THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT BLOCK GRANT
WHEREAS,
in 1996 Congress began providing flexible funding directly to local governments
through the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant (LLEBG) and cities have
effectively used these block grant funds for prevention, increased police
presence, and technology and equipment, among other activities; and
WHEREAS,
many cities have used the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant very effectively in
tandem with the COPS program to expand community policing efforts; and
WHEREAS,
the U.S. Department of Justice has done a superb job in effectively and
efficiently administering the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant; and
WHEREAS,
the nation must remain diligent on crime prevention and control efforts to
ensure that past gains are maintained and that crime rates are further reduced,
especially as they relate to youth violence and crime, new and evolving
drug-related crime concerns, a rise in gang violence, and in light of the
return of over 860,000 ex-offenders from prisons and jails back into local
communities each year --many of whom will have not received needed drug
treatment; and
WHEREAS,
the LLEBG is one of the few federal-local partnership programs which allows
for overtime assistance, which has become even more important as cities respond
to the new homeland war against terrorism post September 11; and
WHEREAS,
funding for the LLEBG has been slashed by Congress, down from $523 million in
FY 2002 to $225 million in FY 2004, and of this total, almost $100 million is
directed to other programs; and
WHEREAS,
the Administration’s Fiscal Year 2005 budget proposes to
eliminate the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant by merging it with the
state-based Byrne Formula Grant program, with overall funding for the new
Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) greatly reduced from recent year funding for the
two programs individually; and
WHEREAS,
the United States House of Representatives has passed legislation to
implement the Administration’s JAG proposal by merging the LLEBG and Byrne
grant into a new “Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program;” and
WHEREAS,
in addition to merging the programs, the House bill would amend the
current “disparate allocation”
provision by lowering the threshold under which counties can appeal for more
funding, which could reduce funding available to cities to help prevent crime,
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors registers its
strong support for the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant and urges that it not
be merged with the state-based Byrne Grant program and that the disparate
allocation provision not be altered in a manner which further reduces funding
available for cities and their police departments; and
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant should be
funded at a minimum amount of $523 million in Fiscal Year 2005, which reflects
funding levels prior to FY 2003 and FY 2004 funding reductions.
©2004 U.S. Conference of Mayors 