By Ron Ingram

Local law enforcement officials are supporting a bipartisan effort in Congress to persuade President Bush to sign a bill reauthorizing the Edward Byre Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program.

If the bill becomes law, the Decatur Police Department already is approved for a $28,000 grant that it would share with Macon County Sheriff's Office, Police Chief James Anderson said Monday during a news conference at the Law Enforcement Center.

U.S. Rep. Phil Hare, D-Rock Island, called the news conference to highlight the efforts being made to lobby the president.

"The president wanted to eliminate this program entirely," Hare said. "I've heard from people all over the (19th) district on how important this program is. The president said it was too expensive, but I don't see it that way. It's an investment in my view."

In Illinois, the Byrne grants support 24 programs, including anti-methamphetamine task forces, criminal prosecution units and sex offender monitoring. In 2007, the program allocated $12.4 million in grants to Illinois agencies, but this year, that total has shrunk to $4.2 million, a 66 percent decrease.

"The Iraq war costs $4,000 a second," Hare said. "I'd prefer we spend money on the Midwest instead of the Middle East."

Anderson said his department would use the grant funds to purchase Tasers and other safety equipment for officers. He said earlier that larger grants provided funds to pay overtime for officers to work additional shifts.

Each Taser, which emits an electric charge designed to disable and subdue a combative person, costs $1,000, and each cartridge to fire a Taser once costs $25.

Sheriff Jerry Dawson said that five years ago, when the county was experiencing a fiscal crisis and steep cuts were made in his office's budget, the Byrne grants were invaluable.

"They allowed us to pay overtime," Dawson said. "The county board cut our overtime budget line to $500, and that wouldn't have paid for one week of overtime."

Hare said Bush is under tremendous pressure from both sides of the aisle in the House to sign the legislation. He said if the president vetoes it, an override is likely.