Posted by Secretary Napolitano

Today I joined local law enforcement and elected officials from communities along the Southwest border at the White House for a roundtable discussion on the ongoing collaboration among federal, state and local partners to keep our border communities safe and secure while facilitating legal travel and trade.

Protecting communities along our borders is vital to our homeland security and critical to our economic prosperity. Since 2009, DHS and partners across the federal government have deployed unprecedented levels of personnel, technology, and resources to the Southwest border.  The Border Patrol is better staffed today than at any time in its 87-year history with more than 18,500 agents along the Southwest border, more than double the boots on the ground a decade ago. 

The men and women of DHS work closely with our state and local partners each and every day to ensure the safety and security of our borders.  As a result, the Southwest border is safer, illegal immigration attempts are at historic lows, and we are seizing more cash, drugs, and contraband.

During the meeting, I also conveyed the Obama Administration’s support for these border communities and for communities all across America to helping police officers and first responders who are charged with the responsibility of ensuring a safe, secure and resilient homeland through the American Jobs Act. Even in a difficult economic climate where we are faced with budget cuts across the board, we cannot afford to undermine law enforcement and first responder capabilities and jeopardize public safety. That is why the American Jobs Act provides $5 billion to state and local communities to create or save thousands of police and first responder jobs.

As we discussed in our meeting today, the Southwest border is open for business.  While we continue our work securing our borders, we must also facilitate legitimate trade and travel.  Our efforts to encourage economic development support jobs in communities along the border and all across America.

Posted by Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary Janet Napolitano

Keeping our nation safe from evolving terrorist threats requires strong partnerships at all levels. Nowhere are those partnerships more important than with our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers who work on the frontlines every day to keep our cities and communities safe.

These courageous men and women, who put their lives on the line to protect others, must have the tools, training, and resources they need to do their jobs safely and effectively.

This week at the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) General Assembly in Chicago, we each had an opportunity to reiterate our support for police officers and first responders across our country, many of whom are struggling to hire or retain personnel in the face of tough economic challenges.

As part of ongoing work to better understand and overcome current fiscal challenges, this week, the Justice Department's Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) office released a new report on how the economic downturn has impacted police departments nationwide. According to the Department's research, we expect that, by the end of this year, nearly 12,000 police officers and sheriff's deputies will have been laid off. Already, law enforcement agencies nationwide currently have nearly 30,000 unfilled vacancies. And an estimated 28,000 more officers and deputies experienced week-long furloughs last year. In 25 years of collecting data, this is the first national decrease in law enforcement positions ever recorded.

There is great demand for existing federal fire fighter hiring funding.In FY10 alone there were $1.8 billion in applications for $420 million in SAFER funds.

Especially in these difficult economic times, the tough choices we are all facing should not come at the expense of public safety and national security. And, fortunately, they don't have to.

The American Jobs Act would provide $5 billion in assistance to states and local communities to create and save thousands of police and first responder jobs across the country. These funds would not only help to safeguard our national security and bolster public safety - they would strengthen our economy.

Passage of the American Jobs Act also would ensure that many of the critical partnerships we have established with local law enforcement can continue - and improve our ability to share information, to train frontline officers to recognize indicators of terrorism and crime, and to encouraging the public to be vigilant in reporting suspicious activity to appropriate authorities.

These steps provide a strong foundation for law enforcement at all levels to protect communities from terrorism and other threats. They also help us better understand the risks confronting the homeland while protecting the privacy rights and civil liberties of all Americans, and foster a strong relationship with the international community.

When it comes to advancing our public safety efforts, we simply can't afford to wait. We must take action now to combat the economic conditions that have affected - and, in some communities, devastated - law enforcement agencies nationwide. We urge Congress to pass the American Jobs Act so that we can protect the men and women on the frontlines who protect us and contribute to our nation's safety and security every day.

Last week I went to New York to honor the men and women who aided the rescue of US Airways #1549.

By now, we all know the heroic tale of the pilot and crew who landed the distressed plane in the middle of the Hudson River against impossible odds.

What is less known is the immense rescue operation that took place immediately afterward and the heroism of dozens of individuals who put their own lives in danger to ensure that everyone on the aircraft made it safely to shore.

Among those responders was Coast Guard Petty Officer Ben Foster, who after seeing a passenger slip and fall from the plane’s icy wing, entered the frigid water to rescue her. In the process, he ruptured an artery in his leg, putting himself in even greater danger. He remained at the scene for hours, seeking medical attention only later that evening.

For his service, the Coast Guard awarded Petty Officer Foster the Meritorious Service Medal. The Coast Guard also awarded a Unit Commendation to its Incident Response Team, and it awarded Petty Officer Brittany Catanzaro – a member of the Coast Guard reserve – with a Meritorious Public Service Award.

Also assisting in the rescue were numerous independent boaters, water taxi operators, and ferry services. These Good Samaritans dropped what they were doing and rushed to the sinking aircraft to see how they could help. They worked side-by-side with first responders and law enforcement to ensure all 155 passengers and crew were safely rescued.

To honor their service, the Coast Guard awarded the Certificate of Merit to New York Water Taxi, Ken’s Marine, Miller’s Launch, World Yacht, and The Staten Island Ferry.

It awarded the Public Service Commendation to Circle Line Sightseeing and issued the Meritorious Public Service Award to Mr. Scott Koen. And it gave the Distinguished Public Service Award to New York Waterway.

Without this support, the triumph we celebrate today could have easily turned tragic.

These efforts remind us that individuals and businesses often have an important role to play during emergencies – even serving as first responders. As Secretary, one of my priorities is to continue to expand our engagement with citizens and businesses who want to be involved in our efforts. We have a lot to gain from their participation.

The rescue also reminds us of the importance of training and exercising before the fact. First responders at all levels must know what to do when it comes time to execute a mission – because seconds count. The successful rescue of Flight #1549 is a case in point

Janet Napolitano

The Coast Guard Public Service Awards Ceremony