Senator Russ Feingold Pushes Senate To Fully Support Vital Crime-Fighting Program

Effort Calls for Increased Funding for Community Oriented Policing Services Program

April 9 ,2008 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is urging his Senate colleagues to fully fund a program that provides critical resources to train new law enforcement officers, invest in crime-fighting technologies, fight methamphetamine abuse, and support a range of additional law enforcement priorities.

Wisconsin police motorcycle: Photo by Michael Pereckas (CC)

Feingold joined an effort led by Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) to appropriate $1.15 billion for the Community Oriented Policing Services Program (COPS) in fiscal year 2009. Feingold’s effort comes on the heels of his push to ensure strong COPS funding in the budget for 2009, which paved the way for this appropriations effort. The president’s proposed budget recommended eliminating specific funding for this program entirely, replacing it with new, untested, and underfunded programs.

“Over the years I’ve heard again and again from police chiefs, sheriffs, and others from the law enforcement community in Wisconsin about the importance of COPS grants,” Feingold said. “These folks are unwavering in their position that COPS grants are absolutely vital for protecting their communities day in and day out.”

Feingold’s most recent effort to appropriate funding to the COPS program follows up on a successful amendment to the Senate budget resolution he cosponsored in March to set aside $1.15 billion in the fiscal year 2009 budget for COPS, fighting off the president’s massive proposed funding cuts to the COPS program. Feingold also wrote the president in January urging full funding for the COPS Program. In addition, Feingold cosponsored an amendment to the Senate budget resolution to increase the funding allocation to $906 million for Byrne Justice Assistance Grants, another program important to law enforcement agencies in combating drugs and violent crime.

“The federal government has a responsibility to help provide the tools, technology, and training our law enforcement officers need to protect Wisconsin communities,” Feingold said. “Funding the COPS program is one of the most significant ways the Senate can help meet this responsibility.”

Source: Senator Russ Feingold

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