COPS hiring program in jeopardy.

Thousands of new local police jobs could be lost if the Senate follows the House and eliminates a key component of the Community Oriented Policing Services Program (COPS) when Congress returns to Washington next month.

Over the past 10 years, the COPS program has pumped $6.8 billion directly into nearly 13,000 communities across the country and supported the hiring of more than 117,000 new police officers.

Last month, the House okayed $683 million for COPS programs--but no money for hiring. Cities have used the COPS money to hire additional officers for community policing and for school resource officers.

"This is a great program that has made a difference in communities across the country," said NLC President John DeStefano Jr., mayor of New Haven, Conn. "It puts the money where it counts--directly into the hands of local officials who have been able to use it to make our cities and towns safer. Mayors across the country from cities of all sizes will say--without hesitation--that this program has helped reduce crime in hometown America. Why walk away from such a success story?"

Since the President released his budget in February, NLC and city leaders across the country have been working to save funding for COPS and other public safety programs in the wake of a tight economy, tight state and local budgets, and new homeland security duties.

"We're asking the Senate to provide at least $1 billion for COPS programs including at least $200 million for hiring," DeStefano said. "This is about sustaining the federal-local partnership to make sure our cities and towns are safe and secure. Keeping $200 million in the federal budget to help cities keep cops on the streets during these tough economic times isn't asking a lot from our federal partners."

The COPS program has been particularly popular among local officials because it provides direct, flexible funding to cities and towns of all sizes. Under the hiring program, law enforcement agencies can get grants to cover 75 percent of the salary and benefits for new entry level officers for three years up to a maximum salary of $75,000. By law, half of the hiring funds must go to cities and towns with populations less than 150,000.

Despite the absence of any funding for hiring, the House action last month showed some progress. In addition to the $683 million for COPS programs, the House rejected an administration plan to combine the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant and Byrne Grant programs into one state administered grant program. Funding for both programs was maintained at the current levels--$400 million for the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant and $615 million for Byrne formula and discretionary grants--in the House passed bill.

The report of the House Committee on Commerce Justice and State chastised the Administration for slashing funding for traditional public safety programs.

"According to the FBI's most recent Uniform Crime Report, in fiscal year 2002 murder increased by 0.8 percent and forcible rape by 4 percent. At the same time the FBI is diverting resources away from traditional crime fighting to strengthen its counterterrorism capabilities, leaving a void that only state and local law enforcement are positioned to fill," the committee report noted. "In this context, the committee finds the Administration's budget request, which proposes a $1.3 billion, or 35 percent, reduction in funding for state and local law enforcement assistance to be ill-conceived and profoundly inadequate."

"We agree with the House Committee's assessment and urge the Senate to step up to the plate and finish the job by funding the COPS hiring program," DeStefano said. "This valuable program shouldn't get lost in political battles over whether COPS is a Republican or Democratic program. It's a good program that has worked to make our cities and towns safer."

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and State, chaired by Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), is expected to take up the COPS funding as early as Sept. 2.