By Dana Bykowski
June 23, 2003

The Criminal and Social Justice Committee met on Friday, June 6, under the leadership of a new Chair, Elizabeth (NJ) Mayor J. Christian Bollwage. Mayor Bollwage opened the meeting by highlighting the value of local governments having greater access to federal funding for programs that prevent drug use and abuse, and that local officials also have the necessary tools and resources needed to protect the homeland.

The committee began with the testimony of Dr. John P. Walters, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. Dr. Walters discussed the Bush administration's efforts on providing treatment to the roughly five million substance abusers of illegal drugs in America today. Dr. Walters reviewed a state-by'state inventory of drug treatment needs and capacity for treatment, and how the Bush administration and mayors can work together to most effectively close the treatment gap in this country. Dr. Walters stressed the importance of applying the right amount of dollars to the most constructive efforts in fighting the war on drugs.

The Bush administration has committed roughly $1.6 billion dollars to state and local governments for access to recovery for substance abusers, of which the Committee approved through an adopted resolution.

The Committee then heard from Tim Quinn, Chief of Staff for the COPS Office who discussed the future of the COPS program and funding available to assist local law enforcement with protecting the homeland. Quinn announced several new sources of federal funding, including the Homeland Security Overtime Program, in which COPS will offer roughly $60 million in funds to help agencies cover overtime cots associated with securing the homeland through community policing.

COPS will also invest $8 million dollars in a collaborative Interoperable Communications Technology Program with the National Institute of Standards, National Institute of Justice, and the new Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate in the Department of Homeland Security to help federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies communicate more effectively.

"These are just a couple of examples of the many ways the Department of Justice is reaching out to local law enforcement agencies that have long been the front lines of our wards on crime, drugs, and we add to those our war on terror," said Quinn.

The final speaker before the Committee was former Denver City Attorney, Dan Muse, who discussed how to implement a successful affirmative action program that can stand to a court challenge. Muse used the 10th Circuit Court decision upholding Denver's minority business enterprise scheme as an example of a success story. On. February 10th, 2003 the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that Denver's affirmative action minority business program was in fact constitutional, overturning a lower court's previous decision.

Muse stated the ruling will have significant implications for minority employment in the Denver area, and nationwide. Muse also noted that affirmative action programs are not only a social issue, but also an economic issue. Without them, many minority-owned businesses are failing to develop and perform to their highest potential in the current economy.

Criminal and Social Justice Resolutions

Direct Local First Responder Assistance calls on the Congress to pass, and the President to sign, legislation creating a new first responder funding program with direct local assistance and maximum flexibility to cover costs such as equipment, training, exercises, planning and overtime related to homeland security.

The COPS Program calls for the COPS program to be fully maintained in FY2004 and beyond through the appropriations process; and calls on Congress to pass, and the President to sign, legislation to reauthorize the COPS program with increased flexibility.

The Local Law Enforcement Block Grant urges that the LLEBG not be merged with the state- based Byrne Grant program; and that the LLEBG be funded at a minimum amount of $523 million in Fiscal Year 2004, which reflects funding levels prior to the 23 percent cut in FY 2002.

Assault Weapon Ban/Large Ammunition Clip Importation Ban urges the United States Congress and the Administration to renew the federal ban on military assault weapons and to close loopholes that have allowed gun manufacturers to continue to design, manufacture, market and sell to civilians military assault weapons; and that the assault weapon ban reauthorization contain a large capacity ammunition clip import ban consistent with the domestic ban on large ammunition magazines.

National Ballistics Imaging and Identification System calls for enactment of a national ballistics imaging and identification system that would be a significant law enforcement tool in the ongoing fight against crime.

Liability Protections for Gun Manufacturers and Distributors opposes, and urges Congress not to enact, HR 1036/S 659, the "Protection in Lawful Commerce in Arms Act" that would shield those irresponsible elements of the firearms industry who create unreasonable threats to public safety from common law liability that state courts have applied to both the firearms industry and all other industries that market potentially hazardous instrumentalities.

In Support of the "Access to Recovery" Treatment Initiative calls the U.S. Conference of Mayors to support President Bush's three-year "Access to Recovery" treatment initiative to help stem the rising social, cultural, physical, and economical costs of drug use in our communities.

National Night Out strongly supports National Night Out and urges the U.S. Congress to fully support the program to provide essential crime prevention support and services to cities, towns and local communities.

A Resolution Urging President Bush to Rescind the Immigration Policies Against Haitian Immigrants and Calling for the Equal Treatment of All Immigrants calls upon President Bush to issue the necessary directives providing for due process for all immigrants and directing the Justice Department to eliminate the word "indefinitely" from the Haitian asylum policy.