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U.S.
Senator Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs
Committees |
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For Immediate
Release December 19, 2007 |
CONTACT:Stephanie Valencia – 202-228-3630 |
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| Sen. Salazar Secures Critical Funds for Colorado Law Enforcement to Fight Meth & Hire New Officers, in Omnibus Appropriations Bill That Passes Senate WASHINGTON, DC – As meth production and usage has become rampant, United States Senator Ken Salazar has fought for over $937,000 funding to combat the meth scourge throughout Colorado. As Colorado’s former Attorney General and the state’s top law enforcement officer, Senator Salazar knows how important it is for our local law enforcement agencies to have the resources they need to do their jobs. Senator Salazar worked to secure these funds as a part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008 that passed in the Senate last night. The bill is expected to pass the House today and will soon go to the President for his signature to make this funding a reality. “Meth is poisoning our communities and is especially rampant in rural Colorado and we must do all that we can to stop it,” said Senator Salazar. “This will provide critical funds to the arsenals of those who are on the ground fighting the meth scourge. It also ensures that our local law enforcement, particularly in rural areas where resources are scarce, have the tools they need to do their jobs and keep our communities safe.” Senator Salazar fought to include $937,650 for nine drug taskforces throughout the state of Colorado to combat methamphetamine, including the 22nd Judicial Drug Task Force in Southwestern Colorado, San Luis Valley Drug Task Force, North Metro Drug Task Force, Delta/Montrose Drug Task Force, Eagle County Drug Task Force, Larimer County Drug Task Force, Greater Routt and Moffatt Narcotics Enforcement Team, Weld County Drug Task Force, West Metro Drug Task Force, Larimer County Drug Task Force. The bill also includes over $587 million for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), which provides grants to tribal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. These funds go towards community policing initiatives, which provides necessary resources for the law enforcement professionals on the streets so they can build relationships with the people they serve. By earning the trust of the members of their communities and making those individuals stakeholders in their own safety, community policing makes law enforcement safer and more efficient. Additionally, Senator Salazar fought to include $20 million for the Universal Hiring Program (UHP), which would allow local law enforcement agencies to hire additional officers. The Bush Administration had previously completely cut funding for this program over the last couple years, to the detriment of local law enforcement agencies. The Universal Hiring Program, administered under the COPS program, allows local law enforcement agencies to apply for funds to put more cops on the beat. 628 officers have been hired under this program in Colorado in the last ten years of its existence. “I fought to restore funding for the Universal Hiring Program because it has brought over 600 additional police officers to the streets in Colorado,” said Senator Salazar. “It is a highly successful program and it has provided many resources for local law enforcement to fill in the gaps to keep our communities safe.” ###
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