Justice & Law Enforcement
Improving Public Safety and Strengthening Communities
Keeping our communities safe means providing Rhode Island law enforcement with the resources they need to deter, prevent, and prosecute crime. It also means fostering collaborative partnerships between citizens, businesses, and cops on the beat.
A member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science, Reed has secured vital funding for local police departments. He helped local communities create a unified, interoperable, emergency communications system so police, firefighters, and emergency officials can effectively communicate during emergencies.
In an effort to reduce crime nationwide, Senator Reed helped pass legislation to allow local police departments across the country to hire 100,000 new police officers through the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program. To date, Rhode Island communities have used funding from this program to hire over 400 police officers.
Read More »Reed hosts an annual FIRE grant workshop that have helped Rhode Island fire departments obtain over $28 million in federal support to improve their emergency response capabilities. He has also cosponsored legislation to provide police officers with life-saving bulletproof vests. Since 1999, this program has helped Rhode Island police departments purchase more than 7,000 vests.
Key Priorities & Accomplishments
- Reed helped pass Meghan’s Law and the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Database Act to crack down on violent offenders who prey on the most vulnerable members of our society.
- Reed fought for initiatives like the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) program, which focuses on out of school-hours activities for children that have been proven to reduce crime, drug use, and teen pregnancy.
- Secured $1 million for the Providence Police Department’s Gun Violence and Gang Reduction Initiative to expand intervention efforts that specifically address gun-related violence and gang activity. He also helped secure over $388,000 in federal crime prevention grants to enhance the state’s crime lab and medical examiner’s offices.
- Cosponsored the Second Chance Act, which was signed into law, to strengthen programs to reduce recidivism through job-skill training, substance abuse treatment, and other support services that increase the odds of successfully transitioning back into society as law-abiding citizens.
The Latest
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Reed, Whitehouse Announce $200,000 for RI Crime Lab
PROVIDENCE, RI - In an effort to help law enforcement officials solve more crimes, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse today announced that Rhode Island is receiving a $200,000 federal grant to help reduce the backlog of unprocessed DNA samples at the Rhode Island Department of Health&rsq...;
Posted on 8/8/2012 | -
Reed Statement on Colorado Shooting
PROVIDENCE, RI - U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) issued the following statement in responding to this morning’s shooting in Aurora, Colorado that killed at least 12 people and wounded many more after a gunman opened fire in a crowded movie theater: "I am outraged by the senseless murder of inn...
Posted on 7/20/2012 | -
Reed Supports Increased Transparency in Elections
Posted on 7/17/2012 | -
Reed, Advocacy Groups Urge Renewal of Landmark Anti-Violence Against Women Law
PROVIDENCE, RI - Domestic abuse and sexual violence are serious problems that must be addressed. But efforts to pass legislation that would help thousands of victims escape their abusers is being blocked by some in Congress. Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed joined advocates from Sojourner House...
Posted on 7/5/2012 | -
RI to Receive $6.9 Million to Enhance Public Safety
In an effort to enhance public safety and strengthen Rhode Island’s emergency preparedness, Rhode Island’s Congressional Delegation today announced the state will receive $6.9 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and...
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Warwick & West Warwick Police Receive $625,000 COPS Hiring Grant
WARWICK, RI - The Warwick Police Department will get four more officers to help patrol the streets thanks to a $500,000 grant from the federal government and the town of West Warwick will receive $125,000 to help hire one additional officer and pay for police services. Administered by the U....
Posted on 6/25/2012 | -
Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Hainsworth to be RI’s Next U.S. Marshal
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee today unanimously approved the nomination of former Glocester police chief Jamie Hainsworth to be the next U.S. Marshal for Rhode Island. United States Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, who recommended Chief Hainsworth for the job,...
Posted on 6/21/2012 |