U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

Member: Finance, Agriculture, Energy, Ethics and Aging Committees

 

2300 15th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

 

 

For Immediate Release

Monday, June 23, 2008

CONTACT:Stephanie Valencia – 202-228-3630
Michael Amodeo – 202-228-5019

Senate Committee Gives 'Green Light' to Funding for Rural First Responders
$5 Million Will Implement Vision of Salazar-led Legislation to Create Rural Policing Institute

WASHINGTON, D.C. – United States Senator Ken Salazar announced today that the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved $5 million in funding to implement the bipartisan vision of a Rural Policing Institute (RPI), an agency that will provide rural first responders with access to the specialized training they need to take on the meth scourge, to manage mounting homeland security responsibilities and to successfully meet the many other challenges facing rural America’s law enforcement professionals.

“Our rural law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe,” said Senator Salazar. “But far too often, these brave men and women find themselves stretched thin as a result of increased responsibilities and shrinking budgets. As we ask our rural peace officers to do more, it is only fair that we uphold our end of the bargain by providing them with the training they need to deal with the unique law enforcement challenges that face America’s small towns and rural communities.”

The $5 million in funding will be used to create a business plan for the RPI that includes a 5-year expenditure plan; a human capital investment plan; a strategy for evaluating the needs of the rural law enforcement community; an outreach effort to rural law enforcement; and a plan to work with partners and stakeholders to develop new training programs and evaluate their effectiveness.

Last year, Senator Salazar led the bipartisan effort to create the Rural Policing Institute within the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) as an amendment to the 9/11 Act. The amendment, which passed the full Senate by a vote of 82-1, was co-sponsored by Senators Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Mark Pryor (D-AR), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Joe Biden (D-DE) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA).

The bill now awaits action by the full Senate.

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