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Klobuchar Honors St. Paul Officer at National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's Recognition Ceremony

During National Police Week, Klobuchar Urges Continued Support of Law Enforcement at Judiciary Committee Hearing

May 12, 2009

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar honored Sergeant William Haider of the St. Paul Police Department for his extraordinary service on cases involving missing or exploited children.  Sergeant Haider is a member of the Minnesota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Klobuchar also paid tribute to the nation’s law enforcement officers for their hard work and service to our communities as part of National Police Week.  At a Judiciary Committee hearing today, Klobuchar questioned local law enforcement officials and experts about what more can be done to help state and local law enforcement.

“As County Attorney, I gained an unending respect for all members of the law enforcement community,” said Klobuchar.  “They serve on the frontlines every day to protect public safety and our communities.  As a Senator, I will continue to fight to make sure they have the tools and resources they need.”

“Sergeant Haider is a dedicated crime fighter and a great advocate for our kids,” Klobuchar continued.  “He not only cares about getting the perpetrator, he cares about helping victims and their families find justice.”

During her eight years as Hennepin County Attorney, Klobuchar worked closely on a number of cases with the Minnesota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. 

In the Senate, she has continued to work on the issue of online safety, supporting the “Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act of 2007.”  She has also been a strong advocate on behalf of law enforcement, pushing for increased funding for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program and the Byrne grant program.

Earlier this year, Klobuchar pushed to include $1 billion for the COPS program in the Economic Recovery Act to help police departments with budget shortfalls in the economic downturn and to help keep police jobs. Since COPS was created in 1994, Minnesota has received $135 million in funding, providing for over 1,400 additional police officers and sheriff’s deputies and directly benefiting 367 law enforcement agencies statewide.  Thanks to COPS, Minneapolis was able to hire 81 new officers in the mid and late 1990s.  The city then experienced its lowest crime rates in three decades.

An independent research report last year by the Brookings Institution concluded that COPS contributed to the significant national drop in crime during the 1990s, describing it as “one of the most cost-effective options available for fighting crime.”  The report estimated that each dollar spent on the COPS program generates somewhere between $4 and $8.50 in benefits to society. 


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