By Ed Somers
May 26, 2003

In a hearing before the full Senate Governmental Affairs Committee on May 14, Detroit Mayor Kwame M. Kilpatrick urged that federal homeland funding flow directly to cities and first responders. Mayor Kilpatrick testified on behalf of the City of Detroit, as well as The U.S. Conference of Mayors as a member of the Advisory Board and Co-Chair of the Mayors and Borders Task Force.

Kilpatrick detailed the comprehensive "Homeland Security Strategy and 10-Point Plan" developed in Detroit, but said, "The nation as a whole still lacks a comprehensive threat and vulnerability analysis."

The mayor also discussed the resources committed by Detroit following September 11 to help guard the northern border.

Senator Susan Collins (ME), Chair of the Government Affairs Committee which oversees the Department of Homeland Security, has introduced legislation (S. 1073) to create a multi-agency committee that would simplify the application process for federal grants and streamline the overlapping planning requirements.

As a former state legislator, Kilpatrick expressed serious concern with funding flowing through the states, fearing that the sub-allocation could become "political" in states across the country.

In identifying policy priorities for the Senators, Kilpatrick said:

• Cities have their own unique needs based on their specific threat assessments. Therefore, more homeland security funding should flow directly to the local governments.
• Local governments need to be directly involved in the analysis of critical infrastructure and assets, threat assessments, strategic planning and the development and implementation of homeland security efforts.
• We need more federal direction, leadership and guidance in order to develop, coordinate and implement comprehensive local and state homeland security initiatives.
• We need to view the role of localities as more than just first responders. In the future, a police officer with the help from a member of the community may be the first to identify an impending terrorist threat.
• State and local governments need to be included in specific planning and implementation of port and border security efforts.

The mayor also stressed that existing public safety programs such as the COPS program and Local Law Enforcement Block Grant must not be cut to pay for homeland security programs. Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney testified on behalf of the National Governors- Association saying that resources should be distributed based on regional plans, instead of directly to cities.