAST AT THE LEVEL AUTHORIZED IN THE
"VIOLENT CRIME CONTROL AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT ACT OF 1994" SO THAT THE EFFORT
TO PUT 100,000 ADDITIONAL POLICE ON THE NATION'S
STREETS IS REALIZED.
Whereas, President Bill Clinton, in his 1994 State of the Union
Address, pledged to put 100,000 additional police officers on
America's streets; and
Whereas, the United States Congress enacted the "Public
Safety Partnership and Community Policing Act of 1994" as a
part of a comprehensive legislative enactment entitled the
"Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of
1994"; and
Whereas, one of the programs created under the "Public
Safety Partnership and Community Policing Act of 1994" was
the "Cops on the Beat" ("COPS") program,
which was created for the stated purpose of substantially increasing
the number of law enforcement officers interacting directly with
members of the community; and
Whereas, the United States Attorney General was authorized to
make grants to states, units of local government, and other entities
to increase police presence, to expand and improve cooperative
efforts between law enforcement agencies and members of the
community to address crime and disorder problems, and otherwise
to enhance public safety; and
Whereas, the 1994 act authorized $8.8 billion over six years to fund
the grant program; and
Whereas, within the first year of the program, 25,000 police
officers and sheriffs' deputies were funded under the program and
by March 1996, more than 33,000 officers were funded under the
program; and
Whereas, a total of more than $18 million has been provided to
more than one hundred fifty jurisdictions in this State under the
"COPS" program; and
Whereas, Attorney General Janet Reno has cited examples from
Sharon, Pennsylvania, where within one month after a new precinct
opened with funds provided under the "COPS" program,
the police doubled arrests, and from Jefferson Parish, Louisiana,
where the violent crime rate dropped sixty percent after the
implementation of a community policing program implemented
under the "COPS" program; and
Whereas, the "COPS" program is supported by such
entities as the National Sheriffs' Association, the Fraternal Order of
Police, the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, the
National Association of Police Organizations, the National
Association of Black Law Enforcement Executives, and the U.S.
Conference of Mayors; and
Whereas, despite the noble intent of the "COPS"
program and its overwhelming results, the United States Congress is
considering eliminating the "COPS" program and
replacing it with a block grant allocating money to localities based
on the number of crimes over the previous three years; and
Whereas, the current federal budget stalemate has resulted in the
"COPS" program operating without a full-year
appropriation and instead operating under a series of continuing
resolutions that have funded the program at approximately fifty
percent of its 1996 authorization level; and
Whereas, a block grant program will not guarantee that even one
additional community policing officer will hit the street. Now,
therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives
concurring:
That the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina
respectfully memorializes the United States Congress to continue
the "COPS" program and provide funding for the
"COPS" program at least at the level authorized in the
"Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of
1994" so that the effort to put 100,000 additional police on
the nation's streets is realized.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to
the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United
States House of Representatives, and to each of the eight members
of the South Carolina Congressional Delegation.
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