Mayors Discuss Improvement of the Criminal Justice System

By Ed Somers

Led by Reno Mayor Jeff Griffin, the Criminal and Social Justice Committee focused its January 26th meeting on the next generation of the COPS program, reauthorization of the 1994 crime bill, and gun safety initiatives.

The committee was joined by Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder, and Thomas C. Frazier, the new Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) at the U.S. Department of Justice. Mr. Frazier was Commissioner of the Baltimore City Police Department from 1994 to 1999.

In beginning the discussion, Mr. Holder discussed the Administration’s plan to increase the enforcement of current gun laws. The FY 2001 budget will include a request for $280 million to:

• add 500 new Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agents and inspectors to target violent gun criminals and illegal gun trafficking;

• fund over 1,000 new federal, state and local gun prosecutors to take dangerous guns off the streets;

• create the first nationally-integrated ballistics testing system and expand crime gun tracing to help catch more gun criminals;

• fund local media campaigns to discourage gun violence and send a tough message on penalties for breaking gun laws; and

• expand development of “smart gun” technologies.

Mr. Holder also spoke of the need to enact new gun laws, passed in the Senate, to close the gun show loophole and require background checks, ban the importation of large capacity ammunition clips, and require that child safety locks are included with new gun purchases. These provisions are actively supported by the Conference of Mayors (see story on page...)

On the success of the COPS program, Mr. Frazier said that community policing helps cities hire a different kind of police officer, one who accepts the job “in the spirit of service, not the spirit of adventure.”

He also credited the program for providing officers and technology directly to mayors without state administration or approval.

The lengthy discussion with the mayors also covered the need for increased treatment funding tied to the criminal justice system, and targeted to first-time offenders. It was agreed that judges must be encouraged to become more involved in this process to help reduce recidivism.

Also at issue is the continued concern of smaller cities accessing the COPS program.