A Resolution in Support of Community Policing
Adopted at the 90th Annual Meeting in 2022
WHEREAS, cities across the United States have seen a rise in crime of all types which affect their day to day lives and cause trauma to all those involved; and
WHEREAS, trust between law enforcement and the communities which they serve is critical to ensuring the safety of that community and law enforcement; and
WHEREAS, efforts to defund the police have put our cities and communities in greater risk of lower policing instead of addressing the structural concerns of law enforcement which would be aided by the funding of programs that recognize and enhance the skills of officers to correctly handle situations with regard to the safety of all persons involved; and
WHEREAS, community policing specifically aims at creating programs that will improve relations between law enforcement and historically over-policed and underserved groups such as communities of color; and
WHEREAS, community policing models have proven to be effective at building trust between a community and law enforcement along with improving the equal enforcement of laws; and
WHEREAS, President Biden has included in his proposed FY23 budget increased funding for the COPS Hiring Program to the tune of $537 million to bolster community policing efforts across the country in the hope of creating programs that foster community engagement, analysis and assessment of problems, changes to the management of policing, and the increased ability of law enforcement to protect their citizens,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors urges Congress to support President Biden's proposed increase in funding for the COPS Hiring Program to increase community policing in cities and communities.