Gordon Votes To Improve Law Enforcement Efforts

May 16, 2007, WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon voted to help Tennessee’s communities get the resources and personnel they need to fight and prosecute crime.

On Tuesday (May 15), the U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation to reauthorize the Community Oriented Policing Services, or COPS, grant program. The bill aims to add 50,000 new police officers nationally over the next six years though the COPS hiring grants program.

“This bill will reinvigorate this successful program,” said Gordon. “The program works, and Congress is doing the right thing by bringing it back after it was eliminated last year. By hiring more officers, we can help to reduce crime.”

From 1995 to 2005, the program helped law enforcement agencies hire 117,000 additional police officers across the nation. Tennessee has received $175 million in funding from COPS hiring grants alone, which resulted in 2,300 additional police officers.

“Reauthorizing the COPS grant program will once again give our law enforcement agencies the tools they need to fight crime and help us reduce crime rates,” said Gordon.

The bill authorizes grants to hire new officers for intelligence and homeland security duties, establish and implement programs to prevent methamphetamine abuse and other illegal drug activities, fund purchase of law enforcement tools, and reduce crime, gangs and drug activity in elementary and secondary schools.

The Fraternal Order of Police and National Sheriffs Association are among the groups that have endorsed the legislation.

The House passed a second bill that will complement law enforcement officers’ efforts by ensuring qualified prosecutors and public defenders are serving in the courtrooms. The John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act will help criminal prosecutors and public defenders pay off their student loan debt in exchange for service.

“Excessive staff turnover frequently hinders government’s ability to prosecute criminals fully and provides grounds for appeals,” said Gordon, a co-sponsor of the bill. “This bill will help stabilize the staffs in public defenders and prosecutors’ offices.

“It’s a plan that can ensure our safety by keeping criminals in jail so they cannot strike again. And it can save some money by reducing the appeals in criminal cases.”

Gordon said criminal defendants sometimes have their sentences overturned due to inadequate representation. By encouraging skilled lawyers to remain as public servants, this bill can reduce those appeals.

The proposal is similar to other successful programs offered to some doctors, nurses and teachers. By agreeing to serve a designated amount of time in underserved areas, those professionals can qualify for programs that assist with student loan debt.