Washington, D.C. - This week, Congressman Joe Donnelly voted in favor of H.R. 1700, The C.O.P.S. Improvement Act of 2007. This legislation would reauthorize the Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS).
“Taxpayers have gotten their money’s worth from the C.O.P.S. program,” Donnelly said. “According to a GAO study, between 1998 and 2000, C.O.P.S. grants were responsible for reducing crime by about 200,000 to 225,000 crimes nationally– one-third of which were violent. Renewing the program is a direct investment in the safety of our communities.”
Since its inception in 1994, the C.O.P.S. program has put almost 120,000 more officers on the street nationwide, including 214 in the 2nd District of Indiana. If passed into law, H.R. 1700 could put an additional 91 officers on the streets of the 2nd District. Additionally, H.R. 1700 would make $3,725,175 in C.O.P.S. grants available to law enforcement agencies in the 2nd District of Indiana.
Also, in recognition of Police Officers Week, Congressman Joe Donnelly attended the Peace Officers Memorial Service with St. Joseph County Prosecutor Michael Dvorak, South Bend Mayor Steve Luecke, South Bend Chief of Police Thomas Fautz and several officers and their families.
The C.O.P.S. legislation has been endorsed by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Sheriffs Association, the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police Organizations, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the National League of Cities.
