FBI REORGANIZATION

WHEREAS, following the tragic and criminal attacks of September 11, The U.S. Conference of Mayors sponsored a Mayors Emergency Safety and Security Summit in October of 2001 at which mayors, police chiefs, fire chiefs, emergency managers, and public health officials developed a National Action Plan for Safety and Security in America's Cities which has been presented to President Bush, the Administration and Congress; and

WHEREAS, a significant portion of the National Action Plan is devoted to the issue of Federal-Local Law Enforcement and the need for a new protocol governing how local law enforcement agencies can assist federal agencies, particularly the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), if given the information needed to do so; and

WHEREAS, mayors and police chiefs have continued to raise questions as to the respective roles of the various law enforcement task forces organized by the federal government related to homeland security, such as the Joint Terrorism Task Forces and the Anti-Terrorism Task Forces; and

WHEREAS, The U.S. Conference of Mayors has met directly with FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, Attorney General John Ashcroft and Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge on the need for better integration of local and federal law enforcement resources and intelligence, all of whom committed to working with mayors and local law enforcement to strengthen this relationship; and

WHEREAS, the nation's mayors and police chiefs are also concerned about continuing issues related to traditional crime, particularly drug-related crime, much of which originates outside of city and U.S. borders; and

WHEREAS, FBI Director Mueller has now announced a major reorganization of the FBI, which could have major impacts on both anti-terrorism efforts and traditional law enforcement,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors commends the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for moving forward with plans to restructure the FBI to meet the needs of terrorism prevention, and urges that mayors be directly involved in the implementation effort to help develop protocols which ensure that local-law enforcement is made an integral part of the national intelligence network, and is provided needed information in the most timely manner possible; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the U.S. Department of Justice and FBI engage in a detailed and structured conversation with the U.S. Conference of Mayors to understand what the new structure of the FBI will mean for the critical homeland war against terrorism, as well as traditional law enforcement and crime fighting in this nation.