Washington, DC -- Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response, today announced an official affiliate partnership between the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) and President Bush's Citizen Corps initiative. Through this affiliation, Citizen Corps and the NCPC will work together to raise public awareness about crime prevention programs and actions that can reduce vulnerabilities to crime. Community safety is a top priority of both Citizen Corps and the NCPC.

"We encourage Citizen Corps Councils around the country to work with local community-based organizations which promotes citizen action to prevent crime. Together, we can make President Bush's vision a reality," Brown said. "Our communities are more secure when neighbors help neighbors."

The agreement adds the NCPC, as an affiliate to the four federal charter Citizen Corps programs: Neighborhood Watch and Volunteers in Police Service, administered by the Department of Justice; Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), administered by FEMA; and Medical Reserve Corps, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services.

The NCPC also joins the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Civil Air Patrol, American Red Cross, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Local Emergency Planning Committees of the Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools of the Department of Education, Amateur Radio Relay League, National Safety Council, Points of Light Foundation, National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, National Volunteer Fire Council, National Fire Protection Association, Save A Life Foundation, and The U.S. Junior Chamber as Citizen Corps affiliate programs.

Under the direction of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Citizen Corps is a community-based initiative to engage all citizens in homeland security and community and family preparedness through public education and outreach, training opportunities, and volunteer programs.

The NCPC is a non-profit association that oversees crime prevention research, education, and training programs, including the Crime Prevention Coalition of America (CPCA), a non-partisan group of over 4,000 national, state, federal, and community-based organizations united to promote citizen action to prevent crime.

On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages Citizen Corps, the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.