By Laura DeKoven Waxman
July 2, 2012

With Arlington Heights Mayor Arlene Mulder serving as Acting Chair, the Criminal and Social Justice Committee met June 13 to consider 23 policy resolutions and discuss public safety issues. In addition, Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie and Chapel Hill Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt provided a progress report on Mayors for the Freedom to Marry, which was launched at the Conference's Winter Meeting and now includes nearly 240 mayors.

Deputy Attorney General James Cole assured the mayors that the Justice Department is their partner in protecting their communities and that it joins with them "in taking a comprehensive and collaborative approach to finding solutions and supporting the many approaches to addressing violent crime." Cole stressed the importance of preventing crime from occurring in the first place, supporting intervention programs, and providing individuals returning to communities from jails and prisons "with the tools they need to succeed and turn away from crime." He described several Department initiatives aimed reducing violent crime, including its comprehensive anti-violence strategy for U.S. Attorneys, the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention, the COPS program, and reentry strategies and programs.

Dan Phythyon, on detail from Homeland Security to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, briefed the mayors on implementation of the public safety broadband network provided for in the middle class tax relief act. He discussed the interoperability board charged with developing minimum technical requirements and ensuring a nationwide level of network interoperability and the soon'to-be established FirstNet Board which will hold the single public safety 700 MHZ wireless broadband license and be responsible for ensuring the design, construction, deployment, and operations of the nationwide network.

UCLA Professor Dr. Jeffrey Brantingham briefed the mayors on a predictive policing model which is being used effectively in Los Angeles and several other cities through computer analysis of information about previous crimes to predict where and when crimes will occur.

• Public Safety First

• Adequate Support for Second Chance Programs

• Reducing and Responding to Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

• Regarding the Trafficking of Minors

• Opposing Stand Your Ground Laws and Federal Legislation That Would Force Reciprocity for Concealed Carry Handgun Permits

• In Support of the Fix Gun Checks Act of 2012

• Reducing Violent Deaths Among African American Men and Boys

• Violence Prevention

• In Support of Inspiring Youth That Have Been Affected by Drugs and Alcohol Reclassification of Medical Cannabis to Schedule II of the CSA

• Homeland Security Grant Programs Regarding the National Preparedness Grant Program

• Earthquake Preparedness

• Improving Emergency Preparedness and Response

• Resolution In Support Of TSA's Trusted Traveler Program, Pre™ and the Blue Ribbon Panel

• Improved Staffing and Accountability at Airport Customs Facilities

• Building a Public Safety Communications Broadband Network

• Guidance for Mobile Services Interruption

• Comprehensive Immigration Reform as a Means to Strengthen Our Economy, Global Competitiveness, and Security

• Supporting and Urging the Passage of the Development Relief And Education For Alien Minors (DREAM) Act

• Urging the President to Immediately Instruct the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to Initiate a Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program

• A National New Americans Initiative to Promote U.S. Citizenship at the Federal, State, Municipal, and Community Level

• Providing Provisional Status on a Case-by-Case Basis to Dream Act-Eligible Young People.